Telling About Yourself

The response to my comments and objections about Will Manley’s article on LinkedIn proved enlightening and encouraging.  The most interesting response came from Hans G. Anas, a Division Head at the SPACEPOL Corporation (a high tech research company).

Below is what Anas wrote about employers not wanting to hire outside their organization:

My take on the issue (involved with a corporation that actually studies globally what is happening to cause the economy to crash) is similar to Jane’s in the beginning of this thread. I would say “you’re right on the mark, Jane!” This is what is happening pretty much worldwide right now, but particularly (as far as the rate of change is concerned) in the West.

In our corporate analysis, we denote what you are referring to in this particular example as part of the cultural/national “stagnation” variable. From the SPACEPOL analytical point of view this “stagnation” process is in actuality a major part of what is pushing the economy down. Other factors are generational and decline-related. Most western countries have been increasing in their stagnation index since around 2006. HR representatives (just like most other members of society) are not immune to the effect of societal stagnation as they become more and more ensnared in their “comfort zones” just like most others. When enough individuals experience this, one has a societal “stagnation” epidemic with economic consequences.

The solution that is indicated by studies at our company is not any more attractive than the problem. Instead of self-help, positive thinking or a rebirth event, a society will need to be firmly “jolted” out of stagnation trends. This is usually not a happy event for most, including things like war, major collapse, economic catastrophes that breed new markets and alliances, etc. But who knows, maybe in contradiction with history to date we will instead get a pleasant surprise in the form of a positive jolt that wakes or civilization from stagnation?

 

Using the same strategies will not manifest the changes that are needed. We must see the situation clearly, have compassion for one another, and change. There is a reason that Occupy Wall Street is spreading throughout the world.  Some call it “class warfare.”  If things don’t change soon, we might experience violence in the streets.

World War II got us out of the Great Depression by creating new markets. I’m not looking forward to catastrophic events in any form, but holding on to capitalistic ideals as though it is a religious ideology is just stupid.  Communism failed, no question, but Karl Marx warned that capitalism is unsustainable.  Eventually we will run out of resources. Perhaps that is what we are witnessing today.