Whatever Happened to Common Sense

Hi Everyone

Something that you hear from young people today as they try to enter the job market is that if they are competing for a job, someone with experience will have a better chance. Then I read this week that where there are many applicants for a job, employers are using AI as part of the vetting process. Back in my day, before the days of computers, etc., if you advertised a job in the local newspaper, you expected an application letter. If, for example, you got fifteen letters, it was usually very easy to draw up a shortlist of four. Those four would then come for an interview. On nearly every occasion, we employed someone who did not necessarily have the best qualifications or experience but who came across as someone who would fit in and who we would enjoy working with. Most interviews were either one to one or with two interviewers. Then I read about a young man who survived the mire of AI and application forms to reach the point where he got an interview. Apparently, he was subjected to a half hour ordeal of aggressive questions by a panel of six. Before leaving the room, he informed the panel that he did not want to be considered for the position, as he judged that if the interview was a reflection of the company, he did not want to be part of it. I know that very few now spend their working career with one employer, but surely a good and successful business is built around people who enjoy working for you and are willing to return the respect that you show to them. To me, another example of an overcomplicated system where we have forgotten that on many occasions, the best result is not always in the paperwork, but based on a good feeling about the applicant. 

If, like me, you are approaching middle age, you will remember your days in the infant and junior school when we had a pencil and paper, a rubber, books, a blackboard and chalk, and most probably a stern teacher. I am reminding you of all this Rubbish as the Swedish Education system has had a light bulb moment this week. They have decided to bring back physical books, handwriting and paper based learning. Experts and researchers have decided that too much screen based learning reduces pupils' reading comprehension and attention span. Did it really take experts and researchers to work that one out?. Of course, we have to accept that we are in the digital age, but as I have said many times before, you cannot play the game unless you have fully mastered the basic rules. Let us hope that it does not take our education ‘experts’ another decade to decide that it is a good idea for children here in the UK. Judging by reports of poor discipline in our schools, perhaps a  few stern teachers might also be a good idea. 

Then, perhaps the craziest moment of the week was when we had the national news headline on TV that parents were being advised by experts - yes, that lot again - that children under two should not be exposed to a phone or iPad and that children from two to five should be restricted to not more than one hour per day on phones or iPad. When parents were asked for their thoughts, one mother said that if her children were not able to use a phone or iPad, she would not be able to get anything done. Frankly, that left me speechless. What has happened since the days when we invented more fun from an empty cardboard box than from the present that it came in? 

Just a Thought:

My friend lost his job as a Psychic. He dis not see that coming.

My friend did some baking this week, he made synonym rolls just like grammar used to make.   

If you ever want to call a family meeting, just turn off the WIFI router and wait in the room where it is located. 

Brian