And it's all true.

Good book.

http://www.onassholes.com/versions/

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Last edited Fri Apr 24, 2015, 10:47 AM - Edit history (1)

anthropologist (and OWS eminence grise) David Graeber:

http://strikemag.org/bullshit-jobs/

C. Northcote Parkinson wrote a little tongue-in-cheek book about this many years ago (1950s I think). He noted that there was an irresistable growth in administrative positions in government and business without regard for the amount of work to be done. The basic law is "Work expands to fill the time available for its completion" with the corollary that "people seek to expand subordinates, not rivals."

to see an evolution from making things to bean counting (finance), with the corollary growth in said 'bullshit jobs.' Phillips sees this as a sign of American imperial decadence but also as somewhat inevitable, something that every empire since the Industrial Revolution has been prone to.

There's definitely something rotten in the state of Denmark (and in capitalism itself) when an investment banker on Wall Street earns compensation 1,000s of times higher than a nurse or teacher earns. Whose work is really benefiting the human race more?

Parkinson spoke of the multiplication of layers of management by natural growth within an organization.

Obviously there are people who are awarded outlandish sums for some perceived ability they have. Does the .230 hitting bench warmer in pro baseball deserve vast multiples of what the groundskeepers in the park make? Many years ago, in sophomore Economics, our instructor (an assistant professor) explained to us fhe processes whereby he made less a year than a journeyman plumber.

taking the application is overworked while the administration has no idea why so many applications are not being answered. I have watched over the years as the people in the social services are laid off or they refuse to fill empty slots due to cuts and the staff has more than they can handle.

They should cut down on the administration and give us more of the people who really do the job. I know this is not manufacturing but it is related to production.

subordinates, in excess, are simply a distraction.

Or as the religious might say..."God must love Assholes; he made so many of them."

Last edited Fri Apr 24, 2015, 11:14 AM - Edit history (2)

and he keeps making it over and over and over and over and over again.

It gets repetitive. I expected more than one-trick-pony writing after investing the time to click on and read the whole article.

so damn true.

it's that it employs far fewer people to make stuff than it did before. Automation and streamlined processed have resulted in a massive shrinkage of industrial labour. And the stuff that the US does still make, in quantity: agricultural and earth-moving equipment, aircraft, jet engines, medical equipment, and guns. Most of it's either highly automated or highly-skilled, the number of manufacturing jobs for relatively low-skilled workers for whom a degree wasn't/isnt an option is very few. From the perspective of someone who probably rarely sees US-manufactured clothing, consumer electronics, etc, and remembers a time when all those things had "Made in the USA" labels on them? It probably feels like the US doesn't make much stuff anymore. And they certainly don't know anyone who makes stuff, anymore.

We have lots of manufacturing... we just don't have as many manufacturing jobs. Particularly (as you said) the low-skilled jobs.

In higher-income countries, it's common for capital to replace labor... in lower-income countries, labor tends to trump capital expense.

America sucks! Why? Because I just told you a lie that will make you think it does. Now here's an entire article based on that faulty premise for you to read and share!

America is not defined by the few assholes that happen to live here, it is defined by EVERY AMERICAN.

I do?

The United States is the world's second largest manufacturer, with a 2010 industrial output of approximately $1,696.7 billion. In 2008, its manufacturing output was greater than that of the manufacturing output of China and India combined, despite manufacturing being a very small portion of the entire U.S economy, as compared to most other countries.

If the top 500 U.S.-based manufacturing firms were counted as a separate country, their total revenue would rank as the world’s third’s largest economy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_in_the_United_States

their anti-American views.

The premise that the economy doesn't make anything any more is false to begin with.

but there is some character flaw in her personality that influences her to become an asshole, and in this culture, such a life choice is encouraged, demanded in some situations, even.

And it didn't used to be that way. (showing my age, here).

What will it take to turn this situation around? Stronger minds and characters, better role models, lots of guts, and a goal. Rather like what it took to start the American Revolution...the first one.

Maybe she doesn't have to become an asshole; but, given the lack of real jobs and the fact that the structure described is what more and more companies are becoming, it would be very hard to resist!

I'm probably older than you; I do remember an America when we at least aspired to be better; but, I'm too aware of my own failings to judge anyone else.

to "Human Resources"
to "Drone Management"

America is doomed.

Give the accounting profs their own department. The human race has needed bean-counters since the days of the pharaohs because we have to keep track of the numbers and locations of things. Society has ZERO intrinsic need for financial engineers, marketing "wizards" to make us want useless shit that has no purpose and the walking monsters called "HR professionals."

Close the goddam pestholes, then burn them to the ground and let them sink into the swamp.

We're still the world leader in shiny war toys.