[Posted Dec 7, 2008]

Looking for work?

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Hard times are here

Market Watch Dec 5, 2008 - REX NUTTING

Payrolls plunge by stunning 533,000 in November

U.S. nonfarm payrolls plunged by an astonishing 533,000 in November, the worst job loss in 34 years, the Labor Department reported Friday.

It's only the fourth time in the past 58 years that payrolls have fallen by more than 500,000 in a month. Since the recession began 11 months ago, a total of 1.9 million jobs have been lost. Job losses in September and October were revised much lower.

In addition to the 533,000 lost jobs, an additional 621,000 workers were pushed into part-time work and 422,000 simply dropped out of the labor force.

"This is almost indescribably terrible," wrote Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist for High Frequency Economics. "The pace of job losses is accelerating alarmingly."

Over the past three months, 1.26 million jobs have been lost, a pace of job destruction exceeded only once since 1945.

"The threat of a widespread depression is now real and present," said Peter Morici, a business professor at the University of Maryland.

The recession "is going to be long and drawn out," wrote Jennifer Lee, an economist for BMO Capital Markets. go to story

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Finding the right work

Out of Work, Out of Order A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

These are the different occupational duties by which men should earn their livelihood, and in this way human society should be simple. At the present moment, however, everyone is engaged in technological advancement, which is described in Bhagavad-gita as ugra-karma—extremely severe endeavor. This ugra-karma is the cause of agitation within the human mind. Men are engaging in many sinful activities and becoming degraded by opening slaughterhouses, breweries and cigarette factories, as well as nightclubs and other establishments for sense enjoyment. In this way they are spoiling their lives. In all of these activities, of course, householders are involved, and therefore it is advised here, with the use of the word api, that even though one is a householder, one should not engage himself in severe hardships. One's means of livelihood should be extremely simple. more

Employment for all

excerpt from conversation on train to Allahabad, Jan 11, 1977

PRABHUPADA: So those who are unemployed, let them come to us. We shall give them employment.

RAMESVARA: Yes. But for the mass population...

PRABHUPADA: Well, gradually you will increase and...

RAMESVARA: We have to give them something that they can do in their home.

PRABHUPADA: Oh, yes.

RAMESVARA: Because it is impractical to think that they will give up everything and move into the temple.

PRABHUPADA: No, those who are unemployed, let them come. We shall give them employment.

JAGADISA: On the farm.

PRABHUPADA: Yes.

RAMESVARA: For those who are unemployed, that's attractive.

JAGADISA: But for those who are already employed...

RAMESVARA: But most people have jobs.

PRABHUPADA: Eh?

RAMESVARA: Many people already have their jobs and their families.

PRABHUPADA: All right, let them not come, but those who are unemployed, let them come.

RAMESVARA: But what...? For those people who already have their jobs, instead of...

PRABHUPADA: That job... They will be very soon jobless. Don't worry. [laughs] They will come. They will be obliged to come. Now they have got job, but as the days are advancing in Kali-yuga, they'll be jobless.

HARI-SAURI: So we can expect that material conditions are going to become very much worse than this.

PRABHUPADA: They may come or not. We don't care for it. Let us establish an ideal society. That is the...

JAGADISA: If someone who is well-off wants to become a devotee, shall we encourage him to give up all of his material well-being or shall we ask him to instead put a temple in his house and encourage him how to make his house into a temple and make his whole family Krishna conscious?

PRABHUPADA: And what is your material well-being? Everyone is going hundred miles for well-being. Is that well-being? Either they may go by motorcar or by train... And as soon as there is—what is called?—bottle-neck, they become very much disturbed: "How to go to the office?" Where is well-being?

Prabhupada's plan to provide for the jobless

excerpt from conversation, Bhuvaneshwar, Jan 21, 1977

PRABHUPADA: ..In Krishna's time there were cities like Mathura, Dvaraka. They were cities, big, big cities. And when Krishna came, they were decorating, they were receiving. So that kind of city will continue, but not this hellish city—slaughterhouse, brothel and big, big tin car, and so on, accident.

HARI-SAURI: Skyscrapers.

PRABHUPADA: We have no objection to this, provided there is Krishna consciousness. Unfortunately these things cover more time for their maintenance, and they forget Krishna consciousness. That should be stopped. The main business is development of Krishna consciousness.

RAMESVARA: And you also mentioned not so much these ugra-karmic jobs.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. Yes.

RAMESVARA: Industry. Now hundreds of thousands of people have their jobs in this way. So...

PRABHUPADA: Let them go to the farm. We are therefore organizing farm. As soon as they are jobless, "Come on. We shall feed you. We shall give you food." There is no scarcity of food.

HARI-SAURI: Does that mean we have to wait for the situation to arise where they are jobless?

PRABHUPADA: No. We are waiting, but if anyone comes, we have already big, big farms. "Come, hundreds. We shall provide you."

HARI-SAURI: But this is talking in terms of millions of people who are engaged in America in the cities.

PRABHUPADA: Oh, yes. Let millions... The land is also millions' acres. We shall utilize gradually.

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