Much of the downsizing in the 1990s may reflect management's late recognition of this unpleasant fact. To put it in the harshest possible terms, the productivity mistake of the 1980s may have been failing to move workers out as computers were moved in. Old-guard managers woke up only after new competitors bought their machines first, then hired lean, smart work forces and began taking over the market. Productivity is suddenly rising quite quickly again. And finally, there's the explanation that's politically unspeakable.
Most kids get past the temptation of the calculator and spell checker soon enough.
Given half a chance to learn, they're too intellectually curious not to. Not so the political and educational establishments. Despite all their talk about better worker training, dumbing down is what these establishments endorse and deliver. Public educators and the employment police have waged a two-decade war on standards, test scores and educational rigor. They have done their utmost to outlaw merit.