Ongoing disaster evident in too many states

[Recursion]

15. Services and goods both have finite lifetimes, and both increase quality of life

Each process adds value to the product, and we have something to sell or trade.

I'm glad that you see that about manufacturing and agriculture. Why don't you see it about services? