Re: Zoyd's WORK

[Richard Fiero]

I will argue that Vineland occurs in an era of free enterprise 
brought about partly by the Reagan/Thatcher revolution of 
Pareto Optimality within a perverse notion of Hayekian 
self-organizing aggregates. Only Blood and Vato have real work 
by jbor's definition and by mine. Zoyd is a roofer and plays 
tunes. Both of these endeavors have social value. Every 
character in Vineland is an opportunist. None is a Fascist or a 
Hippie. Vond is no Fascist although Frenesi may like to see 
that tendency -- is attracted to it.
Everything's cooking on a back burner.
One really needs to find a useful scam to thrive within perverse institutions.

jbor wrote:
>But isn't Zoyd falsely claiming these "mental-disability" benefits? He isn't
>mentally unfit for work at all. I understand the point you are making when
>you say that Zoyd "works" for the government, but "work" in this sense isn't
>synonymous with employment. Zoyd plays along with a corrupt bureaucratic
>system to get his fortnightly dole cheque.
>
>So, in a way, hasn't Zoyd been abusing the welfare system to the detriment
>of those who honestly are mentally-unfit to work? Particularly in the
>context of the cutbacks you mention, and that we see in the novel later on.
>It seems to me that there is an intrinsic ambivalence in this opening
>scenario depicting how Zoyd exploits the government welfare system.
>
>best
>
>
>on 15/7/03 10:22 PM, Terrance wrote:
>
> > OK, but Zoyd works for the government.
> >
> > More importantly, disability and unemployment are **not** the same
> > thing.
> >
> > Like unemployment insurance, Workers pay into an insurance fund and if
> > they become disabled, they can collect a benefit. The government merely
> > collects and disburses the money -- much like a private insurance
> > company would.
> >
> > A little history:
> >
> > Disability was not part of the the 1935 SS Act, but is a program that
> > began in  the 1950's. It was one of LBJ's babies. The great deal maker
> > got it passed, but making great deals requires compromise.
> >
> > Reagan wanted to gut it.
> >
> > The Congress didn't.
> >
> > Reagan used his **presidential powers**  to gut it. Putting thousands
> > upon thousands of mentally disabled people out on streets.
> >
> >
> > http://www.ragged-edge-mag.com/0302/0302ft5.html
> >