You're Essential, get a different job

a reply to: 0zzymand0s

It is my opinion that all jobs are essential in that it helps keeps everyone independent and being a productive member of society. If we continue to have a long period of time where people cannot work it is not goign to be good. The word "essential" that is being used is just fluff

a reply to: Bluntone22
It already is my friend. McDonald's is testing it out now.

www.eater.com...

a reply to: Skeletonized

My only complaint about "skilled" workers like plumbers, mechanics, and electricians is how shady they act and how shoddy their work is.

In 51 years I can count on two hands the number of plumbers, mechanics, and electricians I've hired who didn't screw something else up or try to jack me up on the bill after the fact. I tend to keep the same ones for decades for precisely this reason.

Which is a shame too. My best childhood friend is a skilled craftsman and he does custom woodwork. He tells me half his job is convincing customers that not all craftsmen are lazy con-artists.

originally posted by: Puppylove
a reply to: MRinder

I'm a home health aide. Good luck automating that one.

Well you folks who take care of old people do need to be paid more so they can hire more qualified people (at least at my mom's nursing home). If you are good at your job, attentive to your clients needs, and have good judgement then they should pay you well. Your job done well is a hard job.

originally posted by: Puppylove
This Corona virus has done one thing, demonstrated how much bull# is clearly bull#.

On more levels than ever imaginable, right up to and including the Coronavirus, itself. It's like War of the Worlds where the common cold kills the aliens... here we're witnessing a relatively blah influenza kill people's brains, spines, prosperity, children's futures, and rights all while they stand there, tears rolling down their faces screaming "More! More! Take more from us all, please, anything take it!" and God help you if you dont share in and join them in their mass delusions, you'll be called names and shouted down.

Yeah, all this "pandemic" has really done is show us who's brought society's IQ and potential down over the years, and it's not the folks saying the world is overreacting to this.

a reply to: Puppylove

Highly specialized often means highly skilled and sought after on one hand, but not necessarily highly necessary to basic societal function on the other.

It's a paradox.

Right now, there are plenty of very specialized professionals who are specialized right out of work. They aren't needed to maintain that basic function of society.

originally posted by: MRinder

originally posted by: Puppylove
a reply to: MRinder

I'm a home health aide. Good luck automating that one.

Well you folks who take care of old people do need to be paid more so they can hire more qualified people (at least at my mom's nursing home). If you are good at your job, attentive to your clients needs, and have good judgement then they should pay you well. Your job done well is a hard job.

Nursing homes are a tricky business.
Everyone thinks they make a killing but the truth is that most of the residents are on government assistance and the facilities have a hard time getting paid or get less pay than is needed.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

What kills me is the focus that will be given to big businesses to keep them afloat.

Some haven't even been disrupted too much. Yet they'll take bailout money disguised as a loan, converted to a grant if they keep employees on the payroll.

All of this will be to artificially keep up stock prices. Inject liquidity so that large corporations don't go belly up.

If citizens live paycheck to paycheck, it's considered their fault by many. If a corporation floats quarter to quarter, it's suddenly up to taxpayers to bail them out to preserve our economy.

The stock prices will rebound. These corporations will still exist. When the dust settles, we'll still hear that people are just lucky to be employed after everything that happened.

Now, I understand the nuance of your comment, so I don't want anyone thinking I was directing this towards you... Rather, I was expanding on it. If I had to take a guess I'd say you're not happy about the way this is playing out, just being a realist. I get it.

a reply to: ketsuko

Like professional athletes.
They are more skilled than 99.99% of the population.
Yet not in anything essential.

a reply to: Puppylove

Aging Japan

Looks like Japan is already working on this, not to say that your role isn't essential, just there have been advances in the direction of automating the job function.

a reply to: MRinder

Is hard to not get jaded in this industry. There's a downward spiral that's hard to resist falling into. This whole virus crap is hitting me hard. I'm hoping I can come through this sticking to the level of care I have tried to maintain. Our industry has many major issues. There's no wonder such abuse can happen within it. The most vulnerable of our citizens are cared for by people often desperate and struggling. Think about that. I'm a decent honorable person, but I'm telling you, I've been super desperate at times, and the elderly are easily taken advantage of, a lesser person could easily falter. I fear faltering myself in time, it's terrifying.

a reply to: ketsuko

What? Really? You don't need a process document for the new data initiative?

I guess I'll just eat worms/play Fallout.

----------Highly specialized-----------can explain how spin gravity works---------can explain how Ai is used to better predict what any particular customer at Starbucks will order (and how to stock/staff accordingly based on aggregate customer loyalty)----------

None of that is worth a damn right now and it makes me feel like a schmuck (yes, I have jobs in the pipeline. No, short of an asteroid strike they aren't going anywhere).

Hell, I can't even play "Freebird."

a reply to: Hypntick

It fails because of things like dementia. A robot will never be able to handle the chaos of a confused and mobile patient with dementia and a will of their own.

a reply to: Puppylove

In that situation I absolutely agree, it would be almost impossible to program responses to unpredictable actions. I would say that home health care isn't going away any time soon, now 15+ years from now may be a different story entirely. I work in cyber security, but my primary focus is industrial automation and critical infrastructure. What I've seen robotics doing in plants, automated systems, etc. is way further than I think the general public realizes.

Whether one is working right now or not, the rent is still too damn high!

a reply to: 0zzymand0s

I agree that you don't always know what you get until after the fact. And it sucks when you look at the impossible bill that does not match the leaking pipes you just had installed. But my impression is that many of those workers don't like their jobs and therefore do lousy work (in some cases), and it's because it's seen as a low-worth vocation, which in turn means that anyone with the opportunity to choose something else, will. 50-60% of that workforce are basically not motivated and pissed at their lot in life. Had that type of work been more valued and had better pay it may attract more skilled and motivated (drawing from the "intelligent" pool if you will) workers.

a reply to: Skeletonized

A big part of it (I think) is that in the 1970s a skilled plumber would arrive at your home with an apprentice and fix those pipes. You usually got good work because his name was on the truck.

Today, a "technician" (not even an apprentice) shows up to do the job while the guy with the license manages a fleet of trucks.

They aren't paid well so you get what you described.

a reply to: 0zzymand0s

nah. you'd have people out of work happily jump into those jobs. In a heartbeat. Know any that are open in the Central Texas area? I laid off 30 some odd folks that would LOVE to apply and make more than the 60% of your average weekly check that Texas unemployment pays.

afterall, its still a market.

I half joke that i wished i would furloughed. But im really not. I have bills to pay. I do executive work...but i've never been compensated as an executive, lol.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

I'm jaded. You're on the frontlines. I only deal with BS execs and the occasional subject matter expert.

Not ashamed to say I like your version better and hope for the outcomes you describe (over mine).

a reply to: 0zzymand0s

One thing I also meant to say was that having skilled and motivated people in a business really boosts productivity in those around them. And i mean the sort of people that fit in the "if you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else" category. At least that's my experience. It's "contagious", and sets the bar higher. This means that even though your particular field may be undesired or looked down upon, at least you have the chance to get recognition from within the company or field of work. Boosting your self esteem makes certain negative things unimportant.