Review: Is Wal-Mart Good for America?: Frontline

I didn’t really know what to expect from this DVD. But I found a lot of food for thought in "Is Wal-Mart Good for America? ". Wal-Mart has totally turned the retail industry on its head, moving the power-base from that of the manufacturers to Wal-Mart. This documentary talks to Wal-Mart folks, ex-Wal-Mart folks, suppliers, and folks who have lost their jobs because of Wal-Mart. I see reflected in the program the changing of America. And change is hard. I’ve written a little about the problems I had when the Internet bubble burst and the anger and frustration I felt when I wasn’t able to find work. I have felt the anger and frustration of the laid off guy from Rubbermaid. This video lets you see how the world is changing and you should extrapolate from the retail/manufacturing sectors to the technology sectors, because the same thing is happening there. America needs to change. We need to stop taking employment for granted and we need to stop training our citizens to be employees. I’m planning on teaching my children to be more entrepreneurial because if their only option is to be an employee then they will be dependent on a condition that they have little to no control over. There are some types of work that can’t be moved overseas such as service jobs: doctors, nurses, mechanics, carpenters, drivers, etc. During down times there will be less demand for service folks but there will still be some demand. Still, even in those positions who gets laid off first? Not the owner. As a technologist I have to keep learning. Riding on past achievements is not an option and putting my future in other people’s hands is no longer acceptable, and it is certainly no longer safe. This video only makes that clearer to me.