Political Economy

Two Bads Don’t Make

Chill Political Economy, Politics

The job market is atrocious now and inflation is rising. That’s going to have some consequences politically and socially.

Overwhelm

Chill Political Economy, Politics

I don’t think Europe or really anyone else has an answer for their societies being invaded and overwhelmed by third world immigration waves (largely Islamic) with values averse to Western culture.

This will destroy the societies they invade, of course. And I think Western civilization is worth saving. Both for selfish reasons and because it’s a damn sight better than scrabbling around in the dirt with sticks that Islamic culture will lead to for the foreseeable future if allowed to fester.

Fascism doesn’t work but liberalism also does not work. It invites the infection in. So…what now?

Fee Fees

Chill Cool, Political Economy

Trump imposes $100K fee on H-1B visas in new immigration action

That’s awesome. H-1Bs are used to suppress American wages and so that the plutes can have an obeisant slave class of coolies1.

H-1Bs should be banned altogether, but that’s a good first step.

  1. Yes, I use this term deliberately and intentionally.

Choices/Consequences

Chill Political Economy

Extremely high energy costs and unable to complete with China. A bad, bad combination caused by terrible choices Germany made over the past couple of decades.

Sol Des

Chill Clowns, Evil, Political Economy

We do seem to have just given up. Solar is far superior, though the desert isn’t lifeless. I agree that the priority should be solar, though, and put it in places that have the least long-term impact on humans.

Damn we are fucking up so bad.

Not Great At All

Chill Political Economy

I agree with Amanda. The labor market is worse now than during the GFC in general, and far, far worse in tech and tech-adjacent fields.

Source: I lived through it and got a tech job in a low-tech city in April of 2009, right at the worst of the fallout of the Great Recession. That would be extremely unlikely now.

Crash

Chill Evil, Political Economy

Amanda is right. Those jobs are gone forever. The economy is going to look very different in a year or two (mega-crashed).

AI Off

Chill Clowns, Political Economy

It doesn’t really matter if AI can really do your job or not, it’s so much cheaper they will try it anyway.

Exactly. That’s what so many otherwise smart people do not understand about AI. I am actually not sure how they can be so incredibly naïve about how this will work.

In short, it does not matter if an AI can actually do your job. If an MBA thinks they can string together four mediocre to bad AI agents to do your job for 1/20 the cost and 1/4 the quality, that is what is gonna happen.

It’s already happening. Pretending it’s not is just pure clownery.

Despin

Chill Political Economy

The economy is doing very poorly but it takes a while for it to be obvious.

And things are going to get so much worse.

Tray Table

Chill Political Economy

Why do people say they feel “betrayed” when they get laid off? What is going on their heads?

I’ve only ever seen my relationship with a company as a business one. I provide labor. They pay me. I try to do good work, be honest, and deliver what I promise but I have zero emotional attachment to my role or company. It’s merely a service I provide in exchange for money. In a sense, a company subscribes to me. When they cancel the subscription I am out.

No matter how hard I try, I can’t understand the emotional component. It’s a business relationship and should remain one.

Perhaps that’s why I do well day-trading and the like.

Econ BS Preemption

Chill Annoying, Clowns, Political Economy

Yes, yes, houses were smaller in 1960, insert the usual economist blah blah bullshit here. The point is that it was far easier to buy a house in 1960. And I can’t buy part of a fucking house. No matter what the econs say, it’s just a more difficult time for younger people.