Labor Shortage
Even with things reopening after what was a long damaging pandemic, few people are choosing to work. The Biden Administration wants to already call the few percentile increases of labor again returning as a victory for the workforce. In this point of history, we are witnessing innovation and degeneracy take place all in real time right before our eyes. “The Pandemic” and its cost mortally and economically on the world is something no one was prepared for. Complete shutdown. What came out of this ordeal for people was either purpose or lack thereof. It truly separated us to this degree so much so, you are either in the highest point in your life or the lowest as I write this. Here’s a fun fact that you don’t need to be a financial expert to know: your job/career does not and should not, be your only source of income. Plain and simple. This was a rude awakening for many who were unfortunate to lose work and therefore their only source of income. The shutdown, (which arguably can be said went on longer than it should have if we’re talking about its efficiency) was indiscriminate and merciless. So, where did it lead people to go? There’s much to be said about why we are currently in the midst of a labor shortage, but in order to diagnose the problem we have to look back.
Before we do so let me make it abundantly clear: Despite my years spent in High School and Community college enthralled with the subject, I’m no economic expert. It takes no expert however, to see the pre-pandemic economy was much larger than what we are currently experiencing right now. Shocking to imagine, but it’s true when you take inflation into account. If there’s something else worth noting to this fact, its that we’re barely making a comeback to that point. This can be said for the world economy as a whole. All hell broke loose on the month of and the months after the pandemic hit the states. You had tremendous losses in the stock market and crypto due to panic selling and overall economy tanking. Now during the pandemic, you saw people either being let go or deliberately choosing not to go to work. When this all first occurred, people were frightened for their families and their own livelihoods; there wasn’t any room for discussion of what comes after it was legitimately an unparalleled emergency. Then of course as I had previously mentioned, the shutdown occurs. Now people had an abundance of time to work with. This is where the real discussion begins.
The government spent more money than it had in protecting the public, which I’m actually glad to say they did. I want to bite my tongue in saying that, but really it’s true. They needed to implement a temporary safety net for people that just weren’t ready for this international emergency. What sucks now is you have many that take advantage of this “safety net” and what makes it sad is now you have millions, dependent on the government. And no, even for those that abuse the system for their own personal benefit, you should not hold any prejudice against them. Allow me to explain. I’ll start by asking you this, would you work a minimum wage job (which mind you isn’t going to adjust for the prices on inflation) or get your money from the government while having free time for yourself? The answer is pretty clear, but who could blame them though?
Currently as our system is, it’s a failure on providing the common layman a living income. Whose fault is it? If you ask me: I would solely put forth the blame on the crony bureaucrats in Washington on the left and right and their corporate overlords. Decades of failed policies and government programs which after proving failure, are never retracted in any sort of manner. You go to school for 10 years and commit to a 6 figure salary giving career, what happens? Massive amounts of debt and an income tax where you will not see your dollars work in practice. Ok, then you choose to work instead and make an honest living; commitment to “the grind” if you will. Sure you can, but even then the odds are stacked against you. You either go on a minimum wage that is unsustainable thanks to a faulty currency backed by military might alone (inflation) or dedicate that time devoted on climbing up the business ladder only to meet the same fate as the dedicated student. So of course you have people on the government its no surprise and the government wants to keep it that way. But there are others who found another matter of making an income following this without the need of government and therefore they are not responsible for the labor shortage alone.
Most people stopped working in general because they just happen to make better money or opportunities from not working within this faulty system. Time as a commodity is the most useful thing to have if, used responsibly. Maybe I can only speak for myself in this regard, but I spent a lot of time productively when the shutdown happened. Depending who else you stayed in contact with, so did they. You had a tremendous amount of people participating in the stock market now or learning about it thanks to many means for anyone to enter it. Crypto as well, just look at the insane growth it had. This was from people who either opted to invest whatever time and money they had to make it work for them as opposed to working for a means of income. Because let’s be real, the government had pushed us to this place. Many had lost their businesses and landlords didn’t (and mind you, still don’t) have protections for themselves when the layoffs incurred or when the rent moratoriums took place. This is a big deal, because people believe landlords to be some douchebag looking guy in their mid 40’s in a white tank top demanding rent.
When the reality is, you have literally elderly people who rent their rooms out in their home to nurses or techs like myself. (Still mad about the Washington position I declined by the way.) They lost one of their means of income and had to adapt to circumstances or move their investments elsewhere. They took many risks in either adapting to the times or changing their approaches all together, both businesses and people. The government didn’t seek to help small business in any regard asides from these “stimulus packages” which are laughably low compared to whatever big corporations receive underneath the table mind you. My evidence can be made through observation alone living in the heart of LA county; all I have to do is look out my window and see where the government’s intentions are. Those ”Mom-and-Pop” businesses all shut down while the large heavily trafficked corporate businesses stayed open, only fermenting the rapid infection rates of C**id-19 you see. That's your government prioritizing their needs and not the people's needs. Now I’ve gone and talked about 2 sides of the coin here of your average citizen why they’re choosing to not work. One type depends on the government and the other who don’t take big risks for themselves. But if there’s something I made obvious, you may exactly guess again who I believe is responsible for the labor shortage.
I will say without hesitation over and over again, it is the government’s fault. They have by all means the ability and control to make it easier for work to be available and businesses to sprout up. Businesses already have it hindered on them to find employees on top of the various regulations and implicit/explicit costs they have to deal with already from the government. For some, the final nail in the coffin was the shutdown and the seismic decisions our politicians have made recently, and are currently making. It’s insane when its even hard for corporate titans like McDonalds and Starbucks to struggle hiring! Sure there’s an infrastructure bill that’s costing ~2 Trillion dollars in the process right now as I write this. Sure it will provide jobs for the short run, but at what cost exactly? Let’s be frank here: they are once again either cutting back on other government projects (doubt it) or printing more money devaluing whatever income the common layman makes. Oh, also your taxes will shoot up. Regardless what you make or where you’re at, indirectly or not. I’m really trying not to be pessimistic of this whole ordeal, but it’s hard not to acknowledge the incompetence presented from our leadership. Leadership that's only means of income are through our hard worked tax dollars. Pretty disgraceful if you ask me, I could probably put that money taken from my paycheck towards helping someone directly now or I could even get a 529 plan started for my future son/daughter. But I digress.
The labor shortage is of course a huge issue, but what can we do? We’re driven to ask this question at times of economic shambles for good reason. When there is no economic prosperity, the quality of life and what it has to offer is constrained. Choking any little bit of liberty to move and do as you please in the little free time we have. There’s no telling how much worse things could be getting even in the midst of this labor shortage. It could become much worse and you’d be a fool to believe the government can keep coming in to save the day. Unless you hail this crony bureaucracy. Now there is something you can do that many brave people participate in on a day to day basis. This is working with people directly. You need to have faith in the good will of other people whether it’s making a new friend, networking, or a business prospect. But, most especially have faith in yourself. Apply yourself to tackling a new venture everyday whether it be a new applicable skill or looking for better opportunities. Whether they are business, spiritual, or experience related does not matter. You should be using the time productively through making it count the way you spend it with other people and yourself. No one can take away your ability to be an independent free thinking human, you only have the weakness in choosing to not overcome more.
Whether it be economic collapse, war, or another pandemic;
When everything goes to rubble,
You will always have your family somewhere and whoever it may be with,
So start building it and protect it.