A misled generation graduates to a future behind the counter (Where Are the Jobs?)

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.graduation06jun06,0,7013886.story?track=rss


By Brian Till
Originally published June 6, 2007

Last month, author Barbara Ehrenreich gave a chilling address to the Class of 2007 at Haverford College near Philadelphia. She told the graduates, "At the moment you accept your diploma today, you will have an average debt of $20,000 and no health insurance. You may be feeling desperate enough to take whatever comes along. Some of you will get caged in cubicles until you're ejected by the next wave of layoffs."

She continued: "Others - some of the best and brightest of you, in fact - will still be behind a counter in Starbucks or Borders three years down the road."

And so, on a day typically marked by tears of pride, inspirational toasts and congratulatory gifts, at least one American college had a somber brush with reality. Ms. Ehrenreich's harsh but realistic rant struck some as insulting, but others, many of them graduates, found solace in her words: At least one representative of the generations ahead of us is willing to be honest about the state of the world we are to inherit.

Year after year, as I see friends graduate from reputable schools and watch all but a select few struggle to find jobs, I can't help but reflect on how horribly my generation has been misled.

Since our first days of grade school, we've been duped - told that if we worked hard in high school and gained acceptance to a good college, the world would be ours.....


Brian Till is a Haverford College student and freelance writer working as a research assistant for several Washington-based journalists. His e-mail is brian.till@gmail.com.

AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY SINCE 1975, AT LEAST! WITH A FEW YEARS OFF FOR CLINTON'S TERMS.

"It's the Democrat party's fault."


How many Amurkins will fergit that the GOP was in full control for the last 6 years and in control of Congress for the past 12?

the Govt of the USA. Dems/Repugs samey same when it comes to corporate control. We are approching the time when our "government" is no longer sustainable. The "Jefferson solution" will be all that's left to ordinary citizens.

;)

Not to minimize the current situation, but this has been going on for quite some time and it was going on during Clinton's term as well.
In 1997 with a Masters degree at the age of 40 I was working in a bookstore at $7 an hour because of this exact thing.
I don't think I represent an isolated case either.

So as much as I sympathize with 20 year olds finding out the harsh realities of the United States, I often find myself getting a tad bit irritated with it also because of the borderline exceptionalism implicit. Something like "we've got it so bad, things used to be so much better." Well I've got news for you. They didn't. My father lived through the Dust Bowl years so I heard plenty about real hard times. At the rate we are going we most likely could find ourselves back in such a situation but we aren't there yet.

I also find myself getting a bit irritated with the implicit idea that it is all the Republican's fault and that Democrats were so much better. People tend to forget that NAFTA and welfare reform happened during Clinton's presidency.

This problem is a bit larger than purely Republicans or Democrats.

off than their parents. Another, the false promise that if one goes to college, one will get a fantastic job.

I felt the same way when I graduated from college and had to take a low-paying job.

"This problem is a bit larger than purely Republicans or Democrats."

You said THAT right. I don't think it will go away any time soon.

job situation. The outsourcing of American jobs has occurred for several decades, first with the Mexican Maquiladoros and more recently to China, India, other nations in Asia, Eastern Europe, etc., etc. The outsourcing is driven by the wall street traitors and their enabling investors, aided and abetted by congress, the wh and americans that insist on low, low prices for foreign made crap. Accenture, one of the 'leaders' in outsourcing American jobs to other slave wage nations, is in the process of doubling their outsourcing staff to meet increased corporate demands; the bottom line is that many millions of additional American jobs will be leaving our nation soon. Our nation is heading for a total collapse as the value of the dollar continues to decline; increasing national debt destroys everyone's future; trade deficits skyrocket because less and less is made in the USA; a huge low wage work force will be allowed to come into this country and take a substantial number of American jobs at lower wages; a health care system owned, operated and manipulated by wall street criminals has annual double digit cost increases; foreclosure rates will ONLY continue to increase as fewer and fewer jobs will exist resulting in the inability to pay mortgages; credit card defaults will rise as people who tried to exist on credit cards can no longer make the payments; etc; etc. Democrats, rethugs, bankers, investors and consumers have landed us in this vicious downward spiral and NO ONE will face this imminent disaster or even admit there is a looming disaster until the day after the total collapse of our economic and financial system occurs.

Even if you can't find a good job, you can still have a successful life. Did she tell them that if they can't find a good job they can still find fulfillment outside of work?

have to make a living or else find somebody they can live off. And as for medical insurance--good luck to them, as well as many of the rest of us. :cry:

"Did she tell them that if they can't find a good job they can still find fulfillment outside of work? "

In my 50's and happily underemployed, I've been getting used to that idea over the last few years. I think we're so brainwashed to think we ARE our jobs. It isn't just men, either.

that there were more college grads than there were "good jobs" for them. It wasn't nearly as bad as it is today, though.

