Klarinet Archive - Posting 000735.txt from 2001/11

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] "Gods own country"
Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 10:43:26 -0500

OK...I've stayed out of this, but I have to wade in....

Several comments were made

<<In one instance, in one company located here, one that is national in scope, over 50 people were met at the doors of the company's office one Friday morning by uniformed security people.........>>>

Rein said: <<Sorry to come back to it, but I cannot leave it: remember what I wrote some time ago about the USA as "the greatest country on earth" and "Gods own
country"!>>

Walter says:

At the end of World War II, the United States stood supreme. As the one industrial power NOT exhausted and depleted, America was poised and ready to dominate the economy of the world.

And this is what did happen. Confident G.I.'s took jobs in labor, and management and built the most vigorous, dynamic economy ever.

Much of this dynamic economy was built on pent-up demand for goods and services that were not available in the U.S. since the beginning of the War, and because of the Depression before hand, out of the reach of many except the affluent. Cheap energy made massive production possible.

Quality was never a byword. Remember cars that rusted out in three years?

By the 70's energy was expensive and at the command of the Arab world. By the 80's the quality of Japanese merchandise, mostly electronics and automobiles were causing major problems for U.S. industry.

Several mind sets had set-in in the U.S., however. One was, that if you worked for a major corporation, you had a job for life, and that you had a career path that would lead to constant promotion and advancement.

The U.S. had to learn some economic rules all over again. Industry, and the public had become fat, lazy, complascent, and non-competitive. By the end of the 80's the Japanese, a broke, defeated, devastated country after WWII now owned major U.S. movie studios, and Rockefeller Center! They did this with massive effort and national willpower.

I too deplore current tactics of mass firing and lay-offs. In most cases, the are done inhumanely. (I have been a victim of these BTW.)

However, if a company is losing money, and not making profits, it has no option other than to reduce production, lay-of workers, and even sell off assets. That is better than going bankrupt and laying off the ENTIRE work force with no option of EVER hiring anyone back.

(I am not disagreeing that there is massive greed evidenced by some of the Board of Directors and CEO's who are willing to line their own pockets while defrauding investors and impovershing workers.)

In the area of Academia....well.....hell, the idea of tenure, while noble, gave rise to professors who were clearly incompetent and did no decent work for years. One year notice, on termination, seems ridiculous as well. If a teacher is deemed not worthy to continue, why have them teach at your institution for another entire year? What kind of dedication would MOST people put into their teaching. Their focus, of course, will be in finding a new position.

At the beginning of the 21st century, we find ourselves in a position few of us are really ready for.

In order to succeed, a person must be willing to re-invent him or herself, several, possibly many times in one lifetime.

We cannot rely one one skill, or even one degree to see us through life. The "career" path is dead. Job security, if it ever really was there, is dead as well.

What is important is skills and knowledge, and the ability to be flexible. I think this applies, these days, to industry, academia, and performing arts institutions equally.

End of essay....

And yes, Rein.....I still think, believe, that the U.S. with all its faults, and there are many, is a great, great country, and I'm proud to live here and be a citizen.

Walter Grabner

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