- 2,038
Founders Month SNL, Who is John S?
- Thread starter Agentguy5
- Start date
This thread is cracking me up. For an odd reason though. If I can't seem to make a personal connection with a prospect but I think there is a deal there I turn the conversation to "the kids these days" or how "customer service is DEAD" or those "damn telemarketers" and tell humorous stories about each of those subjects. If it's not 100% effective, it's gotta be high 90s.
- 15,041
Yes, but the men coming home from WWII, Korea and Vietnam needed little more than a high school education, if that, and a work ethic to land a middle class job. Also, many went to college thanks to the GI bill.
While there certainly are opportunities, they are not the same. A college diploma was pretty much a ticket to a good job in the past, regardless of the major. Now, not so much. Which is why previous generations pushed it and the current generation is confused they can't easily find a job with a Bachelor's degree, no matter what field it is in.
The reality is, most middle class jobs no longer exist. Middle management was previously a huge field, needed to prepare and process reports for senior management. Computers destroyed that. A manufacturing job was previously a pretty good job with good pay and benefits, at the price of hard work. Most of those jobs no longer exist, they weren't outsourced, they simply don't exist anymore due to automation. And those that do either require much more advanced knowledge or pay a fraction of the wage.
I said in another thread, and I will say again here. Barring a sudden new industry with a massive appetite for labor, it may be a scary future. The computer is going to put more and more people out of work without creating enough jobs to fill the void.
- 1,819
The bolded cracks me. You know all the buzzwords don't ya! If I was handed a participation trophy (which I never was), I would have to wonder who was handing me that trophy right?
At 18 your life isn't set, but like I said earlier I think you are missing the entire point.
Those veterans came home to an entirely different economy. Did you even read the charts I posted ?
As a nation I'm not sure we will flourish in the way we have in the past. Technology has changed the jobs we have and will continue to cut jobs. Fewer and fewer people will be able to afford houses. Debt will rise. I'm on mobile or I'd go on and on haha
As for the children spreading their wings later....everything I'm talking about is why. Wage stagnation housing costs up and more debt should explain that. It's not that we are all pussies crying on our parents couches.
- 24,979
All good points.
I see to many people my age with Johnny or Britney still living in their room. Not kids that moved back temporarily but the failed to launch. I agree that is as much the fault of the the previous generation/parents. The baby boomers are paying their cell phone, Internet and car insurance. Because there are "no jobs". Correction - good jobs. I know a couple people that have nursing homes they cannot get Johnny or Britney to apply much less do the hard work. So they hire Maria or miss Patel. Johnny goes to the gym.
The GI bill is still available, still not free. Very expensive actually. Work ethic is free, same as community college. For a couple hundred dollars a person could start a business where they sell something from home by phone or Internet.
The world is what it is. We can curl up into the fetal position in mom's garage or sack up and get to it.
Signed,
Grouchy Baby Boomer dad of Gen X, Y & M
----------
Starting to sound like Iam broad brushing. Not my intent at all. I truly believe we have some of the brightest and innovative generations coming into their own. Being the dad of a high school senior and a couple 20 somethings I believe our future is bright.
- 15,041
Johnny and Britney won't apply because there is such a mismatch between the wage and the expected effort. Quite frankly, our welfare system has done an excellent job of discouraging work. It is too easy to get a few hundred a month or more to ride the couch versus work. And it completely cuts off if you do work, so again little incentive to take a lower paying job.
Plus, wages simply haven't kept up with inflation. The big box store has done just as much to destroy jobs as anything else. Constant mergers and a desire to get it cheap have put people out of work or destroyed wages. Previously, retail was a decent job with decent pay. Now, it is barely above minimum wage unless it is high end. Buying online is now a threat to what retail jobs do exist. You don't need near as many employees to staff a fulfillment center as you do the equivalent retail stores.
Yes, there is opportunity, but it isn't the same. And I question if there is enough to sustain a middle class of the same size as we saw during the 60s and 70s. Really, that middle class was an aberration, it was larger than anything ever seen before and we may not see it again in any of our lifetimes.
To put it in clear terms. The county is trying to hire jailers. Starting pay is under $12 an hour. Just how qualified do you think the candidates are going to be?
Correction: The starting wage is $16+ an hour and goes to just over $18 an hour after 1 year. So not great considering the work, but definitely not bad for no real education required. Also, the county has good benefits and pension and isn't underwater on their pension plan.
Last edited:
- 29,492
You're so right about the welfare system taking away the desire to get a job. Not only that, but that's one more person that's taking out, without putting anything back...and our debt continues to grow. Telling the truth about food stamps and such probably cost Romney the election. Got to be PC and not hurt anybody's feelings with the truth. I despise Political Correctness! Minority Rules is ruining our country.
I've noticed that about the box stores. County Markets aren't really box stores, but they drove the Kroger's (union) and other union grocery stores out of my area by hiring part-timers at lower pay and no benefits, so they could cut prices and being union, Kroger couldn't compete.
Another thing that's destroying the jobs here is buying all that cheap crap from China. Everybody(including me)likes the bargains, but the trade deficit is ridiculous! So much of that crap gets recalled too! I think Trumps going to make those companies think twice about having factories in other countries. Hell, Chevrolet might start making their foreign built "American" cars in the good old USA again.
- 24,979
Again I agree. Work or welfare. The incentive used to be pride combined with up bringing.
As you know from our private conversations I grew up on welfare, canned meat and box cheese. My first paycheck jobs were in my very early teens in the California fields. 105' days going to the bathroom in the bushes. There still people doing that. There is also Johnny asleep this morning as dad heads off to work.
- 1,819
What's crazier is soon
McDonald's and others will be fully automated
Amazon will be delivering without people.
No one will buy in stores (at least in metro areas at first).
Factories will be operating nearly human free.
Products will eventually cost nearly nothing to create as humans progress. What happens then? Living wages like the Nordic countries are experimenting with? Cool things to think about.
McDonald's and others will be fully automated
Amazon will be delivering without people.
No one will buy in stores (at least in metro areas at first).
Factories will be operating nearly human free.
Products will eventually cost nearly nothing to create as humans progress. What happens then? Living wages like the Nordic countries are experimenting with? Cool things to think about.
- 15,041
That is my greatest fear. And quite frankly, the biggest threat to our security. Either the wealthy will have to buy everyone off with a living wage or hope they can suppress the masses. Short sighted decisions for immediate gain will eventually backfire. If McDonald's has robots making burgers, how much longer will anyone be able to afford a burger? The Henry Ford started it all. He paid his workers enough they could afford to buy his product and then everyone else was forced to raise wages to compete. Right now, no one is willing to break ranks and pay more.
Go ahead and brush off your dystopian futures from the 60s and 70s. That may be the future, or we may just destroy the earth during the revolts. Or we may figure it all out and be ok.
I hope for the last and plan for the last, but to say it doesn't worry me it crazy. Quite frankly, it should worry everyone.