We boomers were fed the same line of crap: go to college and you'll get a fantastic job. Not so, not even then.


"AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY SINCE 1975, AT LEAST! WITH A FEW YEARS OFF FOR CLINTON'S TERMS."

Amen to that!

K&R.

who work part-time at Starbucks just to get health benefits. It's a sad state of affairs.

all doom and gloom about the great economy. Mostly it's from people on other forums that has a mix of liberals and conservatives. It's funny how conservative business people think that somehow they aren't going to be effected by job loss. At a state level these same people also think that when their business starts to become unprofitable, all they need to do is pack up and move to another state because according to them, it's only the state they live in that has a problem with job loss.

Another thing I hear from them is how great their businesses are doing, I wonder just how far they have their heads shoved up their asses. They live in the same cities and towns that I either lived in or have traveled to, so how come do I see empty business buildings yet they don't? They also listen to the same city news programs as I do yet they rarely hear the same news, every business in this state has been taking heavy loss of profits since gas has gotten over $2.50 a gallon, yet not their business has been effected by any of these factors, hell even Wally World is bitching that their not getting as many customers.

When these assholes talk about the bad economy, it's not the job loss thats the problem, they know there are plenty of jobs, they even provide links to the on line help wanted sites, so they have proof that theres plenty of jobs, people just don't want to work because welfare lets them sit on their sofa's. Never mind that the news the night before said that another 2,000 people were getting layed off or fired because of down sizing or the factory closing it's doors.

I even posted about my SO's 16 year old son wasn't able to get a job flipping burgers as theres a waiting list for employment at most of the fast food joints, theres that many people trying to get those type of jobs, mostly adults. As far as the boy getting lawn mowing job's, again most of those jobs are being done by homeless people, he did find one person that hired him to mow lawn, but it's 15 miles from where we live, pays $20 and he has to wait for the person to contact him because the home owner doesn't have his yard mowed on a regular basis. What got me was how even the liberal leaning crowd joined in on saying that I was wrong, my SO's son was just lazy, after all theres not that many homeless in their area so I must be lying as they have never seen homeless people pushing lawn mowers down the street.

Where do people get off telling others how things are and these people don't even live or visit the city your living in? I once posted about how one of the closed companies in this city had a DeVoss for gov signs on its window as well as yard signs in frount of the building and was called a lier on that, lol. Btw, these kids are aware of how bad things are for them and more and more kids are talking about dropping out of school so they can get jobs before there are none left.

As a 28 year old member of the Strapped generation. I am utterly depressed. I don't want a job in retail. I don't want a job in sales either LOL. However my career goals are on a very different path than most in my age group (non-profit, political, government, activism work).

I will say this. I still feel like a story right out of Draut's book. There was a time not too long ago when I was working in retail and then as a bank teller to put my way through college. I got an associates degree in multimedia development and management. My goal was to get out of the "Mcjob" and sales world and into a meaningful career with the skills I picked up from my two year degree. My plan was to seek an entry-level job in the web design/graphic design world, pay off some college debt (not my loan just what I owed my school so they would release my transcript. The loan could go back to default status once I was back in school) and then head back to school to get my BA in the field while I worked in it at the same time.

When I left school in 2002 there were no jobs period. Nothing. I ended up being stuck as a bank teller at Wachovia bank for another year and some change actually. Sure, all the time I was there I was applying for jobs but nothing was happening. I finally got tired of being stuck in a rut, quit Wachovia, and had the opportunity to jump into politics. I have not regretted that.

I always had an interest in politics and government since high school, and truthfully, I don't know why I just did not stick with that and go to college learning something related to that in the first place. I didn't then, but I realize this is the career I want. When I do finally get a chance to return to school I'm probably going into Poli Sci or a public policy related area of study.

I will say that right now getting and keeping a job in the progressive movement is hard too! Us twenty and thirty somethings are all screwed! That is if you don't mind working for Starbucks, Mcdonalds, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, The Mall,..... you get the point.

Those of us who had jobs would cling to them out of fear. I will say this...during those times I watched a lot of ex-collegues switch careers (opening a store, becoming a dog trainer, anything but business). I stuck with my profession (sales) and now things are different. There aren't many people my age with as much experience as I have. All my peers went away and did something else.

My point...maybe its time to try it again if that's what you want.

... is that Bush, the National Chamber of Commerce, and the corporately-controlled U.S. Congress is getting ready to increase by millions the importation of cheap workers into our country.

It is going to get much, much worse for the current generation of high school and college graduates.

Learn Spanish -- that's really the best advice for anyone who wants to make even a minimal living in the immediate future.

college degrees.

