4 ms·
> We’ll only see real change if semi-skilled and skilled positions start atrophying from major corporations. And there’s little chance of that happening now. We
by betwixthewires 5y ago
> We’ll only see real change if semi-skilled and skilled positions start atrophying from major corporations. And there’s little chance of that happening now. We’re far too extravagant. Even people making $100,000 are leveraged up to their eyeballs in unnecessary luxury. Our marketers are effective.
This basically hits the nail on the head. You (probably) have way too much shit and spend way too much money. And the marketers are effective. You don't feel like you've made it unless you've spend all that money on extravagant creature comforts and status items. You rationalize why you need those things, but you don't. And you'll remain a slave as long as this is the case. Comfortable, but a slave still.
- kortilla 5y ago> And you'll remain a slave as long as this is the case. Comfortable, but a slave still. No: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery Slavery is one of the worst atrocities in human history and diluting it to voluntary work for luxury goods is offensively downplaying history. It’s no different than calling leering “rape”.
- hhjinks 5y agoBeing a slave to something is a very common turn of phrase.
- betwixthewires 5y agoIt is different than calling leering rape, but I see your point. I guess what I mean is, if you make good money you could get ahead. You could become financially independent, give your kids a leg up, build something that lasts, not have to kludge through another workday with no end in sight. But most people don't do this, most people are convinced that they haven't made it unless everyone sees that they've made it, and they keep themselves financially at the same level of security as a poor person with debt.
- hindsightbias 5y agoActually, we’ll have to keep working because the zoom-trained generation will have no idea how things work - or where all the fraying duct tape is. I’m terrified of what will happen when the 50-somethings retire.
- betwixthewires 5y agoI don't see how that means I have to keep working.
- hindsightbias 5y agoWhen you’re standing in the pharmacy line and their back-end crashes for a few days? Or the chemo scheduling or EHR system won’t boot? Or you board that flight to Cabo and ATC crashes? Broken IT/infrastructure can kill people and it won’t be rare.
- thelettere 5y agoThis can't all be explained away by marketing. It matters, but status concerns are an ancient and primal part of human beings and is a central motivator of behavior. Marketing exacerbates the issue by priming us for status constantly and muddying the values that would pull us in a healthier direction (i.e. marketing that portrays brands and products in relational terms, like the recent Taco Bell commercials where friends are abandoned for a burrito). But it still would be an issue. More pressing I'd suggest than marketing is the atomization and alienation of society, where the only way to achieve one's relational needs is seen - consciously or not - as through consumption. A more connected and calm people would be less susceptible to marketing bs, and hypertrophied status concerns would be balanced by the values (and reality) of relating and belonging, and of (real world rather than market) achievement and power.
- imtringued 5y agoBrainwashing people into spending is necessary because money is superior to goods and services. Any "sane" or rational person would never spend their money even though they know this is an insane position. It's kinda like those austrian economists claiming that deflation lets you spend your money on the things you really care about. Yeah... that is exactly how you get into the brainwashing game because they have to artificially induce a need that they can fulfill. There is no "I work less or give away my excess money" to preemptively avoid the brainwashing game.