America's workforce

Whether the masses work in offices or manufacturing or service-oriented businesses, they operate at maximum efficiency, yet they are miserable. Routine, tedious, tiresome, dull, boring, grinding, everyday, familiar—these words are all well known to the masses who labor under the rote of corporate America, and yet the irony is that these very same masses are thankful, oh, so thankful, for their employment, for food will still decorate their kitchen table and smiles will still blossom.

So what’s the problem? Corporations and their desire for gluttonous profits is the problem. Status quo is the problem. Complacency is the problem. Education is the problem.

Corporate profits is the problem.

Profits can be insured with different strategies: maximum income for merchandise and services; and minimal workforce expenditures being the two primary ones. Of course there are other determining factors, but bear with me. Every day we read news articles indicating that corporate profits are up but hiring is still down. Might I suggest a reason? Corporations are demanding more work from their ever thining, skeleton crews. Everywhere you go, you see a person doing the work of two, possibly more—it’s becoming the American way. I have no hard evidence, if that is what you seek, nor statistic, nor have I polled anyone. This is an assumption base on my readings and observations.

Status quo is the problem.

Simply put, the rich want to stay rich and they will use their position and their money to lobby for and to enforce laws which will allow them to continue to be rich. Self-explanatory, right? Again, I am neither a statistician nor an economist, but I do have a question: Do you want to take on the oil companies, or the pharmaceuticals, or the entertainment industry? I don’t think so. How about another question? Do you know the definition of “oligarchy?”

Complacency is problem.

At the end of their grinding day the energy is depleted, the masses yearn for comfort and distraction, so they settle into their own robotic routine. Turn on the TV, pop in a movie; consume a little more, right on time as always. It’s a habit that encourages complacency; still, despite their exhaustion, if the masses are to rise above their dim situation, they need to change some of these negative habits into positive ones.

Education is a problem.

Education does not stop with one book or a hundreds or thousands; neither does it end at high school or college. Learn a new trade, adopt a new hobby, research a field of study. There is no red stop sign; it’s always a green light. Education is a life long process. We learn, and we die. And if at all possible we will continue to learn in hereafter.

Conclusion

The problem and solution is on both sides. Corporations can be more understanding and patriotic, a word not usually found in business terms, and American masses can offer solutions and educate themselves better to build a greater good on both sides. Corporations can sacrifice some small monetary profits for richer spirits, and the masses can try to see the corporation's position as they struggle in a larger world arena. After all this is or should be the American way.

We are all in it together.