From: "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl at KeithLynch.net>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: AP IMPACT: Recession, tech kill middle-class jobs
Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2013 21:03:15 -0500 (EST)
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

mark <whitroth at 5-cent.us> wrote:
> Ok, every so often, I keep trying to start a serious conversation
> on what comes next.  Here's a AP article, and it's saying that what
> I've been saying is under way.  Now, what *happens* to all the rest
> of the people:  the ones who aren't a good fit with college, and
> don't really have what are considered salable skills *now*... and
> it's not going to get better.

> What happens as the tech jobs go away, too?

What do you mean "too"?

Just wait until telepresence is perfected.  Then *every* kind of
job will be done from overseas.

The problem will go away when US wages fall to third-world levels.
This sounds bad, but it isn't necessarily bad if prices also fall.

My biggest fear is that government would "do something," and make the
problem much worse.  For instance with mimumum wage laws.  Or with
bailouts to failing firms so that they don't have to lower their
prices to stay in business.  Or by picking winners and losers, so the
ones with clout get to keep on like it was still the '90s, with annual
raises, job security, and benefit packages.  "I've got mine so screw
you" instead of sharing the pain.

> What do we *do* with our lives, other than hope we've got enough
> money to retire - sit around and watch TV?

Finding stuff to do with one's free time should never be a problem.
Money is the problem.

I think conversations of this sort are a better fit in rasff.