The Panda Bear said in a previous post that she would discuss these fiction books written about journalism by journalists. These books were The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman, Stieg Larson's Millennium Trilogy. and Capable of Honor by Allen Drury. The Panda Bear will have to decline this discussion. When she read Capable of Honor she did not understand it. The book was a third novel in a series of political novels by Allen Drury. The Panda Bear had not read the previous novels in the series and the book did not make sense on its own.
Instead in a future post, the Panda Bear will discuss Juan Williams book Muzzled: The Assault on Honest Debate . She found in interesting but she think Juan Williams confused several issues.
Because of Occupy Wall Street has been in the news, the Panda Bear wishes to continue her critique of American industry. Though she personally knows no one involved in the Occupy movement, she would like to help them better articulate some of their positions.
In her previous post the Panda Bear said American industry needs to be encouraged/rewarded/pressured to bring back their operations to the United States. Many conservatives make fun of the young people in the Occupy movement because they love Steve Jobs and Apple products but these products are now made overseas, The Panda Bear on their behalf would like to tell these conservative critics of OWS that yes-it is a problem that Apple products are made overseas. Steve Jobs genius is not benefiting the American economy they way it once might have before everything was made overseas.
Not only does the Panda Bear believe that that American companies should find it worth their effort ti return to the United States and hire Americans, the Panda Bear also boldly asserts that they should be willing to train Americans. In the thirty years, the Panda Bear has seen a decline in company training. It used to be that many people with a high school degree could rise in a company through corporate training programs but this has totally stopped.
Instead, people are forced to go colleges and universities to take out expensive degrees. One theory behind the student revolts of the nineteen sixties was that many people were in college who really did want to be there and students were there to escape the draft. The Panda Bear thinks some current student protests are coming about because many young people may not want to be in college but they are told that is the only way they can succeed in the world.
There is constant education inflation happening in the US. The Panda Bear's father remembers when a high school degree was rare. Now everyone is expected to get a college degree. As more people get degrees their worth goes down forcing people to get more degrees.
The Panda Bear thinks its unnatural to make people start their lives in debt or be a financial burden to their families for such a long time. She thinks there should be more paid apprenticeships. More examination needs to be done about how necessary some degrees really are. The Panda Bear thinks a high school degree should be sufficient to show basic language and math skills.
Of course companies don't like training workers because it costs money. However, most people know accept that companies should take precautions to protect the environment even if it costs more. The Panda Bear thinks that companies should start feeling that way about hiring and training workers of their own countries. Companies have some social obligations besides making money.
The Panda Bear thinks some of the Occupy movement would like this quote from Balzac from Father Goriot:
Corruption is a great power in the world, and talent is scarce….Do you know how a man makes his way here? By brilliant genius or by skilful corruption. … The secret of a great success for which you are at a loss to account is a crime that has never been found out, because it was properly executed."
Thursday is Thanksgiving Day in the United States. People are supposed to be remember for what they are thankful. The Panda Bear is thankful that she is does not have to worry about basic needs. However, she is also glad she is not part of the rich, corrupt elite. The Panda Bear is not rich but she is considered to be a decent Panda Bear.
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