It is not news that current trends in US manufacturing has lead to the shipment of jobs to cheaper, less restricted international factories. From a business perspective it is easy to see the cost benefit of moving to India or China. Why pay $20 an hour to a skilled worker in the US when you can pay $5 for the same result to workers living outside our borders? We are seeing the obvious results of life in a post-globalized business community as our jobs get shipped elsewhere – leaving US industries on the brink of bankruptcy.
Granted, our current dismal economy is certainly the result of poor business decisions (think General Motors investing in Hummer), corporate fraud, and irresponsible bank loans. Yet, the lack of integrity, honor, and basic interest in the development of US based industries has not helped.
I photographed a metal manufacturer the other day. They have jobs and they are hiring. Yet, there are not enough skilled workers who know how to run the machines. The reality is that there are jobs in the US. Problem is, there is little or no satisfaction at being a machinist. Why would anyone want to work in a factory? The commercialization of society has morphed us into the lazy swelling of community and the drying of motivation. Tradition is of no importance when products cost less. Machinists of the industrialized era were artists. And most of them have died or moved on leaving their tools as relics, alone to collect dust.
Perhaps a lesson in history would serve to stimulate our job market. A look back to the power of invention and hard work that created the great American business would do our country well.
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