The Neo Creadds Are Born (Ch.14g): Discussion Group (Part 2 -Section 2)

Julia was the first to begin speaking again, “I think Jairis said what needs to be done earlier on. We would wish to cut the unnecessary activities out of our economy, because they are pointless and succeed merely in wasting our lives. So we cut our wasteful bureaucracy and legalism, excessive competition, advertising and sales tactics. We simplify our economies on the grounds of what is useful to society, not what makes the most profit.

      “Vanos has said we cannot cut down our economic activities without causing widespread unemployment, but as Jairis said this should be accompanied by the sharing of the work which does not need to be performed, amongst the whole population. To answer Vanos, of course this would need to be implemented by a range of policies. The high supply of labour for the new economy would have downward effects on the cost of labour, but a short term adjustment in economic values would be inevitable. In return for the loss of nominal earning power there would be the consequent benefits of improved living standards, in terms of free time, relaxation, freedom to pursue leisure activities and personally fulfilling hobbies. There would be some growth in leisure industries, which in our present system are severely restricted by the long working and studying hours which we have to face. These are market effects, but they could only be triggered by government actions which would involve regulation. An individual’s working hours would have to be restricted, forcing employers to employ more people.

      “The law in many areas would have to be simplified by legislation designed to cut the number of appeals and wasteful petty cases which get to court. The size of damages awards may have to be cut in some cases to avoid encouraging speculative legal actions.

        “The old public sectors in some essential utilities and industries damaged by wasteful price wars and sales competition could be returned to public control to prevent the wasteful exploitations carried out in the name of shareholders and important company officials, who take large salaries to themselves instead of employing more people in their organisations and reducing the burden of work on their employees.

       “Alongside the cutting of wasteful work, we might introduce directives which reduce the levels of study qualifications which need to be obtained to be eligible for work. Education is necessary, but today it is out of control. Millions are taught complex and detailed subjects which they will never need. This is a burden on all our lives.

        “Perhaps free trade between nations is one of the key elements in the monstrous economic system which has developed. Maybe an element of protection and a move towards relative self sufficiency would solve the trade imbalances of the world and help to create more balanced economies?”

After the Group Meeting, the members socialised more casually, some of them continuing to discuss the issues of the Meeting, while some set out back to their apartments and Districts so they could sleep in time for the following day’s work. Vera and Calban discussed some of the issues as they related to them.

      “I think we need to cut the amount of study we all have to do,” said Vera, speaking from experience. “I know we’re a developed society and we have a complex technology, and we do need to have people who know about all the facets of our civilisation. But we could cut out so much of it. I mean, I studied so much rubbish that I never used and never needed to understand. I studied engineering subjects which were useless to me, but also I learned so many computer skills, and even the principles and theories of business economics. In all of them I was obliged to achieve high marks, before I could proceed to higher levels. I cannot even remember some of the subject areas I was forced to study, and yet at the time I was obliged to be an expert in them.”

       “Me too,” agreed Calban. “I wasn’t as successful as you in my career because I wasn’t particularly special or interested enough in it, but I feel it was only an ordinary job, not worthy of such effort. The training and examination system just held me back. Such high levels of perfection were required, and so much unnecessary dull detail that I soon felt like a failure. Eventually I gave up after wasting what I saw as a significant amount of my life on it.”

       “You were wiser than me,” Vera complimented him. “You could see it was getting you nowhere and you stood up to it by refusing to participate any longer. I believed I was doing the right thing for far too long, and I ended up wasting even more of my life on it. I suppose it got me into space, which was interesting and challenging, and eventually I found my first lover through it. It enabled me to see the system for what it really is, through experience, from the inside.”

       “There are so many people out there who refuse to question the way they live,” said Julia. “It makes me angry. They just accept the way things are. It is as if they do not want a life of their own, content to be slaves all their life, to what is, after all, only a system. I think our lives are worth more than that.”

       “Yes, and I was as big a slave as any,” said Vera. “I wasted years of my life.”

       “You came to realise what was happening to you and to everyone else. At a certain point you were intelligent enough to recognise the reality and change. But there are many people who go on for many more years, for all of their lives, not understanding that anything is wrong, unquestioning and blind,” said Julia.

       “Yes,” Vera agreed, “some people are sufficiently excited by their work and status to feel the system is rewarding them. I suppose if it is what you are taught to want, and there is nothing else you prefer to do, and you never developed your imagination, you will be content with developing status.”