In the national and international media, it is ever more frequently possible to read and hear of the “danger” that threatens the future of humanity in the form of a progressive increase in numbers of the elderly and low birth rates in developed countries. In compensation, as far as developing countries or those obviously underdeveloped are concerned, there is, for the time being, even an excessive rate of production of babies, although this tends to decrease as such countries improve their standard of living. The modern woman wants to work, achieve something and earn her own money. Above all, she does not want to be dependent upon the fickle male heart which, even with a ring on the finger, could, from one moment to another, “go crazy”, seeking sex, or should I say romantic love, at a new address.
When this occurs, the ensuing drama is both humiliating and upsetting for the woman who solely depended on her husband - or companion - in order to subsist: there is a need to file a lawsuit for maintenance, for the woman and any children; discuss division of assets arising from the annulled union; fight for custody of children and suffer stressful friction related to visiting rights; and assume financial commitments for the actual judicial dispute, etc. And, adding insult to injury, the ex-husband may become unemployed, escaping the threat of prison, sometimes the only effective manner of ensuring that the “poor wretch” fulfills a legal and moral obligation.
Thinking about all this, the rather mistrustful woman - and every woman is mistrustful, as it is a necessary requirement of her arduous office - believes it to be more prudent to work outside the home. However, the children should be left with whom? Child minders are not always patient and, furthermore, do not work for nothing. Considering all this, the young woman clearly sees that it makes more sense to have one or two children, thus conciliating her career, self-esteem, the reasonable - although not excellent - function of a working mother and a worry-free retirement. Or a “nest egg”, the acquirement of which only depends on her; not a “third party”, her husband. During the period spent living together, the husband may be found to be a blessing from heaven or a “curse from hell”, only time will tell. And the man also thinks in the same way with respect to the woman who, little by little, reveals her faults. Norman Mailer once said “As a novelist with an insatiable curiosity about people, I've discovered that you don't know a damn thing about a woman until you meet her in court”. Sometimes, stubbornness regarding child custody issues can be explained by the mere desire to antagonize.
In other words, as I mentioned previously, the current abundant supply of babies, originating from underdeveloped and developing countries, will decrease to the extent that women become economically liberated and global poverty disappears, as desired (at least apparently) of all world leaders. This is good, in the medium and long term, considering the problem from a global point of view. It is appropriate that a large number of children are not born, principally if they cannot be assured of a healthy and comfortable place in the world. Poverty leads to physical and moral suffering, humiliation, desperation, ignorance, violent criminality, terrorism, physical and moral deformities and even poor leaders, given that the most astute, when candidates, know how to seduce the desperate with promises.
The world population needs to decrease. If not decrease, then at least remain stable. Universal increases in wealth and information - inevitable, unless there is a global catastrophe - will lead to a significant increase in worldwide individual consumption, with increased pollution, water shortages and all the problems of material progress when coupled with overpopulation. One day, Africa, currently a symbol of destitution, will have hundreds of millions of automobiles, refrigerators, air conditioning units and other comforts that are useful but generate pollution. When the proportion between automobiles and people in China and India reaches the current American level, humanity will perceive that the population of the world has surpassed acceptable limits.
In this context, it is worthwhile to consider the usefulness of the aged: they do not reproduce, but they consume. Goods and services, the source of employment for those who are younger. Consumption that generates tax revenues that are going to help to pay their pensions and the unemployment benefits of the young. If - just for the sake of argument, I’m not in a hurry -, all the elderly died today, millions of young and mature people would be unemployed, without a job. They would not be able occupy positions in sectors with young clients or customers, because such sectors already have high rates of unemployment.
It could be argued that it is “not fair” that young people have to “sacrifice themselves” - keep dreaming -, working hard to maintain millions of idle old people who live to an ever greater age and are ever more knowledgeable in techniques that delay death. In fact, there will be no “sacrifice” on the part of the young, given that the human species is “condemned” to progressive relative inoccupation, in all age groups. The result of automation, mechanization and information technology.
At the present time, unemployment is an inevitable reality, if the forty-hour working week is maintained. In the event that there is no universal agreement forcing all countries to reduce the number of hours worked per week - if possible, in an equal manner -, unemployment will continue to afflict all countries. The reason for this is that machines and computers do the work of millions of factory and office workers. To an ever greater extent, governments and companies use fewer human arms and brains. So-called “electronic intelligence” increases in efficiency, driving man to the realm of keyboards and buttons, dispensing with man himself.
