It is getting hard not to get discouraged

Today is day 10 of my due diligence effort on the state of call centers in the US, and it is getting very difficult to stay hopeful. I've spoken to entrepreneurs, politicians, lawyers, bankers, call center managers, and call center reps. Something that "jumps right off the page at you" is the complete lack of faith senior leaders have in the core workforce. When comparing India service workers with American services workers, the general consensus is that we (Americans) are under-educated, un-focused, and generally do not have the drive to succeed.

As an entrepreneur, I find it hard not to get outraged at something like this. It makes me want to change things, it makes me want to prove them wrong. However when you peel back the skin on that onion, they are consistently correct in the assumption. Why is this happening? Why is poker a career aspiration in the US? Entitlements. Government, state and local entitlements have truly formed a safety net in America, and many of my fellow countrymen have decided to take advantage of it.

We need less safety nets and more free markets. It seems that while we have been gleefully practicing the art and science of capitalism, we have simultaneously been undermining our workforce by getting them hooked on a socialist entitlement system. For the life of me I can not understand how this benefits us in the future. Look at the inner cities. The ONLY thing that works is free markets. Unfortunately, the largest free market in the inner city is drugs! Imagine what the person who organizes the intricate systems of runners, dealers, and enforcers that the drug trade plys could do if he/she were building a chain of auto supply stores. It surely isn't profit motive that should stop them. Running a multi-store chain is exceptionally profitable; much more profitable than the drug trade if you apply the risk premium of dying or going to jail!!!

It is this fundamental shift in perception that has to change. I advance that it is merely getting that drug dealer to realize the legitimate end to his/her organizational skills!!!