House of Eratosthenes

More and more, I continue to hear that “the market for Java programming is really taking off!” as, with increasing frequency, when I open up a new browser tab with some long-sought article or other information loaded into it, some web ad will creep in and float in on top of it so I can’t read any further. I see a connection between these two things.

I’m seeing other signs that, as the economy continues to suck, more and more products and services are being provided to “consumers” who aren’t really consumers because we/they don’t want whatever they are. The phone calls from telemarketers, carefully positioned around our dinnertime, become more frequent. A lot of them have to do with “taking surveys,” which I dunno, is that some kind of effort to get around the do-not-call laws? Well, I suppose it is to be expected. If you’re in business to provide something people actually want, it won’t be enough for people to want it, they have to be willing to part with cash in order to get it. That would be a lot of wait between the wanting right now, so I can see how it’s more appealing to provide something people don’t want. It’s clear to me that this wouldn’t be a simple marketing trick either, there’d have to be some innovation involved. Well, sadly, it looks like we’ve done it.

Even worse, the markets have adapted. Among those lucky enough to have a job, there is a growing problem of all these occupations, and the abundance of energy associated with them, being invested in providing things for which nobody asked. And so we have an addiction. If, tomorrow, all the commerce were to stop happening until such time as a real consumer stepped forward with a real demand and some real assets to back it up, a whole lot of people would be suddenly thrown out of work.

I also note that the legislative activity has stepped up quite a bit, possibly as a result of all this. A lot of things I hear about Congress doing, I see, is stuff entirely separated from any detectable constituent demand. Know anyone who was jamming the Capitol Hill switchboard wanting an Internet sales tax? Me neither.

It puzzles me that economists don’t talk more about this. Capitalism, at least the capitalism with which I’ve been acquainted, has a lot to do with want. Free want. It has to do with genuine consumer demand. This kind of capitalism is not quite so much being attacked right now, or being positioned for its destruction, quite so much as for its replacement. It’s a post-W2 job, post-desire “capitalist” world. In this world it is easy to “succeed,” but hard to find any opportunities to do so while actually building something valuable. I fear we may be on the way toward those opportunities drying up entirely. Then we’ll all pay the price…but not immediately. We’ll put it on layaway.

Not a good road for us. We should stop, turn around, and head back.

Update: I’m reminded of a Hello-Kitty-of-Blogging update I made early Saturday morning. Most of my weekend updates get zero likes and zero commentary; that was not the case here. It even got re-shared twice, so I guess it hit a nerve.

Pre-Occupy, our word was “if”: “If you give me that money, I will give you this product or service…with which you can do things.” Now, our word is “until”: “You will not be able to do your things, until you stop everything and…” Pay attention to our demonstration, get the degree at our school, join our labor union, contribute to our “charity,” buy carbon offsets, get permits, grease some palms…

We have evolved from a society in which people put bread on their tables by helping each other to get things done, to one in which people put bread on their tables by stopping each other from getting things done — until certain conditions are met.

We wonder why we’re more contentious, and why the standard of living is slipping when so many people are “working” so hard. The answer is in where the work is going. There are lots of occupations out there, requiring a whole lot of activity and energy and “creativity,” that don’t have much to do with actually building anything.

The “average” IQ is 100.
The “negotiated” metric for this has been “adjusted”, by “appointed” folk, several times.

A lot of folks seem to be citing (ie) a (US) deadlocked legislature/exex./ judicial situation.
I propose that that “stupid” and “smart” have ultimately “compromised” themselves to stasis, and have no further room to “negotiate” into the “dialogue”.
Of course, this was foretold, by actual educated men, citing world history of the human condition.

Something’s gotta’ give.
Traditionally, this ends in violence.
“We can share what we got of yours, cuz’ “we” done “shared” all of mine!”
Grateful Dead

REVIEW:
Hey, the new Bioshock game is good at goring EVERYONES “yay-for-OUR-side” ox (if one can pay attention past the mere shoot-em-up gameplay)
- CaptDMO | 04/02/2013 @ 10:31
[…] And in the next few minutes, some schmuck will try to sell it to you: […]
- dustbury.com » Everything’s for sale | 04/04/2013 @ 07:41
[…] Meanwhile, the rules beckon not only inaction, but action as well, so we struggle along doing silly things that don’t actually help anyone anywhere. Building products nobody wants. Providing services nobody requested. But working…really, […]
- House of Eratosthenes | 07/21/2013 @ 13:16
[…] Meanwhile, the rules beckon not only inaction, but action as well, so we struggle along doing silly things that don’t actually help anyone anywhere. Building products nobody wants. Providing services nobody requested. But working…really, […]
- Memo For File CLXXXII | Rotten Chestnuts | 07/21/2013 @ 14:27

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Big Work, Little ProductivityMonday, April 1st, 2013

Big Work, Little Productivity
Monday, April 1st, 2013