Economy

Pushing Back The Divas

Garth Beyer

It’s not what you do that earns you credibility, recognition and praise. It’s how you behave.

Behavior comes first when people talk about you.

The time to be a Diva is over. Now anyone can be as remarkable as another if they work hard and smart enough.

Before, people could get away with being jerks because they were the best at what they did. But, now you hear this: “He was so helpful,”

then they say what it is he did.

People comment about your character, your behavior, before anything else.

Sure, some people can still get away with being Divas, but that’s because their employer doesn’t understand the new economy, not because their work is actually the best.

 

Stay Positive & Don’t Worry, They’ll Catch On Real Soon

The Big Sort

Garth Beyer

William McGuire, developer of the Model of Persuasion, says people who are exposed to information that they want to pay attention to, want to comprehend, want to accept, and want to retain, then take action on that exposure. What the model fails to represent is the looping effect; that people then act on finding more information that corresponds with their beliefs. This is the method used by political candidates. Could “actions” also consist of surrounding oneself with other likeminded people, other people who vote the same? Bill Bishop would say yes.

Bishop says that despite how diverse and polarized America has become, the places we live are crowded with people who live, think, and most importantly vote like we do. He goes on to say how the second half of the twentieth century brought social specialization, the displacement of mass culture by media, organizations, and associations that were both segmented and more homogenous. Combine this with historical efforts of gerrymandering, it’s no wonder people live in communities where others have similar views – especially on politics, the hottest button of all beliefs.

The largest turn of trends comes post-materialism. There are two parts to this which Bishop covers. The first is that materialism is viewed as a value-system. Given the industrial revolution and consumerist society, people no longer have to worry as much about survival. As a result, attention is turned toward post-materialistic movements (civic political ideas). The second part of post-materialism is the idea that “every economic order grows to a state of maximum efficiency, while simultaneously developing internal contradictions and weaknesses that contribute to its systemic decay.”

In the end, Bishop notes that, “homogeneity may be a perk of the unprecedented choice our society offers – but it also breeds economic inequality, cultural misunderstanding, political extremism, and legislative gridlock.” Arguing for the middle ground in politics is like trying to write a completely objective article; it’s been pursued but never accomplished. Dare I suggest that Bishop is taking a similar outlook on The Big Sort as does the news on any topic: negative. I believe there is a route that Bishop could take that could exploit The Big Sort in a way that it benefits, not only the community, but the entire nation – despite polarization, despite the changing/declining economy, despite the inequality.

Americans are prone to move forward and construct lifestyles – as well as political realms – that work off their polarizing beliefs. While I’m no economist, I think Bishop copped out. There are two routes of further research and foresight he could make to support (or counter) his theory of The Big Sort. First, if The Big Sort is making a large enough impact as he states, then why not seek ways that America can leverage it? Secondly, if The Big Sort is leading to such turmoil, then what’s next? Sure, Bishop does a brilliant job of explaining The Big Sort, supporting it with endless research, but if I held the cure to cancer, just holding it doesn’t do much good.

The Change To A Free(dom) Market Economy

Garth Beyer

It seems that we are finally seeing a slight but steady decrease in monopolies. It is something I hoped for when I was 16 and even when I thought of the most logical step to take to do it. Three years ago, I wrote the following in my journal.

“America needs to focus more on free market and trading and bartering, then it would lower monopolies.”

What I didn’t know at the time was what the free market – trading and bartering – would be made up of. Traditionally speaking, it would be about exchanging a couch for a punching bag, or a TV for food, or a boat for some of the fish the user would catch. We would expect to see a decrease in the use of money and overall monetary value and an increase in personal tangible need.

What I have now come to realize is that this free market that we are riding into is not about specific valuable items, or about money, or about the vital needs for sustainability. In fact, it is a collection of it all. We’re heading into an age where the free market is composed of information, skills, talents, art, passion, action, change, teamwork, and originality.

It’s no longer who has the fanciest house, who has the most food, or who has the biggest boat. It’s about who created a new model of a house, who combined an ancient recipe with their own originality and successfully opened a restaurant with that as its signature dish, it’s about who ditches their biggest boat to bring actual art and change to humanity.

Those who successfully enroll themselves in this new free market enterprise are the ones who will become the monopolies – trusted and valued monopolies.

 

Stay Positive & I Prefer To Call It The Free(dom) Market Economy

Garth E. Beyer

 

Changing The Light On Job Security

Garth Beyer

Job security is not a constant. – This is not a good thing.

For years I thought job security was uncontrollable that every occupation had a permanent level of job security. Obviously that is not true, but that’s actually a great thing. Now, Wiki says job security is dependent on economy, prevailing business conditions, and the individuals personal skills. How wrong are they!

  • Job security is not dependent on economy, economy is dependent on job security.
  • Job security is not dependent on prevailing business conditions, prevailing business conditions are dependent on job security.
  • Job security is not dependent on the individuals personal skills, job security IS the individuals personal skill.

Let me share a personal story, story of missing out on $1,520 but getting $2,560 in the end.

I have worked as a Data Entry Clerk and got paid $9.50 an hour for 40 hours a week. There was a large set of online forms that needed to be entered into the database. Rather then spending 4 weeks entering each record individually into the database, I spent an hour and a half working on downloading the file and exporting it to an access document and from there, reformatting it to fit the excel spreadsheet where I was to enter the data. In essence, I got paid $14.50 for the hour and a half I spent reconfiguring the files instead of taking four weeks to enter the data manually which would have made me $1,520. Some would think I am senile for destroying my job security.

Why did I say I got $2,560 in the end? Because that is what I will make in four weeks with my new raise.

Bringing You Into The Light

Working smart and job security go hand in hand.

Consider reading The Lazy Way To Success Sample Chapter

Now, I have quickly learned that working smart always creates greater benefits than working hard. In fact, working hard can actually cause damage. For example, you can try and carry 5 bags of mulch from the front yard to the back and pull a muscle in your back. Or you can put the 5 bags in a wheel barrel and roll it casually to the backyard.

1. Well, since you pulled your back, you can’t even bend down to spread the mulch across the garden. Job security gone…and your wife is upset.

2. Well, since you were smart and used the wheel barrel, you had enough energy to spread the mulch before your wife got home. Job security and your wife’s happiness, granted.

Analogy: Apply it to your job!

Spreading mulch is = to your daily work.

Your wife’s happiness is = to your pay check.

Work Smart > Work Hard

If There Is One Thing I Hate

It’s being told to slow down and I get told it at work all the time. It’s not because I am too fast that I screw up, I tell everyone that I have one pace and it’s called “quality” and I am damn good at it. They tell me to slow down because all their lives they thought job security meant always having something on the to-do list.  Like Wiki, how wrong are they!

The Spotlight

I said job security is the individuals skill. The economy, business success, and everything else to do with career and money is dependent on this skill because this skill says everything about a persons character, integrity, work-ethic, attitude, and every other quality that defines a successful person.

If a person can turn a 4 week task into one hour, I’ll hire them and give them a permanent position with a lot more money. If there is a boss who doesn’t do that, clearly that workplace is not for them. Which leads me to the last factor of job security. When you get tasks done far before the deadline, when you deliver greater quality than is expected and when you have a positive attitude about it, what you thought you lost out on, always comes back – with company.

My biggest scenario is what I mentioned earlier, missing out on $1,520 but getting $2,560 in the end.

When you look at job security as skill, you can make much larger increases in income and quality of life then me. In fact, if you change the light on job security, it wont be long until you can say that you don’t even need a job.

Stay Positive and Try To Beat My $1,040 Increase

Garth E. Beyer