One thing I was just thinking about with regard to the current gutting of the government is that I think the people doing this--the kinds of people who think "government should be run like a business," or "government should let the private sector handle things"--is that they fundamentally misunderstand the point. Which makes sense because their only use for government services is like, free investment money.
But as an example, the way they talk to and about federal workers makes it seem like they think those workers are incompetent or are slumming it, and that they should be forced into the private sector where they can either live up to their potential (which they were wasting in a federal job), or be forced to up their game (because a federal job let them be lazy.)
It does not occur to them that a lot of people get into government jobs, including accepting lower pay than the private sector, because they prioritize things other than maximizing their paycheck. People get into government jobs because they like serving the public, they like the stability, they like the benefits, etc. They are often making an intentional tradeoff, escaping the volatility and uncertainty of the private sector, while accepting lower pay. Plus, I can see how working for the government can offer more of a sense of doing something, as many jobs let you see how your actions affect the lives of other people in positive ways.
I think guys like Trump and Musk are literally incapable of understanding any of this. Their brains simply do not allow for this kind of possibility. They believe, in their heart of hearts, that nobody goes into a government job because it's the best option for them, because they want to be there. It's always some kind of compromise, slumming it, an excuse to be lazy, etc.
But as an example, the way they talk to and about federal workers makes it seem like they think those workers are incompetent or are slumming it, and that they should be forced into the private sector where they can either live up to their potential (which they were wasting in a federal job), or be forced to up their game (because a federal job let them be lazy.)
It does not occur to them that a lot of people get into government jobs, including accepting lower pay than the private sector, because they prioritize things other than maximizing their paycheck. People get into government jobs because they like serving the public, they like the stability, they like the benefits, etc. They are often making an intentional tradeoff, escaping the volatility and uncertainty of the private sector, while accepting lower pay. Plus, I can see how working for the government can offer more of a sense of doing something, as many jobs let you see how your actions affect the lives of other people in positive ways.
I think guys like Trump and Musk are literally incapable of understanding any of this. Their brains simply do not allow for this kind of possibility. They believe, in their heart of hearts, that nobody goes into a government job because it's the best option for them, because they want to be there. It's always some kind of compromise, slumming it, an excuse to be lazy, etc.
the horrors persist, but so do we
(aka large mozz)
(aka large mozz)