ponder – Generation 700 Euro

The turmoil in Greece drew my attention at the time, eventhough I was struggling with my own issues. It has been more than a year, and now when I think “what all these are about?”, my conclusion would be ‘globalization’.

What is globalization?

Is it the integration of economic, political, and cultural systems across the globe? Or is it the dominance of developed countries in decision-making, at the expense of poorer, less powerful nations? Is globalization a force for economic growth, prosperity, and democratic freedom? Or is it a force for environmental devastation, exploitation of the developing world, and suppression of human rights? Does globalization only benefit the rich or can the poor take advantage of it to improve their well-being?

from www.globalization101.org

Good questions; If you ask me, a bit of this a bit of that, but related to all. It would be naivety to expect an exact definition for such multi-discipline trend.

What about ‘Generation 700 Euro’ of Greece? Simply, are they the employed poor in a so-called wealthy country?

 Seems like…

• Median monthly income is around 700 Euros
• 70% are ‘dissatisfied with the type of work they’re doing’ and ‘dissatisfied with their prospects of moving up in the workplace’
• 67% are between the ages of 18 and 34
• 75% work in the private sector
• 64% are women
• 89% are not related to a union and 75% do not go on strike  (Source)

During my surficial search, I collided into this article –Generation 700: Where PhDs Are Lucky to Wait Tables– by Ellen Nordahl in her blog ‘elle la mode’.

I was impressed  by her style of combining refined information and observations with the sentimentality to a coeval generation having issues. At the end she wants to trigger a discussion:

If you?ve traveled or lived abroad in Europe, what?s your perspective on the employment prospects for young workers?  Is there marked tension between the youth and the established work force?  Could you see a similar situation becoming true for the U.S. in years to come?

She is actually giving clues by mentioning “Spain?s mileuristas”, “Germany?s Generation Praktikum” and “France?s Generation Stagiaire”. On my behalf, I know that I was very close to ‘waiting tables’ as a PhD candidate. In the case of my country it is ‘the relatively strong family ties’ supporting young people’s struggle of existence (similar to neighbouring Greece).

Once more, to me all these happening are foot-steps of accelerating globalization. This is something more than ‘human resources terminology’ of Generation X, Y, R, et cetera.

My answer to Nordahl:

– “The nature of the property has been irreversibly changed; And yes, ‘every young individual with lesser establishment or old family money’ will face this tyranny.”

This systematic –haul-down– standardization of wages and opportunities is contracting people’s act capabilities;  That is the start of homogenization.

Do you think George Orwell warned us? Or these are just delusions of gloomy minds. I think the answer depends on the progress. What changed in which way? Speaking for the fate of young individuals in Greece, Spain, Germany or my country; Did anything get better for them?

I am afraid ‘no is the answer’ for where I am reporting from.