n

Maynard G. Krebs, pictured above, was the sidekick character in The Many Loves of Doby Gillis, the 1959-63 CBS TV series. Dwayne Hickman starred in the title role, and Bob Denver, later of Gilliganu2019s Island fame, played Dobieu2019s eccentric friend, Maynard. The character was created for TV and wasnu2019t in the Max Schulman books the series was based upon. Maynard wore a scruffy goatee, a stretched out gray sweatshirt, dirty low cut white Converse sneakers, and jeans.

n

Maynard was the showu2019s Shakespearian fool. Dobie created elaborate schemes trying to get some girl to notice him, and Maynard would say u201cWhy donu2019t you just ask her out?u201d Dobie would ignore that advice and laugh track hilarity followed.

n

In one of the showu2019s repeated bits, whenever Maynard heard the word u201cwork,u201du00a0 his eyes would bug out, and he would say in Bob Denveru2019s squeaky high voice u201cWork?u201d and then attempt to make himself scarce. Dobie would talk him down from his anti-work panic and the show would go on.

n

If you google Maynard G. Kreps, he is referred to as u201cAmericau2019s first hipster.u201d He wasnu2019t a hipster; he was a Beatnik. San Francisco Chronicalu00a0 writer Herb Caen coined this term for the Beat Generation Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William Burroughs, etc. Beatniks rejected consumerist capitalism, loved off-beat poetry, bebop and jazz. Caen added the Russian u201cniku201d to mock their leftist views and characterized the beats as shiftless and lazy.

n

I loved Maynard. I was twelve and desperately trying to hold onto my boyhood. I hated school homework. I rebelled at household chores. My father despaired that I would ever learn to work. He found me jobs mowing neighbors lawns, and caddying for him and his golf buddies. I was a fan of Maynard, but not a fan of work. I wanted to play.

n

I did eventually learn to work. The first job I found for myself, soda jerk at Howard Johnsons, taught me who you worked with could make any job seem like play. Then I discovered acting and worked hard in a play. Eventually, I found myself in consulting, working 100 hour weeks and feeling my work had u201cpurpose.u201d

n

But I always had a love-hate relationship with work. When I wanted to annoy my boss Iu2018d say:

n

u201cI figured out what I donu2019t like about my job.u201d

n

u201cOh, really, what?u201d

n

u201cWorkinu2019!u201d

n

Classic Maynard.

n

Noahpinion: Yes, we still have to work

n

A friend recently introduced me to Noah Smithu2019s blog Noahpinion. Noah calls himself an economic blogger, but donu2019t let the econ-bit put you off; his smart writing might start with economics, but veers into public policy, and philosophy, all in a fun, easy to read style. Noahu2019s recent post Yes, we still have to work, starts with some news about an experiment with Universal Basic Income (UBI), which found that even at $1000 a month 2% of workers in the study stopped working. u00a0He posits that u201ca welfare program that causes a significant number of people to stop working entirely is unlikely to pass any reasonable cost-benefit analysis.u201d

n

Along the way Noah examines the same trope that produced the Maynard G. Krebs character, u201ckids today are lazy.u201d He rejects this idea with data, but this idea floats around a lot. Are GenZ u00a0and Millennials u201clazy?u201d Do they want the u201cwhole world just handed to them?u201d Iu2019m tempted to agree until I remember this is exactly what the Greatest Generation said about Baby Boomers and so I am inclined to believe that this is just something the Old say about the Young.

n

Smith debunks David Graeberu2019s Bullshit Jobs that says certain jobs are useless, noting that work satisfaction is rising. Noah presents valuable jobs lost (like economic bloggers) in an argument credited in a footnote to Douglas Adamsu2019 The Hitchhikeru2019s Guide to the Galaxy. Hereu2019s the original:

n

u201cThese tales of impending doom allowed theu00a0Golgafrinchansu00a0to rid themselves of an entire useless third of their population. The story was that they would build three Ark ships. Into the A ship would go all the leaders, scientists and other high achievers. The C ship would contain all the people who made things and did things, and the B Ark would hold everyone else, such as hairdressers and telephone sanitisers. They sent the B ship off first, but of course, the other two-thirds of the population stayed on the planet and lived full, rich and happy lives until they were all wiped out by a virulent disease contracted from a dirty telephone.u201d

n

(Who says the Internet isnu2019t amazing? Imagine digging out my copy of HGttG to find this?)

n

Noah ultimately concludes that UBI is unlikely to be good public policy.

