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Re: [OM] Kodak Chapter 11

Subject: Re: [OM] Kodak Chapter 11
From: Ken Norton <ken@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:43:01 -0600
> Might the problem really have nothing to do with money, in itself, or the 
> mechanisms for allocating resources to balance
> individual and collective good, but with limitations to human abilities to 
> govern - both themselves and their communities?


I'm a huge fan of Star Trek. But one thing that always bugged me was
how in the future, after some horrid world war, that all of mankind
realized that working for the collective good was good enough and no
money was required, no crimes and on and on... I don't think this is
possible because throughout history, almost all people have an
attitude of "what's in it for me?" Even within the realms of
employment today, many people won't even bother contributing an ounce
of effort even with payment. There have been numerous examples of
"utopian societies" that formed, but never stayed intact because there
is always somebody not willing to contribute. The ones that sweat
support the ones who don't. The advantage of taxation and a government
is that we get some isolation between the two. In a self-governed
group where everybody knows each other, resentments form pretty
quickly. The attitude of "greater good" goes out the window.

There is a call center downstairs in the building I work. It is
staggering to me that we hire 20 people to work in the call center and
by the end of the three week training period we're lucky to have seven
or eight left. Every other day somebody else won't even bother to come
in. It's funny, because they are being paid to sit in a class and
that's even too much responsibility for some people. Then once they
actually get in the call center, the drop out rate seems to be about
the same. We're CONSTANTLY hiring just to fill the empty seats.

What is sad is that this is in a town (population about 16000) that
has become the poster-child of unemployment and evils of off-shoring.
(Newton, IA, former home of Maytag).

And related to all this is motivation. Some of us are motivated by
reward (money, recognition, food, etc). Others have no motivation
whatsoever. You can't pay them too much or too little. Nothing lights
a fire under them. The concept of greater good is lost on them. The
concept of self preservation is even lost.

So, how does this future utopian world of Star Trek occur? Is there a
genetic mutation among all of mankind that directly alters our very
way of being?

AG
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