?First step to "doomzie"? NY Times on "the worried". Long detailed look at the "psyche" of Job Worriers

This fits part of the puzzle of the "doomer mindset" if such worries are always in the back of one's mind. Taken to the extreme by people with even the slightest "inferiority complexes", you get "DOOM ZOMBIE".

TOP TECHNOLOGY NEWS =========================

Job Worries in a Sea of Plenty

Many American workers are concerned about keeping up with the technological change of the new economy.

http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/08/biztech/articles/29worry.html

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-- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 29, 2000

Answers

I have to disagree with you on this one CPR. One was married with kids to support. The other fresh out of college with only herself to worry about. It's like comparing apples and oranges. There are a lot of jobs around, if you are willing to move. But the more people you have depending on you the less flexible you become. It's one thing for someone living in an apartment or college dorm to pack up and move. Another with a family where the spouse has a job and kids (with friends) in school. It limits your options.

To compare people worried about that with the rise of the Doomsters is a bit much.

-- The Engineer (spcengineer@yahoo.com), August 29, 2000.

No. There is only a tiny fraction but the preconditioning is from economics or parents. Look at moron Schenker who brags about being a super Dooomer for 30 years. Like North you look at what they write and shake your head then mutter: You can't be serious.

If you read the data you see that over 40% "worry". If the Doomzies are less than 1% (can't be more), then a small fraction of the 40% could have in the back of their minds at all times: "its going to be real bad". Its sort of circular. When they have a job they worry about losing it because of "them" and when they don't have one, they blame it on "them". Tales of grandparents in "the Great Depression" still linger and Texas had its own only 10-15 years ago. It took to now for Oil to get back and its still nowhere near the heights of 1982 to 83.

Only a few go down the slide but one thing is for sure: THERE WERE DAMN FEW "OPTIMISTS" IN TB2K VER. 1.0, HYATT'S OR GARY DUCT TAPE'S FORUMS.

After all, that is what they FEED THE FUD WITH: PESSIMISM and their "interpretations" of the "Coming Disaster".

-- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), August 29, 2000.

Actually Charlie, these people have legitimate concerns. We are currently in the midst of M&A frenzy and surely you realize that the result of this is that workers are left in the dust.

Of course, as a Proponent of Big Business, I'm sure you see this as A Good Thing.

I am currently working for a firm that I swear is being set up to be sold; no other explanation makes sense for how they are handling "business" right now. Am I concerned? Perhaps a bit. It took me three months to find this stupid job (and I was forced to take a cut in pay as well as a cut in "title"). What they've been doing is moving strategic departments to other areas of the country. Workers are being given the "option" to relocate. What kind of an "option" is that? Why the hell should anyone HAVE to relocate when their life is where they are right NOW?

It isn't an option for most; and, in fact, NOT ONE PERSON has taken them up on the "offer" of relocation. NOT ONE.

Comparing these VALID concerns to Y2K worries is, like the Engineer said, "apples and oranges".

How quickly you forget that I was a victim of M&A Frenzy just a year ago; as were nine of my colleagues, all of whom were, like me, "long-timers".

-- Patricia (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), August 30, 2000.

Clarification: By "Of course, as a Proponent of Big Business, I'm sure you see this as A Good Thing", I did NOT mean the workers being left in the dust; I meant the M&A.

-- Patricia (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), August 30, 2000.

It isnt pessimism its the dislike (or fear if you choose) of having your life disrupted. You have to realize that the lower your education/skill level the fewer jobs you can choose. Lots of people dont like to move away from home either. They get settled in, get a house, kids in school and maybe the spouse gets a job. All those things contribute to a reluctance to find a new job thats a thousand miles away. True there are a lot of jobs in the economy now but there is also a lot of turmoil. Very few people like turmoil in their life. You may be the exception .

-- The Engineer (spcengineer@yahoo.com), August 30, 2000.