This situation is wrong.

then look at rest of the developed worlds military spending. one does`t have to have a college degree to figure out why they can not find work.

less pay less...everything. It postulates that the only 'way out' is creating more non-profits (but fails to say how they will be funded, probably by more * tax cuts I suppose).

http://www.jobsletter.org.nz/art/rifkin01.htm

This is depressing as hell but that was the only glimmer of hope for the future I could see. Also, read Plan B 2.0 (online too) and see that we've got till about 2031 before the bleep REALLY starts hitting the fan. By then, China and India will have exhausted their demands for oil along with the Western world's demands. Then it starts to get really interesting for capitalism.

Work less, and everybody works. Helps solve global warming and leaves people more time for family and community. One of these days we are going to have to get a clue that getting more and more 'efficient', with fewer and fewer people making more and more stuff that people who aren't working aren't allowed to have is just not a sustainable situation.

I'm one of those who, immediately after college, ended up in a cubicle until finally being layed off in 2001. What saved me is that I lived in a way in which I understood this inevitability. Now 7 years after university, I never took for granted the fact that my job would last for more than, say, this month. So what? So I saved and saved and saved. Now I'm free.

Graduates need to spend the first 5 years after college keeping expenses low (no new cars or houses) and paying off debt. Though difficult, that is the only way to avoid wage-slavery and claim your life as yours.

Americans have *no clue* about managing money.

As long as you never marry or have children, you might make it--as long as you don't get sick or injured....

as some of the Where Are The Jobs options. As a tie-in, alternative local currencies - especially in times of rising gas prices-- are going to be needed.

http://www.smallisbeautiful.org/local_currencies.html

In other words, getting as far away from Wall Street is a requirement to getting to the future.

...so of course this has to be fought at a macro level...but you can't ignore the personal responsibility element. It doesn't matter if you're barely making it or raking in the dough...without good financial management you're not going to get ahead.

By the way, being married can be a plus (if your spouse also makes money and shares your same views on financial management).

or develops a gaming habit, or becomes a quadraplegic? Take the shades off, if you've been lucky so far, that's all it is.

The War On Waste
Defense Department Cannot Account For 25% Of Funds — $2.3 Trillion
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/01/29/eveningnews/main325985.shtml

DoD has spent the $ for you I suppose. It's your tax money after all, but 'conservatives' are doing it so it must be o.k., right ?

Good News! Jobs Continue to Migrate

by Daveparts
Thu May 10, 2007 at 08:21:37 AM PDT



“Experts say economy will benefit long term from outsourcing and off shoring,” (Atlanta Journal Constitution) “We are living in a global economy. If abdominal pain sends you to the emergency room in the middle of the night, it might be a radiologist in Australia or Switzerland who reads you CT scan. The medical notes on your case may be transcribed in India. The mortgage papers on your new house might be processed in China or Kenya

Understand? When they say WE they don’t mean you and I they mean us and them. They sell you this advantage of faster medical care for you, but actually the advantage is in a cost saving for them. You see, they couldn’t have a doctor read your CT in the middle of the night in this country because that would be ah ok, expensive.

They continue, "It began with manufacturing, but off shoring spilled into service sectors. The internet changed the way the game was played geography and time." The trends show that companies are getting more sophisticated in what they’re outsourcing and off shoring" according to Tim Mescon, Dean at Coles college of Business at Kennesaw State University. Tim explains, "The U.S. is clearly the biggest user off shoring, and Japan has become a huge user- and the numbers continue to grow dramatically,"

Tim says the US is the biggest user, English is a funny language sometimes when you say something innocently you tip your hand like a Freudian slip – user

But I digress, Tim explains, Work is no longer is sent just to India, China or Mexico but also to Belarus, Kenya and Canada’s Prince Edward Island, The Islanders couldn’t just fish or harvest trees anymore, so that area has a strategy to boost it’s economy by becoming a call center location, Mescon said.

Tim? Question? The Islanders have a strategy to boost? Their economy? So importing jobs is a good thing? So, then what is exporting jobs?

The shift has caused plenty of short-term pain to blue collar and white collar Americans who have lost their jobs

Whew? Thanks Tim I was beginning to think you didn’t care about us. As long as it only short term I guess that’s all right. Tim, short term how long is that? The mortgage company wants to know.

Now Tim is going to give us the good news! "In the long term there will be a positive impact in the area of economic growth for U.S. companies"

Tim? Question? When you say impact does that mean jobs? Or profits?

"Companies like Boeing, who are succeeding in aviation manufacturing by having parts made all over the world to grow their core business domestically."

Tim? Question again? Boeing dumps American workers and that helps them domestically? Does that mean the unemployed workers are buying airliners? Or the airlines are buying more planes because the unemployed are traveling the world? Or maybe Boeing just makes more profit?

But Tim’s not alone, Penelope Prime Professor of Economics at Mercer University’s school of Business and Economics. "The recent resurgence of engineering and IT jobs supports that thinking."

