about jobs in 2009 and 2010
a dilemma against us
There seems to be this situation where people in "professional" jobs are expected to work 70 or 80 hours a week, and the rest of us are lucky to get twenty-five hours a week in a big box store. It's too extreme a meritocracy. And it was never that much of a meritocracy to begin with. For example way back in 1983, psychologist Howard Gardner came up with his theory that there are actually seven types of human intelligence, but school focuses on just two: verbal and math/logic.
For example, someone could have merely average verbal and math, but really excellent spatial reasoning skills as well as excellent physical dexterity. And this person might be serious-minded, steady eddie and altogether make an excellent surgeon. Except for the SAT test, college grades, the MCAT and all the rest, he or she most likely will never have a chance, to their loss as well as the loss of their future potential patients. They could do a surgery smoother and quicker, shave valuable minutes off time spent under anesthesia, as well as just maybe come up with better ways to perform surgery. So no, I don't think a split economy of "great" jobs and crummy jobs can be justified by saying, oh, but it's such a great meritocracy.