n

u201cHuman labor is still incredibly valuable, and figuring out how to make human workers more capable is still how most value is created. And for that reason, we should focus policy on rewarding human labor more, and be wary of economic philosophies that claim that most human beings would be better off as glorified pets.u201d

n

His post rejects a no-human-work I Robot world and promotes the u201ca job is dignityu201d argument that Joe Bidenu2019s father instilled in him. I have been unemployed and donu2019t remember it as joyful, but Iu2019m still Maynard enough not to buy the absolute sanctity of work.

n

I do believe in work choiceu00a0 u0336u00a0 not surprising for someone who was self-employed for 23 years. We all work for ourselves. If we choose to sell our labor to u201cthe Man,u201d we ought to recognize the trade-off.

n

Some have the luck and luxury of finding purpose in work. Several times during my consulting career, alignment between work and purpose made work seem like play. The u201cI canu2019t believe they pay me to do thisu201d euphoria was caused by important work, good people to work with, and achieving results for a grateful client. Those conditions didnu2019t always exist, but did more often than one might think.

n

I also got paid more as I rose. I liked that. Pearl Bailey said u201cHoney, Iu2019ve been rich and Iu2019ve been poor, and I can tell you rich is better.u201d

n

What part of retired didnu2019t you understand?

n

I never made rich. u00a0I did stop asking for a u201cdebt-free existenceu201d every birthday. I got to retire, after waiting till seventy to take Social Security, u00a0and downsizing from a house to a condo. I am grateful. I have friends my age who are still working, unenthusiastically.

n

I also have friends who canu2019t imagine why anyone would retire. Some offer me project work and are shocked when I turn it down.

n

u201cWhat part of retired didnu2019t you understand?u201d

n

u201cWhat do you do every day?u201d

n

u201cI write. . . a lot.u201d

n

Billie says u2018Youu2019re still working; youu2019re just not getting paid for it.u201d

n

Sheu2019s right.

n

n

u201cWork?u201d

“,”tablet”:”

Maynard and me

n

Maynard G. Krebs, pictured above, was the sidekick character in The Many Loves of Doby Gillis, the 1959-63 CBS TV series. Dwayne Hickman starred in the title role, and Bob Denver, later of Gilliganu2019s Island fame, played Dobieu2019s eccentric friend, Maynard. The character was created for TV and wasnu2019t in the Max Schulman books the series was based upon. Maynard wore a scruffy goatee, a stretched out gray sweatshirt, dirty low cut white Converse sneakers, and jeans.

n

Maynard was the showu2019s Shakespearian fool. Dobie created elaborate schemes trying to get some girl to notice him, and Maynard would say u201cWhy donu2019t you just ask her out?u201d Dobie would ignore that advice and laugh track hilarity followed.

n

In one of the showu2019s repeated bits, whenever Maynard heard the word u201cwork,u201d his eyes would bug out, and he would say in Bob Denveru2019s squeaky high voice u201cWork?u201d and then attempt to make himself scarce. Dobie would talk him down from his anti-work panic and the show would go on.

n

If you google Maynard G. Kreps, he is referred to as u201cAmericau2019s first hipster.u201d He wasnu2019t a hipster; he was a Beatnik. San Francisco Chronical writer Herb Caen coined this term for the Beat Generation Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William Burroughs, etc. Beatniks rejected consumerist capitalism, loved off-beat poetry, bebop and jazz. Caen added the Russian u201cniku201d to mock their leftist views and characterized the beats as shiftless and lazy.

n

I loved Maynard. I was twelve and desperately trying to hold onto my boyhood. I hated school homework. I rebelled at household chores. My father despaired that I would ever learn to work. He found me jobs mowing neighbors lawns, and caddying for him and his golf buddies. I was a fan of Maynard, but not a fan of work. I wanted to play.

n

I did eventually learn to work. The first job I found for myself, soda jerk at Howard Johnsons, taught me who you worked with could make any job seem like play. Then I discovered acting and worked hard in a play. Eventually, I found myself in consulting, working 100 hour weeks and feeling my work had u201cpurpose.u201d

n

But I always had a love-hate relationship with work. When I wanted to annoy my boss Iu2018d say:

n

u201cI figured out what I donu2019t like about my job.u201d

n

u201cOh, really, what?u201d

n

u201cWorkinu2019!u201d

n

Classic Maynard.

