Re: Is Intelligence/Skilled Labor a Natural Resource? (spinoff of oil s&d discussion)


Dan in Philly wrote:
> The thread about rising oil prices has been interesting. A few people
> believe that the economic rents of oil-well-owners should be taxed away.
>
> My question is: can we say the same thing about wages for high-income
> workers?
>
> Over time, demand for skilled labor has increased while demand for unskilled
> labor has fallen. So wages for the former have risen, for the latter have
> fallen. Some people have responded by making themselves more skilled, by
> getting more schooling. But I think this supply curve is now getting pretty
> steep. In other words, those who are still unskilled are incapable of
> becoming skilled.


But, since the reason for that is that 50% of "computer" workers
are actually data-entry personal, typists, receptionists,
store owners, car alarm specialists, bank tellers,
assembly lines workers, rather than assembly language
specialists, and people who just in general have
no idea of how computers are actually applied to science
problems, the problem is actually no different today, than
it was 400 years ago, when removable type was invented.


>
> If that's true, then rising wages for skilled workers will not increase the
> supply of skilled workers. It's just economic rent for those of us lucky
> enough to have good brains.
> And it has little to do with work effort. A janitor does more 'work' (time
> spent on physical labor) than I do. But I get paid three times as much,
> because computer skills are valued more highly.
>
> Dan in Philly

.

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