Tag Archives: labor

What Are They Afraid Of?

We can’t all be righteously cosmopolitan, but at least we should temper our discomfort with alien cultures by tossing aside the feeling that our culture is “superior” to theirs …

Labor Productivity

People oversimplify the idea of productivity, and the basic concept is pretty simple (Productivity = Output/Input). But the modern world economy, due to technology, social forces, etc. makes the definition of “productivity” a bit more interesting …

Wealth Creation: Does it Matter Where it Comes From?

Rent-seeking, in economic thought, seems to be critical to capitalism’s survival … but so is labor! Both are necessary to achieve the abundance we all seek …

Moving the Overton Window

We use Joseph Overton’s invention much more broadly than he ever intended — because it works for explaining political and social dynamics!

Community Organizing

Published January 24, 2020 in Warp & Woof Community Organizing New Challenges in Our Area William Sundwick Let’s start with some assumptions about 21st century American politics. Assumption #1: many, many people are poorly served by their local governments; assumption #2: virtually all communities have some people who are quite content, but most others muchContinue reading “Community Organizing”

I Prefer Not To

Published October 18, 2019 in Warp & Woof “I Prefer Not To” Bartleby and Late Stage Capitalism William Sundwick Herman Melville published his short story “Bartleby the Scrivener — a Tale of Wall Street” in 1853. It has been a staple of high school AP English classes and undergrad American Lit survey courses for atContinue reading “I Prefer Not To”

Flint: Lumber to Carriages to Cars

Published September 13, 2018 in Warp & Woof Flint: Lumber to Carriages to Cars The Flint Series, Chapter 1 William Sundwick  When I arrived in Flint, Michiganat age six, the city, incorporated in 1855, had already established itself: first as a hub for the central Michigan lumber industry, then earning the appellation “Vehicle City,” thenContinue reading “Flint: Lumber to Carriages to Cars”