4 ms·

That’s because the “employment” data isn’t measuring “can a person easily get a good job.” It’s so cooked at this point it has as much to do with real jobs as t

by User23 2y ago

That’s because the “employment” data isn’t measuring “can a person easily get a good job.” It’s so cooked at this point it has as much to do with real jobs as the CPI does with real spending power.

bryanlarsen 2y ago
It's never been easy to get a good job unless you have an in demand skill. It's also likely the best time in history to get a mediocre job. $18 per hour for working retail isn't fabulous but it's easier to get now than it has ever been.
- User23 2y ago
  > It's never been easy to get a good job unless you have an in demand skill. Not to put too fine a point on it, you sound very young. Rest assured that your handful of decades doesn’t suffice for a negative proof and furthermore plenty of counter examples are in living memory.
  - bryanlarsen 2y ago
    Sorry. Pumped gas for $4/hr in the 80's. Back then while you didn't have to be highly skilled to get a job like that there were always several applicants for such jobs. I've been through several depressions and know that while it isn't the best time economically, it's far from the worst.
    - User23 2y ago
      In 1980 a house that is considerably north of 250k today was 25k. And this isn’t guesswork, I’m talking about real actual houses in the same place. If anything I’m being conservative. So in terms of home ownership that $4 was at a minimum $40 today. Are there gas stations offering jobs pumping gas at $40-50 today? And if so are they at economically marginal scale? No? Yeah I didn’t think so. But I do appreciate your corroborating my point, even if it was through boomer solipsism rather than the ignorance of youth.
      - bryanlarsen 2y ago
        1989, not 1980. Bread cost $1 a loaf then, it's $2 a loaf now. Rent was $600 a month then, its $2000 a month now. $18 buys a lot more today then $4 did then.

4 ms·

That’s because the “employment” data isn’t measuring “can a person easily get a good job.” It’s so cooked at this point it has as much to do with real jobs as t

by User23 2y ago

bryanlarsen 2y ago
It's never been easy to get a good job unless you have an in demand skill. It's also likely the best time in history to get a mediocre job. $18 per hour for working retail isn't fabulous but it's easier to get now than it has ever been.
- User23 2y ago
  > It's never been easy to get a good job unless you have an in demand skill. Not to put too fine a point on it, you sound very young. Rest assured that your handful of decades doesn’t suffice for a negative proof and furthermore plenty of counter examples are in living memory.
  - bryanlarsen 2y ago
    Sorry. Pumped gas for $4/hr in the 80's. Back then while you didn't have to be highly skilled to get a job like that there were always several applicants for such jobs. I've been through several depressions and know that while it isn't the best time economically, it's far from the worst.
    - User23 2y ago
      In 1980 a house that is considerably north of 250k today was 25k. And this isn’t guesswork, I’m talking about real actual houses in the same place. If anything I’m being conservative. So in terms of home ownership that $4 was at a minimum $40 today. Are there gas stations offering jobs pumping gas at $40-50 today? And if so are they at economically marginal scale? No? Yeah I didn’t think so. But I do appreciate your corroborating my point, even if it was through boomer solipsism rather than the ignorance of youth.
      - bryanlarsen 2y ago
        1989, not 1980. Bread cost $1 a loaf then, it's $2 a loaf now. Rent was $600 a month then, its $2000 a month now. $18 buys a lot more today then $4 did then.