Robert Reich's theory of income inequality is extremely useful because it sheds light on the difficult problem of the globalization of the workforce. As Reich details, the proliferation of the global economy and the resulting export of the workforce from America to other, more willing countries has been hurting the American economy since at least the 1980's. Jobs that do not require high degrees of education and specialization have seen significant decreases in wages and employment opportunities. The export of jobs, taken in combination with a decline in union membership, has led to a nation-wide drop in wages. Although somewhat dated, Reich's summary of the effects of globalization is still dead-on. The wage losses that Reich details have only increased with time and the ever-increasing levels of technology in today's society. The trend seems to be downward.
Although I conceded that Reich's points are valid, I still insist that his claims did not go far enough and that the passage of time has seen a massive increase in the problems of workforce globalization. College costs have gone up because jobs that do not require college degrees no longer pay living wages. Efforts to increase the minimum wage have revived as a direct result of the loss of wages paid to employees in more traditional jobs and the loss of accountability employers assume without the presence of a mostly American economy and strong labor unions. Without a college degree and some luck, most Americans are finding it much more difficult to earn a living wage in today's economy.
Mike Rose argues that the diverse intelligence of the general American workforce should be acknowledged. Those unfamiliar with this school of thought may be interested to know that it basically boils down to education. Workers with lower paying jobs are not necessarily less intelligent than their better-paid counterparts. Education and networking generally equate to economic success. Neither of these factors are based solely on any kind of intelligence. Taking myself as an example, I skipped two grades and graduated high school at 16. My raw IQ is embarrassingly high when put next to my annual income. Intelligence DOES NOT equate with economic success, education does. Having the right pieces of paper and knowing the right people is what increases a person's income, not how smart they are. Many Americans who work low paying jobs are more intelligent than those that make millions--they simply lack the formal education and connections of their counterparts.
Although I concede that Rose's points are valid, I still insist that his thesis is ultimately futile. Acknowledging the intelligence of the average low income worker does very little to improve his plight and, frankly, most people of lower intelligence have low paying jobs. While the American educational system may be completely and utterly broken, a certain amount of intelligence is required to obtain a college degree and succeed in any kind of economic context--outside influences notwithstanding. Profoundly stupid people do not get to become executives in large global companies. A significant percentage of doctors and lawyers possess a raw intelligence that is greater than that of the average dockworker. While education and connections are the primary indicators of economic success, they are--generally speaking--unobtainable to those that do not possess a requisite intelligence.
I agree with all of your statements. The work force is becoming a very hard place to find a job especially with large corporations moving their factories over seas. Many people, especially the older generations, don't understand why it's so difficult to find a job. When they were young and earching for their first job, they just had to show up. I remember hearing a story a grandfather was telling his grandson about him working at a mechanic shop. He had just walked in, told the mechanic he was looking for work and got the job. But the difference between back then and now is that those jobs aren't scarce anymore. People already possess those jobs and with the help of machinery their work goes faster and steadier.
ReplyDeleteMost would think that your IQ would go with your job but that's not the case as you have shown personally. An old friend of mine is a mechanic up in Minnesota, you wouldn't know it, but she actually has a Master's Degree in History. Yet she's a mechanic. I think why people associate intelligence with their work position is because of a few things, one of which I think is because if you have a degree well then maybe you're smart enough to get a well paying job. And if you don't have a degree, well this is obviously the best you're going to get. Which is totally not the case, my dad does not have a degree, he didn't go to college. Yet he's a detective for the Austin police department. Now he didn't just walk in and get the pposition, he started out like every other officer. He was a Patrol Officer. After a few years he promoted, then he promoted again, and 12 years after becoming an officer, he became a detective. So no he doesn't have a degree, but with experience and learned skills he was able to qualify to become a detective. It's not about personal intelligence at all but the intelligence you have about a certain subject that qualifies you for that job you want.
I agree with all your statements as well about Reich’s work, because the work force is becoming and increasingly harder place for people to find jobs especially those older age groups of people who in eearlier times had a set job working in a manufacturing industry. I can see where they are coming from because in the older days it only took a little mechanical skill for someone to get a job and at the time when turmoil and war was going on that was a high paying job as it was a high demand of weapondry that was needed and as the years progressed and our society and bettered itself to compete with the rest of the world industry jobs have decreased. While in all that time the same skilled people are left with nowhere to go and thus sinking deeper and deeper into poverty.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you on the IQ indifference to having a high paying job because many people like to associate the two and assume that the most intelligent people have the highest paying jobs. Many people jump over the fact that an intelligent person without the proper connections if you will, will not get higher up the social class. Without that where ever they are working currently they will more than likely stay there and just be considered a smart guy or girl at McDonalds. Although it does take some intelligence for those specialized jobs not all jobs for example like singer artist and so on do not require a great extent of knowledge.
For the most part, I agree with how you feel about people getting good paying jobs without a college education. There are a few instances that I would have to disagree with you on that. Some people chose not to get a college degree with the intent on joining the military, which in time, becomes a very high paying job. The second idea on this is for those individuals who go into the business industry, eventually creating their own business. I do understand that without a college degree, it is very difficult to get high paying jobs, but it's not impossible. Now for the whole point on IQ, I completely agree. Many people with low paying jobs have incredibly high IQs, but struggle to go and take advantage of it. Just because an individual has a college degree, doesn't mean that they are automatically smarter then those without. The only other thing is, I don't necessarily agree with Reich's statement that wages for low paying jobs are decreasing. Minimum wages continue to increase, therefore wages are increasing,. However, available jobs are definitely decreasing, because with the increase in minimum wages, employers are cutting back on employees.
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