What is “work” and how do we value it?

[Eugene]

That is a big paradox of the modern age. We humans (specifically, residents of developed countries) are way too productive. We don’t need many people to provide for all our needs. 3% of the adult population is enough to feed everyone, additional 3% is enough to clothe everyone, to build furniture, electronics… What’s the largest capital expense in for most people, after the house? Probably the automobile. Major auto manufacturers such as Toyota and GM produce an average of 30-40 vehicles per employee per year. (That includes salespeople and paper pushers as well as assembly line workers.) If an average car serves 10 years before hitting the junk yard, that means we humans can satisfy world demand for cars by employing 0.2-0.3% of adult population in auto manufacturing.

So what this all comes down to is that we don’t really need many people to do “REAL work”. That was true long before “real workers” had their jobs shipped overseas.

Of course, this situation is self-reinforcing. Increases in productivity only appear when there are enough “idle”, preferably college-educated people around.

[scaredyclassic]

what do we need all these people for?

why am i here?

i think i remember a charlie brown cartoon which went something like,

“Why are we here.

to serve others.”

“What are the others here for?”

[one deft move may be much more valuable than a day of digging.]

[scaredyclassic]

what do we need all these people for?

why am i here?

i think i remember a charlie brown cartoon which went something like,

“Why are we here.

to serve others.”

“What are the others here for?”

[one deft move may be much more valuable than a day of digging.]

[scaredyclassic]

what do we need all these people for?

why am i here?

i think i remember a charlie brown cartoon which went something like,

“Why are we here.

to serve others.”

“What are the others here for?”

[one deft move may be much more valuable than a day of digging.]

[scaredyclassic]

what do we need all these people for?

why am i here?

i think i remember a charlie brown cartoon which went something like,

“Why are we here.

to serve others.”

“What are the others here for?”

[one deft move may be much more valuable than a day of digging.]

[scaredyclassic]

what do we need all these people for?

why am i here?

i think i remember a charlie brown cartoon which went something like,

“Why are we here.

to serve others.”

“What are the others here for?”

[one deft move may be much more valuable than a day of digging.]

[blahblahblah]

Totally agree. Many of our highest paid people are just filling out forms, sending emails, and taking up space in silly meetings. The people that actually keep things running aren’t making jack squat for the most part (plumbers are an exception as are good auto technicians). I have no idea how to fix this, and I wouldn’t have time even if I did because I have too many emails to send, too many forms to fill out, and too many silly meetings to take up space in.

[blahblahblah]

Totally agree. Many of our highest paid people are just filling out forms, sending emails, and taking up space in silly meetings. The people that actually keep things running aren’t making jack squat for the most part (plumbers are an exception as are good auto technicians). I have no idea how to fix this, and I wouldn’t have time even if I did because I have too many emails to send, too many forms to fill out, and too many silly meetings to take up space in.

[blahblahblah]

Totally agree. Many of our highest paid people are just filling out forms, sending emails, and taking up space in silly meetings. The people that actually keep things running aren’t making jack squat for the most part (plumbers are an exception as are good auto technicians). I have no idea how to fix this, and I wouldn’t have time even if I did because I have too many emails to send, too many forms to fill out, and too many silly meetings to take up space in.

[blahblahblah]

Totally agree. Many of our highest paid people are just filling out forms, sending emails, and taking up space in silly meetings. The people that actually keep things running aren’t making jack squat for the most part (plumbers are an exception as are good auto technicians). I have no idea how to fix this, and I wouldn’t have time even if I did because I have too many emails to send, too many forms to fill out, and too many silly meetings to take up space in.

[blahblahblah]

Totally agree. Many of our highest paid people are just filling out forms, sending emails, and taking up space in silly meetings. The people that actually keep things running aren’t making jack squat for the most part (plumbers are an exception as are good auto technicians). I have no idea how to fix this, and I wouldn’t have time even if I did because I have too many emails to send, too many forms to fill out, and too many silly meetings to take up space in.

[hugo]

Please make sure you have a cover sheet on your TPS reports!

[hugo]

Please make sure you have a cover sheet on your TPS reports!

[hugo]

Please make sure you have a cover sheet on your TPS reports!

[hugo]

Please make sure you have a cover sheet on your TPS reports!

[Author]

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