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I have a question for you all. Suppose we visit another planet where a species very much like us. at first glance appears to have developed an advanced civiliation. Which of these two would make you think better of them:
1. The economy is relatively prosperous, with a well-develoiped infrastructure, and everybody has enough food and shelter and basic amenities. They all, without exception, enjoy leisure, the companionship of their friends and family, the freedom to move about and entertain themselves, and good health and dignity.
2. They are all, without exception, required spend half their waking hours assembled at central locations where they are obliged and commanded to perform tasks or duties that may or may not be productive.
Which of those two would lead you to believe that their civilization has risen to a level that you would hope to emulate?
Service jobs exist because people are too lazy to do those things for themselves. Hence, there will always be a market for them...until people stop being lazy.
Construction. Do your own plumbing, your own electrical work, rather than paying someone else to do it.
So you assume that someone who works at a cube pushing papers or typing into a computer is unable to do the things you mentioned just based on what they do for a living? How do you know looking at a person or knowing what they do for a living that they aren't doing all these things already or are capable of doing them?
Also, these seem to be tasks oriented mainly towards male gender. No offense ladies, I know there are quite a few out there who can do your own electrical and plumbing repairs . But I don't know whether conveniently or not you are not mentioning other useful skills that tend to sit better with female gender like making one's own clothing or growing food, or making tasty dishes from scratch. I suppose that you have mastered or are planning to master all these useful skills entirely by yourself, like your own, 'one man village', right?
Why wouldn't someone use their muscles instead of their mind?
Have you happened to see a show called "The Colony"? There's an engineer on there who's great with the theoretical and technical aspects of designing "gizmos"--but falls short on actually producing them and making them happen. That role falls to the "handyman".
Unfortunately, this is all too common out there in "the real world". Theory and practice are separated. ("Those who cannot do, teach.")
Also, these seem to be tasks oriented mainly towards male gender. No offense ladies, I know there are quite a few out there who can do your own electrical and plumbing repairs . But I don't know whether conveniently or not you are not mentioning other useful skills that tend to sit better with female gender like making one's own clothing or growing food, or making tasty dishes from scratch. I suppose that you have mastered or are planning to master all these useful skills entirely by yourself, like your own, 'one man village', right?
My cooking is edible, not necessarily "gourmet" status, but food is merely the fuel that propels the human machine. One could subist on noodles and "uncooked" canned vegetables or fruits.
What are these skills and trades people need to thrive in their day to day lives that you believe they don't already have?
Almost everyone (myself among them) has lost the basic ability to survive. Without the infrastructure that we now enjoy, most of us would be dead within a couple of weeks. That scares me. Lately I've been trying to think about these things and perhaps learn some of the skills that our great grandparents had and we don't. I think we trust the system too much. I'm not condoning paranoia, but there is really nothing wrong with having basic survival skills and being prepared--you know, the old food, shelter, clothing, etc stuff.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtur88
I have a question for you all. Suppose we visit another planet where a species very much like us. at first glance appears to have developed an advanced civiliation. Which of these two would make you think better of them:
1. The economy is relatively prosperous, with a well-develoiped infrastructure, and everybody has enough food and shelter and basic amenities. They all, without exception, enjoy leisure, the companionship of their friends and family, the freedom to move about and entertain themselves, and good health and dignity.
2. They are all, without exception, required spend half their waking hours assembled at central locations where they are obliged and commanded to perform tasks or duties that may or may not be productive.
Which of those two would lead you to believe that their civilization has risen to a level that you would hope to emulate?
My cooking is edible, not necessarily "gourmet" status, but food is merely the fuel that propels the human machine. One could subist on noodles and "uncooked" canned vegetables or fruits.
You haven't answered my entire question. Are you also as capable at making your own clothes from fabric (and creating your own fabric on the loom while you are at it )? To expand this: are you capable of making your own tools, building materials (brick, wood, paint, etc). when you say you can make your own food, are you capable of actually growing your own food, including raising farm animals. And if you are the hunter type, then are you able to make your own guns and ammunition.
You said you can subsist on canned veggies and noodles, who is making these canned fruits/veggies and noodles?
I think all of these skills I mentioned are great skills to have and would qualify as honest work based on your beliefs. So, are you wiling to learn all these skills and how important it is for one person to know all these skills. Please keep in mind this is a thread about the job market, not about subsistence existence in times of apocalypse which sometimes these type of threads unfortunately tend to resort to
I live in Florida--I don't see a need for clothing.
Food grows all around here--particularly oranges. I don't have to grow my own food when it's already found in nature. However, one can roast insects and eat them--no reason why not. I can trap and kill wild dogs if necessary. I've choked two to death already.
So, yes, I can provide my own food, as well as my own shelter.
The reason it is important to be able to provide your own food, and your own shelter, is because you cannot depend on other people for anything.
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. But I don't know whether conveniently or not you are not mentioning other useful skills that tend to sit better with female gender like making one's own clothing or growing food, or making tasty dishes from scratch. I suppose that you have mastered or are planning to master all these useful skills entirely by yourself, like your own, 'one man village', right?
)? To expand this: are you capable of making your own tools, building materials (brick, wood, paint, etc). when you say you can make your own food, are you capable of actually growing your own food, including raising farm animals. And if you are the hunter type, then are you able to make your own guns and ammunition. 