Question? When you say, "supports that thinking" does that mean you have facts? Or just thinking and we should just have faith in your thinking because you’re in the wrong business to ask for faith. The Department of labor statistics say that there were 1500 engineering jobs created last year and that IT jobs lead the way in income declines.

Come on now Penelope, your not being completely honest with us are you?

"American companies make the decision to off shore activities if it makes sense," she said, "If it adds value, then it’s a smart move. Our economy has to stay competitive, retrainable and flexible."

Pen? What does that mean to you? American, if the corporate headquarters building were to catch fire whom do you want to come put it out? Or if burglars were to break in whom would you call? I hear the Prince Edward Islanders are looking for jobs maybe they could start a Fire dept. No I think you want us to do it don’t for you don’t you ?

"The best thing workers today can do is learn how to learn and how to think" Thanks Penelope how did we ever get along with out you? Tim advises, "Because it’s no longer easy to predict where future jobs will be"

Tim? Any idea where the jobs won’t be?

"They need to keep their eyes open and stay ahead of the game"

You know Tim that might be a lot easier if they would quit changing the rules because it seems to me the game is fixed. It seems to be all about profit for the corporation and nothing for the American worker. "We need to learn how to think!" We are not as stupid as you may well suppose.

I ‘ve been thinking and I have a plan lets outsource our college professors, lectures could be broadcast via a satellite link from India or Ireland or Australia and our papers could be turned in and graded online after all you said it was a good idea Tim? It only makes sense you and Penelope could be retrained, repeat after me Tim "Would you like fries with that? And an how bout an apple pie?"

You see Tim according to you and Penelope the country owes you nothing! Not one damn thing you see here in the Corporate States of America your lucky we let you just stand around. My brother’s keeper? Not applicable to the corporate frame of mind. Let me ask you this Timmy, if a country has no interest in the welfare of its citizens, what is the point of having a country at all? And if the country owes us its citizens nothing, what do we owe to it in return then? You see we are thinking and retraining

Salon.com lays off a bunch too 20% of staff, the SFChron laid off 25%, and a Pasadena paper outsourced local news to India

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pasadena11may11,1,7515978.story?coll=la-headlines-business&ctrack=1&cset=true

"Local news" ? Sounds like someone could be sued for truth in advertising if they're not careful !

Workers and farmers in the United States and Canada have been largely kept in the dark about the tragedy unleashed on their counterparts in Mexico with the 1994 entrance of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). But the same all-out screwing is about to happen to them.

An alliance of big business owners is openly plotting the economic Mexicanization of an important region of the Northeast US and Eastern Canada. They call their new world “Atlantica,” and have imposed their borders around it as if drawing a new “country” on a Risk game board. Here’s the map of “their” new country, not one founded upon democratic decisions, but with orders barked from an unelected elite of corporate flunkies whose only law is to maximize profits for the owners. Maybe you can see your house or job, or that of family members and friends, on their map:



If you live or work there, you will soon no longer be a Mainer, a Vermonter, an upstate New Yorker, a Québécois, a Nova Scotian, a Newfoundlander, a Prince Edward Islander or a citizen of New Brunswick or New Hampshire. You have been conscripted into a new kind of citizenship that comes without any of the freedoms that you thought were your birthright. You shall be – by big business decree – an “Atlantican.”

SNIP

So there it is. I thought that to suffer my country’s foreign and trade policies I would have to live in Mexico. It turns out to no longer be the case. Now, from within the (soon to be former) United States and Canada, citizens can stay home and enjoy all the devastation that Mexico has suffered (at US and Canadian prices!), under a new flag: that of the private sector state of Atlantica.

What the Atlantica plan makes crystal clear is that free-market ideology is not at all “libertarian,” but, rather, it brings liberty only to the super rich, and authoritarianism to the rest of us, with a large dose of economic displacement, forced migration, the obliteration of the family unit, and environmental destruction, not only to the countryside, but also, as in Mexico, to the cities and suburbs.

With the rise of Atlantica comes the end of a certain media-fed foolishness that held, in recent years, that one could be pro-capitalist and pro-democracy both. The capitalists, with Atlantica, have bared their anti-democracy teeth now from inside their former national territories, and capitalism comes to supplant democratic forms of government with an imposed, top-down, and authoritarian corporate state.

Beginning on June 11, Canadian unions and social movements will gather in Halifax to draw their line against this attack on sovereignty in a movement that, by definition, is and must be against the attacker: not government, but capitalism itself, the Uber-State. What remains to be seen is whether the similarly besieged sectors of Northern New England, Upstate New York, and others on the US side of the border will continue to remain blissfully ignorant of how their lives are about to be Mexicanized (and in none of the good or fun ways that Mexican migrants bring) or whether they will recognize and act against this threat in time.

http://www.narconews.com/Issue46/article2691.html