Monday, July 23, 2012

Insight

In all the years that Vol Fan owned his landscaping business and in all the years that he has been project manager doing golf course irrigation, he has had one major complaint.  His complaint is the same complaint that you regularly hear from business owners and manager.

It is hard to find good help.

No matter the occupation.  No matter the rate of pay.  The majority of people do not want to work.  They want a paycheck but they do not want to do the work required to get it. 

In Vol Fan's case, the type of work is hard and dirty.  But it is work and it does provide a paycheck.  So last night as I was reading, I was amazed by the insight in a book that was first published in 1962.

I am reading 'Travels With Charley:  In Search of America' by John Steinbeck.  His trip had taken him into Maine just in time for the potato harvest.  He was commenting on the groups that has crossed over from Canada to work the harvest. 

"It occurs to me that, just as the Carthaginians hired mercenaries to do their fighting for them, we Americans bring in mercenaries to do our hard and humble work.  I hope we may not be overwhelmed one day by peoples not too proud or too lazy or too soft to bend to the earth and pick up the things we eat."

And look where we are in 50 short years.

7 comments:

Busy Bee Suz said...

Oh yeah....you {and he} hit the nail on the head with that one!

George said...

I never thought of Steinbeck as a visionary, but he sure was right on this. Thanks for sharing this insight with us.

Mental P Mama said...

So sad....

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Quite a point...

Desert Survivor said...

My husband repeatedly says that the ranch wouldn't be in business if it weren't for all the Mexican ranch hands. They are such hard workers. But they sure do know how to party!

Big Hair Envy said...

Proud, lazy, and soft? Indeed. Where we be in another fifty years?

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Kinda sad that people don't want to work anymore... They want MONEY but are not willing to work hard for it... What has happened to us????? Very sad!

Hugs,
Betsy