“Certainty And Sufficiency” [“Reflections On Adam Smith's Book An Inquiry Into The Nature And Causes Of The Wealth Of Nations Indianapolis : Liberty Classics, 1981 Book 1 Chapter 2–C]
Folks divvy the tasks at hand, Smith says,
If two conditions first are seen in play –
Sufficiency of pay for part one does;
And certainty one can exchange – because –If I can’t swap my output, fill my need,
To have sufficient funds to family feed,
I must find other work to fill my day,
Despite divided labor’s better way.And that’s the promise and frustration now –
The Internet could fill both parts somehow,
But one or other aspect fails to show
A better way in which exchange could go.Smith says divided labor makes a pool
Of workers – Internet for that is cool;
But without number one, or number two,
The Internet can’t work-exchanging do –Return is insufficient for one’s needs;
Big algorithms other labor feeds;
The ocean’s big, but too few fish are there;
Too many fisher-folk their nets prepare.So “Certainty”, “Sufficiency” are gone;
Like life in rural towns – folks moved along
To cities, so division comes undone,
And rural workers find they’re only “One”.Thanks Lord for this.
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