21 ms·

I always think of it like this - what job would you rather have your kid get into, working in construction, or as a lawyer arguing for or against that construct

I always think of it like this - what job would you rather have your kid get into, working in construction, or as a lawyer arguing for or against that construction? One job is both a lot cushier and happens to pay multiples better.

User23 2y ago
Ah yes, the “diversified services oriented economy” scores another win.
foobarbecue 2y ago
Fascinating. I often look at our society and wonder why we set it up so that most people are wasting their lives doing unnecessary "bullshit jobs" (sensu Graeber) instead of setting it up so that people can spend their time on meaningful non-work. Your comment gives me a new hypothesis: because people think like that.
- FredPret 2y ago
  Supply and demand should correct the situation if we get over-lawyered. Looking at university enrollment rates, it seems that’s exactly what’s happening.
  - lotsofpulp 2y ago
    Supply and demand is a concept for when there are buyers and sellers. There is no short term feedback loop for a legal system that gets too bureaucratic/corrupt. That ends up only being visible on a years and decades long scale when the whole country becomes less productive and less trustworthy on the global scale and is outcompeted by other nations with less bureaucracy/corruption. For example, one might say excess lawyers (either as lawyers or political figures or judges) contribute to excessive liability, which then results in everyone spending extra to cover their ass or simply not taking risks, the consequences of which are only visible in the long term. But supply and demand won’t fix this issue in a sufficiently timely manner.
- silverquiet 2y ago
  To be clear, this is not exactly what I think (my thoughts tend to be a bit less mainstream I believe), but it is what seems apparent to me. I’ve not met a lot of people who dream of their children doing menial labor.
sumeno 2y ago
Median law school grad makes 5 figures with 6 figures of debt. The lawyers making bank are also working absurd hours to get to that point. Construction makes less but without all that debt probably not THAT much less, but the job takes a huge toll on the body. I would not recommend law or construction to my kid

User23 2y ago

Ah yes, the “diversified services oriented economy” scores another win.

foobarbecue 2y ago

Fascinating. I often look at our society and wonder why we set it up so that most people are wasting their lives doing unnecessary "bullshit jobs" (sensu Graeber) instead of setting it up so that people can spend their time on meaningful non-work. Your comment gives me a new hypothesis: because people think like that.

FredPret 2y ago
Supply and demand should correct the situation if we get over-lawyered. Looking at university enrollment rates, it seems that’s exactly what’s happening.
- lotsofpulp 2y ago
  Supply and demand is a concept for when there are buyers and sellers. There is no short term feedback loop for a legal system that gets too bureaucratic/corrupt. That ends up only being visible on a years and decades long scale when the whole country becomes less productive and less trustworthy on the global scale and is outcompeted by other nations with less bureaucracy/corruption. For example, one might say excess lawyers (either as lawyers or political figures or judges) contribute to excessive liability, which then results in everyone spending extra to cover their ass or simply not taking risks, the consequences of which are only visible in the long term. But supply and demand won’t fix this issue in a sufficiently timely manner.
silverquiet 2y ago
To be clear, this is not exactly what I think (my thoughts tend to be a bit less mainstream I believe), but it is what seems apparent to me. I’ve not met a lot of people who dream of their children doing menial labor.

sumeno 2y ago

Median law school grad makes 5 figures with 6 figures of debt. The lawyers making bank are also working absurd hours to get to that point. Construction makes less but without all that debt probably not THAT much less, but the job takes a huge toll on the body. I would not recommend law or construction to my kid