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A guy like the electrician that has been out of work 4 years, living off of his spouse and an inheritance and has not either moved to where there is work or taken a job in some other industry is the biggest reason for the long term unemployed.
You have to get off the couch and do something, even if it's less money than you made before, or work that you don't find as much fun. He's "not ready yet" ??
I'm in that age group, except I went to school. I wouldn't take a $10/hour job either. I wouldn't sit on the couch. I'd probably go back to school and volunteer. Net pay on a $10/hour job (after taxes, commuting costs, extra clothes) wouldn't be worth the opportunity costs of going to work (being able to do work around the house instead of paying somebody, being able to look for work that actually pays enough to live, etc.).
One of the largest issues that this country is facing is the loss of blue collar jobs, the fact is pushing everybody into college and trying to become thought leaders of the world is nice and all, but throughout the history of the world the countries that produce and export the most goods are the countries that do the best. All the innovation in technology is great, but at some point this country has to start producing actual viable products for the rest of the world again. Once that happens men will be able to go back to work and get paid a good wage to do it.
Blue collar jobs won't come back because China and other countries outproduces us at a cheaper rate.
American consumers prefers low cost goods and willing to accept some quality issues at the expense of jobs.
It doesn't matter if we can make a better light bulb or plastic tuffleware, consumers want to pay less and they don't mind lower quality as long as it's cheap.
A friend of mine has a step sister that was in a union out of Buffalo not exactly the most vibrant economy in the world. Yet she could find work, albeit she didn't wait for her union to provide it. Yes some in the union might frown but hey she has to eat.
"One of the largest issues that this country is facing is the loss of blue collar jobs, the fact is pushing everybody into college and trying to become thought leaders of the world is nice and all, but throughout the history of the world the countries that produce and export the most goods are the countries that do the best."
but that's not exactly true. Look factories are largely automatic now. Just because something is manufactured does not mean that grunt manual labor is involved in the process. These days manufacturing requires a degree of some type. Everyone in the western world has access to the basics. They have clothing, housing, power, water etc.
Mass manufacturing lowers the costs of goods sold. I spent about $300 on a new (ok it's refurbished but still) for a laptop. In 1997 that would have easily been $1,500.
Here's the thing. People already have enough "stuff" so to speak. Consumption eventually maxes out as you have enough. Services are needed like medical care, legal matters, education etc. It's part of the hierarchy of needs to a point. Needs are solid. Food, water, shelter, clothing. Going up it gets more fickle. How many organic cat food companies existed 100 years ago? How much falafel and avocados could I find in a supermarket in the northeast 50 years ago? How many cell phone providers existed 25 years ago?
I think we are reaching a time where due to advanced technology and changing economic tides, that many people will be chronically underemployed or totally unemployable. There simply isn't enough work left for the kind of population we have. Quite a few countries (except America) are experimenting with basic income and overall planning for a future where essentially auto labor replaces the need for humans in many industries. You can see here in the US that most jobs being created are part time jobs that do not pay a living wage.
Telling people to "go to college" is not the answer either. There is no need for million more managers. Tech jobs are extremely competitive and the job ends up going to a H1B anyway.
More Americans have a criminal record than the past and men are more likely to have criminal records than women. In this age age of invasive background checks(even for the simplest of jobs) that can bury you.
The writer had a good idea with the article, but interviewed the wrong men. They should have interviewed men over 40 who have applying and looking for jobs, but getting rejected due to age. That's been an even bigger tragedy.
This is common for electricians in the Unions. I have a good buddy who is in a large electrician Union and the people at the top of the list actually pass on all temporary jobs and hold out for only full time work. Ironically there is so much temporary work that you could always be working, but instead they hold out for that full time job. My buddy says pretty much anyone from 1-250 on the waiting list will not take a temporary job. Instead they hold out for the full time job. For some reason, which I think is really ridiculous if you don't take a temporary position you stay at your spot in line, but if you do you fall to the bottom of the list.
I'm not sure of the whys but I have always believed it common for men to think their identity is related to what they do for a living. True for more than a few women now as well. If you go up to a 50yo man and say who are you, chances are his response will be what he does for a living. His work gives him his pride and sense of worth. Ask a 50yo woman the same question and she will probably tell you she has 2 kids. A basic difference between the sexes. And it's still true even if she has worked outside the home for decades.
I think since I get less of my identity from what I do for a living, it's easier for me to swallow the bitter pill and work for nothing. All I'm losing is money. My identity is safe.
It's a fate worse than death to go from $40 per hour to cleaning toilets at Chuck E Cheese for minimum wage. This is the reality for older folks who still want to work. Many have been forced into early retirement during what should have been their high earning years. It's probably worse for these folks than it is for recent grads.
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Not sure that vanishing is the correct term
