Ask Dr Stupid: Work is stupid
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Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2003 12:33:14 -0700
Message-Id: <200310011933.h91JXEJY002135@flatus.studio42.com>
To: Dr. Stupid
From: bonked007@aol.com (mike)
Subject: work
Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted by
mike (bonked007@aol.com) on Wednesday, October 1, 2003 at 12:33:14
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email: bonked007@aol.com
realname: mike
subject: work
Form-ID: Dr. Stupid Form
Message: why is work stupid?
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Dear Mike:
Nice AOL forgery. Please check your lameness at the door.
A long time ago, people had to exchange goods and services that they could provide in order to obtain goods and services they wanted or needed. This barter system worked fairly well for a long period of time until it got to the point where people wanted goods or services but had nothing of value to exchange with those providing the goods or services. One can only successfully trade with another one those things that each other want. If you need some beef, and the other person wants shiny pebbles for their beef and you have no shiny pebbles, then clearly no exchange can take place. Using money and assigning values of goods and services a monetary value was invented. In the event that a trade would not be possible, money could be exchanged for goods or services. This allowed those lacking something to trade with a common system of value that could be used for exchange when all else failed.
I have so far failed to answer your question about why is work stupid. Not all jobs are stupid. Maybe yours is. I have no idea what you do for a living. Maybe you're homeless, jobless and penniless. Maybe you can't figure out that you can't "push" open a door labelled "pull". Or, maybe your paper hat makes your butt look too big. I just don't know what your situation is. More than likely you have the type of job that could be done by machines.
Maybe you think the whole idea of money is stupid. OK, how about you make up one of them cardboard signs that say "Will Work For Food" and see how that works for you. Or, try trading away the things you have for the thinks you need without having a trade or skills in order for you to continue to provide goods and services that others want in order for you to continue to exchange those for the things that you need.
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