Statistics are powerful. It’s no wonder that data analytics is becoming so popular. I was looking at some demographic data the other day and it stimulated some conceptual economic thoughts. Here are some tidbits on education, employment, marital status, and military enrollment.
Education
Source: Overflow.solutions
A large percentage of the adult population has not completed a college degree. I want the blue and purple to expand further down and squeeze the greens thinner (18 years old+).
Translation: I want a higher percentage of adults to receive higher levels of education.
The more educated people are:
• The more productive we are
• The more we are able to provide for ourselves
• The more we are able to govern ourselves
• The wiser decisions we make as a society
My Prescription:
- Increase cultural appreciation, respect, and admiration of education by honoring those who achieve higher education
- Decrease the financial burden to students to achieve higher education and reduce the education cost structure by proliferating online access to education
- Reduce the cultural stigma associated with online or self-directed education (similar to the process that has occurred with online dating)
Employment
Source: Overflow.solutions
Many working age adults and senior citizens are not working. I want to expand the blue in the middle up and stretch it out to the right.
Translation: I want higher labor force participation among adults age 22-60. I want seniors age 60+ to find fulfilling work that keeps them engaged in the workforce.
The higher labor force participation is:
• The more fulfilled society becomes; people find fulfillment in work
• The more productive society is
• The more society is able to provide for everyone’s needs
My Prescription:
- Increase the education and skills of people who are marginally employed or employed in low-skill jobs
- Enable swifter learning potential through “unofficial” non-degreed online education (think Khan Academy, Udemy, YouTube)
- Match the skillsets of senior citizens with needed services in society, tapping into their experience, wisdom, and knowledge of history
Marital Status
Source: Overflow.solutions
I want to expand the green up to squeeze out the orange.
Source: Overflow.solutions
Divorce is rampant in our society. I want to expand the purple up and squeeze out the yellow and blue.
Translation: I want higher marriage survival rates, less divorce.
The higher the marriage survival rate is:
• The more emotional and mental stability children will experience when growing up
• The more stability children experience, the more stable society will be
My Prescription:
- Increase cultural appreciation, respect, and admiration for the permanence of marriage by honoring those who maintain marriages
- Reduce prevalence of wanton sexuality in TV, movies, and music
- Reward married couples (where both spouses are on their first marriage) with personal income tax breaks
Military Enrollment
Source: Overflow.solutions
American military activity is extremely excessive. I want to shrink the green and yellow.
Translation: I want lower military enrollment via less military engagement.
The lower the amount of military engagement:
• The less people who die in war
• The less people who suffer from PTSD, mental illness, and alcoholism
My Prescription:
- Reduce American participation in long, drawn-out wars that don’t directly pertain to America
- Reduce human involvement in military activity via robotic and cyber activity