In an extremely competitive world, it is understandable that, as far as all employers are concerned, the ideal situation involves having the minimum possible number of employees. “If my competitor manages to produce the same as me, in terms of quantity and quality, with fewer employees, he destroys me or swallows me up!” This is clear to everyone. Instead of the purchaser receiving a bank payment slip at home, via internet - dispensing with the services of the postman -, he only receives an e-mail with the payment slip as an attachment, which he himself will complete after printing. Following this, he goes to a bank or electronic telling machine and - once again, without any contact with employees, using only a card - pays the necessary amount via the reading of magnetic data stored on the card.
The actual machines have been made “literate”, using a red linear “eye”. If you need cash, you also have no need to come into contact with any kind of living breathing being: you can withdraw the banknotes using a machine. If necessary, via the telephone of a public service - or even a private service, depending on the case -, you can enter into a “dialogue” with a machine, using your fingertips, pressing “options 1, 2, 3”, etc. If you speak erroneously, or with a lack of clarity, “madam machine”, an educated and impassive “lady”, will say that she did not understand your reply, asking the exasperated caller to reply in a clear manner to that which he has been asked. Furthermore, if the caller says that his topic of interest is not included in the available “options”, the machine will pretend to be deaf, given that, after all, it was not constructed to converse with ignoramuses.
In the future, teachers, in the form of physical people, will only be necessary for the purposes of learning to read and write and a few initial years of school attendance. After this, people will learn by themselves, reading books and texts on the internet, CDs and DVDs. Reading and listening. Learning, by the way, with the cream of the teaching profession, chosen to record their classes. Why would the adult student waste time in traffic, grabbing something to eat in the street, when he could learn at home, in front of the television, while preparing a meal or eating popcorn? Attend a university - only if the intention is to flirt or chat with friends. In addition, generally speaking, the student who is apparently a “dimwit”, if adequately tutored in study techniques - in fact, a great deal of supposed “dimwittedness” could be avoided, or bypassed, through the use of techniques suited to each student - will have no need of a teacher.
It will also be possible to progressively dispense with attorneys. The injustices affecting a large number of people will be - and are already being - corrected through public lawsuits instigated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, or with new laws - something that is already occurring -, correcting the faults of previous legislation. At the present time, how many duly qualified attorneys effectively work practicing law as their only profession? And how many thousands are unable to exercise this profession because they cannot pass the difficult examinations of the Brazilian Bar Association? The “Binding Precedents” of Higher Courts - necessary in order to reduce the plethora of protracted appeals - also dispense with any need for attorneys. The prevention of lawsuits, if it benefits society, as it in fact does benefit society, empties the offices of those practicing law. In medicine, the rate of unemployment is lower, given that, “fortunately”, human beings are a perishable objects. In addition, the older they are, the more perishable they become. A precious source of employment.
In France, when young people - not only workers - revolted against a two-year increase in the minimum retirement age (from sixty to sixty-two), the explanation partly lies in the desire to obtain some kind of employment. And when immigrants, feeling rejected, are alarmed at growing prejudice among local residents, the explanation is obvious: they too are alarmed at the gloomy prospect of an absence of jobs. As far as employers are concerned, the illegal immigrant is more lucrative than a worker born in the country.
The obvious conclusions of this article are as follows: unemployment is not the fault of “x” or “y” government. The “enemy” of employment, little perceived intellectually, is called Progress. In the fields of science and technology. And destroying computers and machines would not be an intelligent move. They work for us, without requiring a salary, vacations and other benefits. Once this is perceived, there is a need for universal legislation that substantially reduces the number of hours worked per week as a means of neutralizing unemployment. As far as I recollect, France attempted to be a pioneer in this respect, but ended up being prejudiced because its products became more expensive than those produced by countries that did not grant such a benefit to their workers.
Good intentions, in a globally commercialized world, only “function” if all countries, or the majority of them, act in the same manner. “Wake up, world leaders! Unite for universal reduction of the number of hours worked per week”. It is not a question of giving esteem, in abstract terms, to the value of work, but providing jobs for all those who wish to work.
And stop accusing the elderly, as they are still very useful, with their rheumatism, high blood pressure, eccentricities and purchases at pharmacies. I repeat: the young are not “sacrificing” themselves in the current situation. They are being benefitted. Most of them do not work wielding a pitchfork, piling bales and sweating under the hot sun. They work with telephones, computers and personal contacts - not a wholly disagreeable state of affairs, as the opposite sex is also a part of the world of trade and industry.
(5-11-2010)
