Shitty Jobs and Structural Labor Issues

Younger people expect more from their employers than previous generations and thus switch employment more than previous generations. Programmers, health care providers, lawyers, engineers and business people can pick up and move across the country and find good quality jobs, moving their way up the ladder. 

This topic is covered in “Bullshit Jobs” a book by David Rolfe Graeber that discusses the lack of engaging and meaningful work. 

The problem is the people who are not listed above, people with less high demand skills have a harder time finding employment. Additionally, people are experiencing structural unemployment due to economic modernization and globalization. Former President Barack Obama was right when he said that most if not all of the jobs aren’t coming back. The reason Donald Trump is president now is because the people we are talking about need opportunities.  

One solution is to have the less skilled become more skilled. I am a big proponent of this solution. One problem, how does a single mother transition from being a waitress by learning how to be a programmer or start a business while keeping a roof over her family’s head and food on the table? The short answer is she can’t without financial support. A basic income scheme would allow her to gain more skills or start a business.  

Empowering people to take economic risks is critical for economic growth. By removing the financial risk more people will go to university, learn a trade, move somewhere new or start a business.

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