Ah yes, the milkman or milklady. When I was a kid in Calgary or wherever I
used to hear the milkman's (or woman's) horse come clop-clopping down the
street early in the morning, then the clank of empty milk bottles being
replaced by full ones. Then, as a young adult, I remember not having enough
money to pay the parking attendant. He was a good guy so he let me go. Then
as a civil servant, I remember giving one of the stenos in the typing pool hell
because when I dictated Super Constellation (the name of an airliner in case
you don't remember), she typed Stupor Constipation! And one of the messengers,
the guys who ran the mail around, lost one of the memos that was supposed to go
to the Deputy Minister and bad things happened. All those people doing all
those jobs! Wonder where they are now? Maybe some of them have joined the
sit-in on Wall Street in the US or on Bay Street here in Canada. Maybe many of
them -- the younger ones -- are part of the huge crowds that have gathered in
our colleges and universities because they have nothing better to do.
The milk is no longer delivered, the guys in the parking lots have become
machines, the stenos and messengers have become computers, and our colleges and
universities have become places to store young people who have little to do
anymore.
I think I'll aim my horse westward and ride away.
Ed
----- Original Message -----
From: Keith Hudson
To: RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, , EDUCATION ; Ed Weick
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2011 1:22 AM
Subject: Re: [Futurework] Four Relevant Horsemen
Ed,
Sorry, old chap -- there's far too much titanium lying around to be used as a
standard. You ought to thank your stars that you'll never be pawned. As for me,
galloping forth, there's no chance. I've only ridden a horse once and that was
scarey enough. Mind you, when I was a kid I used to 'help' the milk lady
deliver milk to the doorsteps in our neighbourhood. I'd sit on the cart and
hold the reins. Of course, the horse took no notice of me. It knew all the
stopping points on its route and would start or stop by itself while the milk
lady rushed back and forth with the bottles.
Keith
At 17:05 10/10/2011, you wrote:
Keith, I really don't know about chatting with 72 virgins. What on earth
would they have to say? As for my knees, I've heard rumours that titanium is
to become the new gold, and that pretty soon we'll be on a global titanium
standard and after that, no more currency crises. I'll be rich beyond compare!
Don't get off your horse, or pony, or whatever. Do gallop on in
profundity, whether in the right direction or not.
Ed
----- Original Message -----
From: Keith Hudson
To: RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, , EDUCATION ; Ed Weick
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 6:07 AM
Subject: Re: [Futurework] Four Relevant Horsemen
Ed,
Problem is, I've only acquired a pit pony in life. And he's only fit for
pasture, not carrying me. But anyway I might change my ticket. One of them has
the promise of 72 virgins. Only for chatting with, you understand? But what
about you? St Peter uses a metal detector these days and turns away people with
inorganic kneecaps and other sundries. I'm sorry about that. But if I'm there
first I'll give you a wave before you go. I'll be busy making "KEEP OFF"
notices. I'm going to plant them on every vacant piece of land I can find up
there. It might keep Harry away from the subject when he arrives.
Keith
P.S. . . . though I doubt it.
At 12:50 09/10/2011, you wrote:
Keith, you are a true prophet. You should be on your horse galloping
through the skies, waving your flaming sword. By what you have said, Heaven is
not something that may or may not get to after we die, but a stable Earth with
a stable trading currency, sufficient resources for all of humanity, a
sufficient body of skills with workers being paid a decent wage, and the
production of truly new and useful consumer goods.
I'll buy that. And when you have written your Bible, I'll abide by it.
All the best,
Ed
----- Original Message -----
From: Keith Hudson
To: RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, ,EDUCATION
Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2011 5:18 AM
Subject: [Futurework] Four Relevant Horsemen
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, as described in the bizarre Book
of Revelation, and charging forth on their white, red, black and pale steeds
are commonly supposed to represent Conquest, War, Famine and Death. A pretty
gruesome quartet! To a writer in the Mediterranean region two thousand years
ago, and living under the whip of a gruesome Roman Empire, those four facts of
life were pretty accurate for those times. However, "Conquest" and "War" are
rather too similar, so let me describe "Conquest" more specifically as conquest
by unfriendly viruses and bacteria. Actually, this revised version -- Disease,
War, Famine and Death -- pretty accurately describes the daily fears of
millions of people in the world today.
And, in truth, they're not so very far removed from the fears of
people in advanced countries either! But they're rather too brutal to face them
directly so let me (brutally!) repress them and replace them with what I think
are Four Relevant Horsemen which thoughtful people, particularly politicians
and economists, ought to be dwelling on.
1. The lack of a stable world-wide trading currency. The two existing
predominant trading currencies, the US dollar and the Eurozone euro are hosted
and printed by governments which are technically bankrupt as well as many, if
not most, of their synergistic financial institutions. To quote Sir Mervyn
King, the Governor of the Bank of England, two or three days ago: "The world
faces a worst financial disaster than at any time in history."
2. World overpopulation and consequent resource shortages, of which
recyclable freshwater for agriculture has been the first to hit us. Inevitably
this will mean steadily higher food prices for all in the advanced countries
from now onwards (and proportionately more starvation for many others).
3. The steadily increasing automation of mass consumer goods and
services is causing a growing skills gap between interesting, well-paid,
value-adding jobs and the remainder. The notion of full employment started
dying two or three decades ago has now gone forever, and real average wages
(taking inflation into account) have been declining pari passu. Long-term
unemployment by the middle-aged has been growing as is, more recently, the
beginning of lifetime unemployment by an increasing number of illiterate and
innumerate young from our dysfunctional state schools.
4. All countries are now proceeding towards a remarkably similar,
highly-dense urban way of life which is characterized by a stabilized range of
consumer goods and services subject only to marginal improvements. The great
"assembly chain" of uniquely new consumer goods that energized the
industrial-consumer revolution of the last 300 years has now become something
more like an airport carousel.
A modern Apocalypse? Not necessarily. We'll probably adapt to
whatever the economic and ecological environments impose on us. Periods of
enforced stabilization have happened before in many previous civilizations.
Sooner or later -- with any luck -- we will have a break-out and a new pattern
of daily life will emerge. My own view is that the break-outs will arise from
the huge programme of research now going on in the genetic (and epigenetic)
sciences. I think they will produce revolutionary developments, particularly in
education and health. If the past history of innovation is any guide at all,
they're likely to come from the young and, usually, from outside the
conventional mainstream of a discipline. We shouldn't forget the millions of
unemployed young people who are now accumulating in many countries. There are,
and will be, many frustrated geniuses among them. With an increasingly
versatile Internet as their tutor we can reasonably expect huge surprises in
our present conventional political institutions.
Keith
Keith Hudson, Saltford, England
http://allisstatus.wordpress.com/2011/10/
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Keith Hudson, Saltford, England http://allisstatus.wordpress.com/2011/10/
Keith Hudson, Saltford, England http://allisstatus.wordpress.com/2011/10/
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