Considering the dismal unemployment data out today, and the even more dismal predictions, we find ourselves at a juncture where there will be a nearly unprecedented number of people out of work. Depending the unemployment figure you are looking at, we are approaching the same number of people that were out of work at the height of the depression in the 1930s (12.5 million today vs. 14 million in 1933--the worst year for unemployment during the depression).
With so many people out of work, and so few available jobs, we may see the rise of a kind of neo-artisan. During the months that it can take to find work, there are many of us relying on our secondary skills (gardening, cooking, music, art, writing, foreign language ability, etc.) to get by. I would predict that many of the closet artists, writers and musicians would tap into the skill set that was deemed "unprofitable" during the go-go economy of recent years and find ways to make it work for them. In developing these skills, making contacts, gaining confidence and buyers along the way, bankers may find value in throwing pots, insurance adjusters might instead make their dough by baking and former Wall Street Execs could make a respectable living playing the blues.
Who knows? But I would bet that we will see a flourishing of artisanal entrepreneurs and a proliferation of talent in the months and years to come. So, if you are looking for work, or fulfillment, begin nurturing that hidden talent, and, when you have something that someone else might buy, hang a real and/or virtual sign out and see what happens--you might surprise yourself.
The photo is of "Joe the potter" at Horseshoe Mountain Pottery ; see also John Sanchez at Sanchez Art Werk and guitarist Brendan Burns for examples of folks who have been putting their talents to work for them for a number of years now and using the internet to their advantage.
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