There is much in this story with which I agree. We really need to be moving in that direction.

Somethings in the story would appear contradictory. If working fewer hours per week makes workers more productive then how does working fewer hours reduce unemployment?

These ideas are going to have different affects depending on the working sector to which they are applied.

Cashiers, truck drivers, trash collectors, and such will not see significant increases in productivity if they work fewer hours each week. If you cut their hours you will be cutting their pay and their rate of pay because working overtime increases their effective pay rate.

Doctor’s offices will not be more productive if they are open fewer hours. Cutting Doctor’s office hours might actually make care harder to obtain.

I agree it might be wonderful if a lot of people worked fewer hours to share jobs when unemployment is high but when skilled workers are scarce working fewer hours slows the pace of development and production.

I agree that growth for growths sake is wrong. We need to grow the sustainable sectors and speed the development of quality of life improving technology.

I think we do need to reduce the consumption of disposable products and other such junk. We should also discourage the wealthy from conspicuous and luxurious consumption.

Some of us work long hours trying to create jobs for others.

TEK