Day 285: Vanishing Jobs

http://bigstory.ap.org/interactive/interactive-great-reset

http://www.witness.co.za/index.php?showcontent&global[_id]=94722

This is a continuation from my previous post: The End Of Jobs? Please read it for context & an introduction.

So, open up the first link above and take a look at the animation they've got going there, showing how a recession will cause job losses initially, but after a period of time employment rises and surpasses previous levels. This most recent economic depression (The Great Depression as they call it) has not shown a resurgence of employment - in fact, there are over 3,6 million jobs in the middle income bracket that have not been replaced during the "recovery" of the economy. The middle income bracket was hit hardest by the recession, with the most losses in all of the categories through all the recessions.

In my post yesterday, I was looking at how and why the current system is unsustainable, unjust, unfair, abusive and downright cruel in terms of people's jobs being replaced by technology, leaving countless families without their income (for example, a bunch of nerds are trying to make a car that drives itself which would squash all driving jobs). So today, I will look at our misguided and short sighted implementation of a capitalist economy without adhering to stringent principles (such as life is more important than money ALWAYS) and how we are now stuck with the massive wound that is unemployment and low income jobs that barely sustain life.

We currently believe that capitalism is all about continuous growth, and that new jobs will always be created to replace old once and that the market will essentially take care of itself. We believe that consumer demand will drive the creation of new products and services into infinity. Apparently we also believe that we will be able to find a few more suitable planets (close enough) to pillage within our lifetimes so as to prevent dying from nuclear and/or poison exposure. Or whatever.

This most recent economic depression is actually a huge sign with flashing lights and a blaring siren, screaming at us that we are really stupid and that there is no way that we can continue like this indefinitely. Or maybe it was something about us being stupid and not thinking things through properly. I really do wonder sometimes if people actually actively imagine themselves living in really big hazmad suits after the nuclear apocalypse, somehow magically being in possession of anything and everything a person could possibly need to survive the apocalypse comfortably. In reality, it would be more like tattered clothing, rotting teeth, constant hunger, constant nasuea (from radiation sickness), shit stuck to your legs cos you got really bad diarrhea (from the radiation sickness), scrounging for clean food and water and no TV's or iPads or anything. Cos, you know, the apocalypse is not really all that forgiving - or comfortable (I imagine, obviously I have never experienced one first hand and I would like to keep it that way).

How long can we go on reporting above the terribly difficult economic situation, without actually doing something to implement a solution? More to come tomorrow...

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