n

Noahpinion: Yes, we still have to work

n

A friend recently introduced me to Noah Smithu2019s blog Noahpinion. Noah calls himself an economic blogger, but donu2019t let the econ-bit put you off; his smart writing might start with economics, but veers into public policy, and philosophy, all in a fun, easy to read style. Noahu2019s recent post Yes, we still have to work, starts with some news about an experiment with Universal Basic Income (UBI), which found that even at $1000 a month 2% of workers in the study stopped working. He posits that u201ca welfare program that causes a significant number of people to stop working entirely is unlikely to pass any reasonable cost-benefit analysis.u201d

n

Along the way Noah examines the same trope that produced the Maynard G. Krebs character, u201ckids today are lazy.u201d He rejects this idea with data, but this idea floats around a lot. Are GenZ and Millennials u201clazy?u201d Do they want the u201cwhole world just handed to them?u201d Iu2019m tempted to agree until I remember this is exactly what the Greatest Generation said about Baby Boomers and so I am inclined to believe that this is just something the Old say about the Young.

n

Smith debunks David Graeberu2019s Bullshit Jobs that says certain jobs are useless, noting that work satisfaction is rising. Noah presents valuable jobs lost (like economic bloggers) in an argument credited in a footnote to Douglas Adamsu2019 The Hitchhikeru2019s Guide to the Galaxy. Hereu2019s the original:

n

u201cThese tales of impending doom allowed the Golgafrinchans to rid themselves of an entire useless third of their population. The story was that they would build three Ark ships. Into the A ship would go all the leaders, scientists and other high achievers. The C ship would contain all the people who made things and did things, and the B Ark would hold everyone else, such as hairdressers and telephone sanitisers. They sent the B ship off first, but of course, the other two-thirds of the population stayed on the planet and lived full, rich and happy lives until they were all wiped out by a virulent disease contracted from a dirty telephone.u201d

n

(Who says the Internet isnu2019t amazing? Imagine digging out my copy of HGttG to find this?)

n

Noah ultimately concludes that UBI is unlikely to be good public policy.

n

u201cHuman labor is still incredibly valuable, and figuring out how to make human workers more capable is still how most value is created. And for that reason, we should focus policy on rewarding human labor more, and be wary of economic philosophies that claim that most human beings would be better off as glorified pets.u201d

n

His post rejects a no-human-work I Robot world and promotes the u201ca job is dignityu201d argument that Joe Bidenu2019s father instilled in him. I have been unemployed and donu2019t remember it as joyful, but Iu2019m still Maynard enough not to buy the absolute sanctity of work.

n

I do believe in work choice u0336 not surprising for someone who was self-employed for 23 years. We all work for ourselves. If we choose to sell our labor to u201cthe Man,u201d we ought to recognize the trade-off.

n

Some have the luck and luxury of finding purpose in work. Several times during my consulting career, alignment between work and purpose made work seem like play. The u201cI canu2019t believe they pay me to do thisu201d euphoria was caused by important work, good people to work with, and achieving results for a grateful client. Those conditions didnu2019t always exist, but did more often than one might think.

n

I also got paid more as I rose. I liked that. Pearl Bailey said u201cHoney, Iu2019ve been rich and Iu2019ve been poor, and I can tell you rich is better.u201d

n

What part of retired didnu2019t you understand?

n

I never made rich. I did stop asking for a u201cdebt-free existenceu201d every birthday. I got to retire, after waiting till seventy to take Social Security, and downsizing from a house to a condo. I am grateful. I have friends my age who are still working, unenthusiastically.

n

I also have friends who canu2019t imagine why anyone would retire. Some offer me project work and are shocked when I turn it down.

n

u201cWhat part of retired didnu2019t you understand?u201d

n

u201cWhat do you do every day?u201d

n

u201cI write. . . a lot.u201d

n

Billie says u2018Youu2019re still working; youu2019re just not getting paid for it.u201d

n

Sheu2019s right.

n

n

u201cWork?u201d

“}},”slug”:”et_pb_text”}” data-et-multi-view-load-tablet-hidden=”true”>

Maynard and me

Maynard G. Krebs, pictured above, was the sidekick character in The Many Loves of Doby Gillis, the 1959-63 CBS TV series. Dwayne Hickman starred in the title role, and Bob Denver, later of Gilligan’s Island fame, played Dobie’s eccentric friend, Maynard. The character was created for TV and wasn’t in the Max Schulman books the series was based upon. Maynard wore a scruffy goatee, a stretched out gray sweatshirt, dirty low cut white Converse sneakers, and jeans.

Maynard was the show’s Shakespearian fool. Dobie created elaborate schemes trying to get some girl to notice him, and Maynard would say “Why don’t you just ask her out?” Dobie would ignore that advice and laugh track hilarity followed.

In one of the show’s repeated bits, whenever Maynard heard the word “work,”  his eyes would bug out, and he would say in Bob Denver’s squeaky high voice “Work?” and then attempt to make himself scarce. Dobie would talk him down from his anti-work panic and the show would go on.

