Wednesday, January 2, 2008

A New Year

I cannot believe that a new year is already under way.

New year, new goals, new dreams, new aspirations.

I am not usually one for all of that junk, however this year will be most certainly new.


Now, onwards to more important things.
There is much to write and much has happened since my last post. However, I will stick with a recent insight. I just wish I knew how to share it. I can't think of the right words.
(I'll get back to this in a bit)


Another subject.
I am definitely not one who has much if any tolerance for the populists and the populist movement. As far as I am concerned, these people have little insight, little logic and little foresight for future events and consequences. Populism is merely a tool which capitalizes on people's fears and on current, inflamed passions. Arguments made by populists often lack substance, rather using these inflamed passions to fuel their arguments. For example - Lou Dobbs. All he does is ride the wave of public opinion about economics, Wall Street, immigration, etc. He adds nothing to the argument. He merely repeats what people what to hear in a slightly more verbose and arrogant manner. Sad, but true. The same can be said for almost all of the CNN.com commentators. Navarrette, etc. They all, for the most part, waffle, refuse to take solid stands and play to popular opinion (and race bait / play the race card). Look, I believe in the value of the opinion of the common man. I am not an elitist. However, with many issues such as immigration, finances, personal finances, mortgage crisis, etc., your Joe Schmo opinions lack reason, tact, and fact-based, rational analysis. j
However, for a brief moment, no matter how much I dislike these individuals playing to public opinion (although, who are we kidding, all they are doing is what politicians do) and refuse to call what they write "journalism", Mr. Navarrette made an excellent point today -
For the record, I'm glad that Arizona is bearing down on employers. It's nice to see government pick on someone its own size for a change. Besides, I can't wait to see what happens when Arizonans realize that the same folks who built all those resorts, restaurants, and houses are no longer around to maintain them.
Of course, there is always the chance that Americans -- especially those in their teens and 20s -- will step in and fill the void by leaving their air-conditioned homes, video games, and $3 coffees and going to work in 110-degree weather.
But whom are we kidding? That's just more wishful thinking.

Sad to say it, but he is right. As much as the majority of people want to crack down on illegal immigration, these same people lack the courage to tell their lazy ass kids to get out of the damn house. The current 16-30 age demographic is, for the most part, lazy as all f*cking hell. They spend at least 2x what they earn, demand outrageous benefits compared to what they add in value, have no stomach for actual work and sacrifice, and have mooching tendencies off of parents / relatives. Here is what I think - your degree from a state school (or even worse off - from an expensive Ivy League or Liberal Arts school) in anthropology, sociology, women's studies, etc. entitles you to NOTHING. Sorry folks... an easy degree in a subject where the only real path is academia... your fault for picking it. Heaven forbid if you were some lame basket weaving major. My specialized degree entitled me to nothing. However, it served a purpose to position me for a career. I then went out and earned every single thing I have, own, etc. I believe in education, in learning, but I also believe that if you are going to pursue subject matter that does not have immediate payoff potential, you sure as hell better back it up with something that will secure your future. A degree entitles you to NOTHING; AT ALL; WHATSOEVER. You need to EARN it for yourself through hard hard work and sacrifice.
Even more importantly, parents (for the most part) need to shove these slackers out the door. I understand if you are under 25, living at home and saving and planning for the future. But, if the kid is 25+, no ambition, no aspiration, no goals and no foresight - cut his lazy ass off; throw him out the door; and make his sorry ass work. Why? Because at that point, as much as he looks down his nose at hard labor, at minimum wage work, etc. he is less deserving of those jobs than potential illegals holding them. So, if we are really serious about enforcing our immigration laws and booting the current ones out - PUT THE LAZY, SLACKING 16-30 DEMOGRAPHIC TO WORK NOW. Make them build houses, cut lawns and flip burgers. A dose of reality will do them and this country far better than the coddling they receive. And if they fall on their faces and have ridiculous amounts of debt? So be it. Let them suffer and fail... then they can become adults. Because, after being in the world for 2 years now... I worry about the maturity of many adults 28+ who are having families and still have no grasp on reality or maturity. As for failure. If you are flipping burgers and think you can have a nice apartment, used BMW and dress in Juicy and have Coach bags... you deserve to crash and burn. Tough love folks.. tough love.

And the bottom line, when you go to work in the professional world - that company owes you jack$hit. You work for them. Your job is to make them money and add to their bottom line. Just because you waltz in the door means nothing. They owe you nothing until you have worked your ass off and produced for them. Stop worrying about your bennies package and start worrying about to make the company better so that many down the road, something nice comes your way. You work for them, not the other way around.

I would start to launch about how lazy HS kids have become, but will save for another time.

1 comment:

Arbitrageur said...

As usual in agreement with you, but regarding the last point - there is something to clarify. The company doesn't owe you anything that's not in your contract but you don't own them shit either. So if you're working on a deal that could make your bank a couple bars, but then KKR wants to poach you - you have zero obligation to stay, even if that means you're bankrupting the whole damn firm.
What I really hate about IBs is that every time someone quit they were given the speech by the SMD about how they're essentially traitors. Bull.Fucking.Shit. The company always treats you as expendable. How many traders got laid off from the banks this year? How about all the analysts during the tech bust? How many kids didn't get paid this year because the boys upstairs were smoking too much weed (I'm looking at you, Jimmy "Joint" Cayne, and nobody gives a shit that you declined a bonus - you should have been fired, not Warren. You can't even play bridge worth shit anymore. Mack the Knife even though you did the same exact thing I still love you, but only because of FIASCO.)

Anyways my point is this: nobody is entitled to shit that can't be sued out of the other party, and there is no such thing as loyalty in the corporate world. At least in America - here's how things are[were] done in Japan: http://economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10424391