Jobs

No, not Steve. But jobs- employment. Why the problem is both not nearly as bad- and much worse- than reports indicate.

The reason for both starts out the same- self employment.

Why is the problem is so much worse than reported?

1: We have a school system, and a culture for children, that is designed to create safe, dependent factory workers.

Never mind that the Prussian model schools are completely out of date- among the primary goals of the Prussian model are obedience- submissive compliance - taking orders, relying on an authority to some degree for security.

In an economy with a dangerous level of consumer dependence (70%!) all you have is work and spend. There's a very limited amount of creation, innovation, real change.

2: We have a legal and regulatory environment that makes it very difficult to bridge the gap between a "gray" one person cottage industry and a business capable of providing any number of jobs.

3: People are dependent on- or at least expect- the government to "provide jobs." The idea of making jobs is not central in any way to government (beyond getting votes), business (unless it increases profit far beyond the other benefits of creating the job), or society (go look for a job, instead of go make a job.)

4: Our economy is largely- 70% again- based on consuming things, not creating wealth and goods.

Wow, this sucks. Doom and Gloom.

But- why do I say the employment situation isn't as bad as reported?

Well, it boils down to independence. I once asked a friend, "Do you want a job, or do you want to make money?" She is now one of the more popular sheath makers for custom knives.

It's a rough road- especially for the 3rd through 5th generations of the Prussian model of education- but it's doable. As the economy worsens, or lags, more and more people are breaking out and making money in ways not tied to a boss/owner/workplace.

Yeah, if you make a "thing"- it has to be purchased- consumed. There's a level of balance in there somewhere. But it's not something you have to worry about anytime in the next generation. (I promise to dig into abundance economics and unlimited growth someday.)

Yeah, you have to be good enough to sell what you've made- or your services- and competitive. You have to deal with customer politics instead of office politics (and you've been trained from kindergarten on to defer to others. Yikes!)

But - the silver lining in our economic cloud- thousands, tens of thousands, or persons are breaking out of employee lives. Hopefully they won't jump back in first chance they get.


Open suggestion to our government representatives at all levels- by all means, SPEND A BUTTLOAD OF MONEY on infrastructure projects. Pork it up- but do it locally. no multi-state operations get contracts. No national or multinational corporations. Get the money as close as possible to the individual shoveling the gravel.

Then, deregulate small business. There's no way in hell I can produce enough pollution to match one unregulated chip factory or foundry. Let me be.

There's no way I can owe enough on taxes to make it worth the effort of full business tax accounting and audits, permits and special papers. Let me be.