In a landscape where unemployment rates soar and job competition intensifies, the continuous economic rotation and stable GDP growth reveal an unsettling truth: society doesn’t need as much labor as before. Those labeled “unemployed” are, in fact, the “unwanted” marginalized by society.
I once wondered why society turns a blind eye to these spiraling indicators and fails to take large-scale action to address them. Yet, reality tells us that society won’t be affected. If you’ve had management experience, you understand that a system doesn’t have to be perfect; as long as it keeps running, it means its core elements are functioning, and any issues are tolerable minor problems.
The current system is just that—we care about individual rights and freedoms, while the system cares about whether intervention is necessary. For a long time, the answer has been clear: the system can choose not to intervene. This non-intervention is evident in the disregard for employment rates, the lack of responsibility for the welfare of the unemployed, and the absence of guarantees for the majority, because the system no longer needs you.
The essence of unemployment is now undeniable; it’s not a matter of economic recession or wealth disparity but, from the system’s perspective, you’ve lost your value. Looking at the nature of economic crises, insufficient consumption is the core issue. Overproduction with no one to pay for it—people believe low wages lead to insufficient consumption, while businesses argue that insufficient consumption leads to production stagnation and reduced hiring. It’s a classic contradiction.
We expect society to provide us with funds to stimulate consumption, but in reality, the initiative lies with businesses. If businesses can’t continue production, everything collapses, so production must be restored first. In the constant adjustments, businesses either survive or go bankrupt, while ordinary people, once unemployed, fall into hardship.
Over time, businesses that survive strive to reduce their dependence on employees, and ordinary people struggle to survive when they’re not needed, because life requires expenses first. As I said before, you have to let me survive.
On a personal level, when someone tells me they’re struggling because of a lack of money, I sympathize, but if you ask me for food, the nature changes. You’re asking me to pay for someone who can’t exchange for money in the market, and I can’t get funds from anywhere to support you.
Being unwanted is the root cause of poverty for most people; this logic is distilled from reality, not my personal thoughts, which also depresses me.
Can the Industrial Revolution change this situation? My answer is no; things will only get worse. Most of us believe that with increased productivity, commodity prices will drop, exploitation will decrease, and in the future, we won’t be bound by material life. But following the logic above, you’ll discover another truth: with increased productivity, businesses need fewer employees, mechanization will replace manpower, and businesses won’t need to pay wages.
Even if commodity prices are low, purchasing power is needed, but without income, how can one buy? Before, businesses needed you to work, so they paid you wages, and you had money to consume; now, businesses don’t need you to work, don’t pay wages, you have no money to consume, and they don’t need you to provide consumption. In this case, you can only be marginalized by society.
So, who will consume? The luxury consumption of the middle and upper classes, even space colonization and the development of planetary markets provide consumption. The driving force of social innovation and development depends on demand; if we don’t follow this logic and forcibly provide material life for everyone, society and technology won’t progress because technology is the primary productive force.
Only by becoming needed do you qualify to earn money. Money must come from commercial actions, that is, the exchange of benefits. We ordinary people can’t expect direct money handouts; we can only actively participate in social exchanges. If you don’t need me, it’s because there are many people like me, and I lack competitiveness. Therefore, I must improve my competitiveness to make you indispensable to me, or at least one of the people who can meet your needs.
The current social purchasing power exists and is very strong, but it has nothing to do with ordinary people. Although we can’t participate in consumption, we can provide unique products. As long as you can provide value, you can gain wealth because purchasing power is very robust. The key is to be able to touch others, attract their attention, and have influence and appeal.
When you’re not needed, forget about finding a job that pays two thousand a month; even two dollars are hard to find. Lowering standards won’t solve the problem; the more you lower your standards, the more you resemble begging. Begging is giving you money out of pity, not because you provide value.
Our society is becoming increasingly indifferent; suffering can’t move anyone, only money can. Don’t blame those around you for becoming this way; we’re all adapting to this society, where the fittest survive. We’re discussing survival, not hobbies, not dinner parties. Only by delving into one thing and doing it best can you have the qualification to negotiate.