It's no secret that there is much discontent in the labor markets.
But is it just fear of unemployment? Or, the loss of health care?
CONSIDER:
A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYED PERSONS HATE THEIR JOBS! WHY?
Perhaps, it's because we have lost the sense of CRAFT IN THE
WORKPLACE.
These days only a select few are allowed to actually "create"
anything. All others are merely "task doers." These people
do "jobs" that essentially are devoid of all meaning. These are
the "Cubicle People!"
We have set up intellectual assembly lines in the white collar world,
not just in the ever dying blue collar sector.
It seems that today jobs are hedious things! Devoid of all meaning.
The only "satisfaction" that many get from their "jobs" is pay and
health care coverage, if any.
And, perhaps the secret joy of sabotaging things, and not getting
caught--like some new era cyber-Luddites.
The Cult of the CEO has drained all rewards of work to the very top
of the "food chain."
Everyone else is expendable or redundant, and they act accordingly.
WHEN THE "MACHINE AGE" REALLY STARTED TO KICK IN, IN THE PERIOD FROM
1870 TO 1920 THERE WAS A MOVEMENT TO "BRING HUMANITY" BACK INTO THE
PRODUCTION PROCESSES.
IT WAS CALLED THE "ARTS AND CRAFTS MOVEMENT." IN ENGLAND, WILLIAM
MORRIS AND CO. WHERE THE PRIME ADVOCATES.
IN THE US, ELBERT HUBBERT AND THE ROYCROFTERS, AND THE BROTHERS
STICKLEY WERE ALSO PROPOSING A RETURN OF CRAFT INTO THE WORKPLACE.
ONLY WITH THE BAUHAUS IN GERMANY DID CRAFT, AND THE MACHINE AGE
BECOME RECONCILED INTO THE MODERNISM THAT WAS TO BE THE 20TH CENTURY.
It's possible that the COMPUTER AGE has drained some of the sense
of "craft" out of the current workplace, (as well as the push for
EVER cheaper labor).
TODAY, WE ARE ALL COGS IN THE "PRODUCTIVITY MACHINE" OF GREENSPAN AND
WALL STREET.
EVERYONE IS EXPENDABLE. EVERYONE IS JUST A NUMBER. WE DO NOT HAVE
ANY ECONOMY THAT SAYS: PEOPLE MATTER! EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE IS
TREATED AS A "MEANS" TO AN "END." THE BOTTOM LINE! PRODUCTIVITY!
MORE CEO OPTIONS!
Perhaps, this is the real reason for the unrest in the labor sector.
This over-arching sense that things are grossly UNFAIR!
PERHAPS, ONLY AFTER WE HAVE A NEW ARTS AND CRAFTS MOVEMENT FOR THE
COMPUTER AGE;
WILL WE BE ABLE TO HAVE THE SYNTHESIS OF A "NEW BAUHAUS;"
THAT WILL RECONCILE THE CURRENT LABOR CONFUSION INTO A GENUINE 21st
CENTURY MODERNISM?