If you google Maynard G. Kreps, he is referred to as “America’s first hipster.” He wasn’t a hipster; he was a Beatnik. San Francisco Chronical  writer Herb Caen coined this term for the Beat Generation Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William Burroughs, etc. Beatniks rejected consumerist capitalism, loved off-beat poetry, bebop and jazz. Caen added the Russian “nik” to mock their leftist views and characterized the beats as shiftless and lazy.

I loved Maynard. I was twelve and desperately trying to hold onto my boyhood. I hated school homework. I rebelled at household chores. My father despaired that I would ever learn to work. He found me jobs mowing neighbors lawns, and caddying for him and his golf buddies. I was a fan of Maynard, but not a fan of work. I wanted to play.

I did eventually learn to work. The first job I found for myself, soda jerk at Howard Johnsons, taught me who you worked with could make any job seem like play. Then I discovered acting and worked hard in a play. Eventually, I found myself in consulting, working 100 hour weeks and feeling my work had “purpose.”

But I always had a love-hate relationship with work. When I wanted to annoy my boss I‘d say:

“I figured out what I don’t like about my job.”

“Oh, really, what?”

“Workin’!”

Classic Maynard.

Noahpinion: Yes, we still have to work

A friend recently introduced me to Noah Smith’s blog Noahpinion. Noah calls himself an economic blogger, but don’t let the econ-bit put you off; his smart writing might start with economics, but veers into public policy, and philosophy, all in a fun, easy to read style. Noah’s recent post Yes, we still have to work, starts with some news about an experiment with Universal Basic Income (UBI), which found that even at $1000 a month 2% of workers in the study stopped working.  He posits that “a welfare program that causes a significant number of people to stop working entirely is unlikely to pass any reasonable cost-benefit analysis.”

Along the way Noah examines the same trope that produced the Maynard G. Krebs character, “kids today are lazy.” He rejects this idea with data, but this idea floats around a lot. Are GenZ  and Millennials “lazy?” Do they want the “whole world just handed to them?” I’m tempted to agree until I remember this is exactly what the Greatest Generation said about Baby Boomers and so I am inclined to believe that this is just something the Old say about the Young.

Smith debunks David Graeber’s Bullshit Jobs that says certain jobs are useless, noting that work satisfaction is rising. Noah presents valuable jobs lost (like economic bloggers) in an argument credited in a footnote to Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Here’s the original:

“These tales of impending doom allowed the Golgafrinchans to rid themselves of an entire useless third of their population. The story was that they would build three Ark ships. Into the A ship would go all the leaders, scientists and other high achievers. The C ship would contain all the people who made things and did things, and the B Ark would hold everyone else, such as hairdressers and telephone sanitisers. They sent the B ship off first, but of course, the other two-thirds of the population stayed on the planet and lived full, rich and happy lives until they were all wiped out by a virulent disease contracted from a dirty telephone.”

(Who says the Internet isn’t amazing? Imagine digging out my copy of HGttG to find this?)

Noah ultimately concludes that UBI is unlikely to be good public policy.

“Human labor is still incredibly valuable, and figuring out how to make human workers more capable is still how most value is created. And for that reason, we should focus policy on rewarding human labor more, and be wary of economic philosophies that claim that most human beings would be better off as glorified pets.”

His post rejects a no-human-work I Robot world and promotes the “a job is dignity” argument that Joe Biden’s father instilled in him. I have been unemployed and don’t remember it as joyful, but I’m still Maynard enough not to buy the absolute sanctity of work.

I do believe in work choice  ̶  not surprising for someone who was self-employed for 23 years. We all work for ourselves. If we choose to sell our labor to “the Man,” we ought to recognize the trade-off.

Some have the luck and luxury of finding purpose in work. Several times during my consulting career, alignment between work and purpose made work seem like play. The “I can’t believe they pay me to do this” euphoria was caused by important work, good people to work with, and achieving results for a grateful client. Those conditions didn’t always exist, but did more often than one might think.

I also got paid more as I rose. I liked that. Pearl Bailey said “Honey, I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor, and I can tell you rich is better.”

What part of retired didn’t you understand?

I never made rich.  I did stop asking for a “debt-free existence” every birthday. I got to retire, after waiting till seventy to take Social Security,  and downsizing from a house to a condo. I am grateful. I have friends my age who are still working, unenthusiastically.

I also have friends who can’t imagine why anyone would retire. Some offer me project work and are shocked when I turn it down.

“What part of retired didn’t you understand?”

“What do you do every day?”

“I write. . . a lot.”

Billie says ‘You’re still working; you’re just not getting paid for it.”

She’s right.

“Work?”