You want fries with that?
Posted on 07/29/2013 11:03:49 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
“”We’re asking for $15 because in order to support one person in a one bedroom apartment you need to make $14.88. We don’t make anywhere near that and we’re all on food stamps,” 23-year-old Amanda Larson”
That’s a sad story, Amanda.....now STFU and get my fries before it gets cold.
Robots have taken a lot of manufacturing jobs. I suppose that eventually, it will be a good thing, as they will perform all the drudgery and free up the workforce for better things.
In the meantime, there are lots of displaced, unskilled workers.
The real problem is not the wages, but the barriers that exist that makes it difficult to learn marketable skills.
Our nearby Aldi’s grocery store (opened about 3 months ago) pays $11.50 to $21.50 an hour with benefits and rent around/cost-of-living here is a mere fraction of that in New York City.
Who placed those barriers there? Were these individuals not afforded the same K-12 free education that you and I were offered?
Unionized, I assume. How much are the items for sale there?
No, not union, I don’t believe. Aldi’s is German-owned and the items are inexpensive:
http://weeklyads.aldi.us/aldi/default.aspx?action=entryflash&adref=aldistorelocator&StoreRef=1750
and someone didn’t ping me to this. Same thing I’ve been saying all day.
There are already french fry and burger vending machines. The french fries are dropped in a fryer when you order it and delivered HOT. There are even pizza vending machines.
No reason robots couldn’t replace these useless breathers.
And Aldi’s has fewer workers than a normal grocery store of course.
Que Sera, Sera.
And also note that I include plumbers in highly skilled -- those guys sometimes can earn more than I do -- and they deserve it!
What do THEY do?
welfare is not the way.
artificially higher wages is a form of welfare too
Do you want to go back to the CCC, NRA, New Deal make-work programs? Many of those people could start a small business, sell, farm a small plot of land with high-revenue plants and animals, learn a simple trade (locksmithing, small engine repair, etc.) enroll in Job Corps or go into the military to learn a skill.
The barriers that make it difficult to learn marketable skills, barriers such as laziness and stupidity.
And the prospect of humans becoming blobs like in Wall-E is scary yet possible.
Let's go through these:
1. Start a small business -- you still need some skills and acumen. This can be taught to some extent, but there are still many incapable of even doing this -- in the old days they'd be shop assistants or sweeping the floors or something. Also, keeping a business is to some extent luck
2. farm a small plot of land -- yes, and this is a good option, but we need to cut out a lot of the regulations and also remember that many are not willing to do hard labor (everyone wants an office job) -- that can be changed, but most won't like it!! But I agree that this is the best idea
3. learn a simple trade -- most engines and locks are nowadays pretty high-tech, but this is also a good option
4. enroll into a job corps or go into the military -- good options but we need good people in the military
Your points made me think -- I've always been a proponent of Heinlein's "work to get citizenship" ideal. Perhaps it could be merged with this? namely each person must put in 2 years for society - it can be in the military or community service (doctors can work in the countryside etc.) and let people EARN their vote. This would also give people an appreciation for the dignity of physical labor and also some skills
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