[lbo-talk] What happened to the Occupy movement?

[Wojtek S]

Dennis R: "I suppose many academics and professionals do have something to lose.
But I've noticed a huge psychological gap between folks with
semi-secure positions, and everyone else -- including those of us just
entering the job market (which, incidentally, remains soul-crushingly
horrible). The former have very little idea of how abysmal things are
out here."

[WS:]  I guess when you have a tenure you are reasonably secure, but
other than that - it is actually worse for the old coots than for the
young punks.  Who is going to hire a 50+ geezer when they can hire a
20+ punk for half the salary, half the expectations, and a fraction of
health care cost?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/business/economy/20older.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Just to give you an idea: fairly recently one not so great academic
position in the area attracted nearly 400 (sic!) applicants.  So it is
the employer's market, period.  Now, if you are the employer and can
choose from a wide variety of candidates, whom would you hire -
someone with 20-30 years of experience whom you have to pay more to
keep him or her from moving to a better paying job at the first
opportune moment, or a new PhD who sees is as a career opportunity and
will stay there is work his or her ass off for entry-level pay in the
hope of getting tenure?

-- 
Wojtek

"An anarchist is a neoliberal without money."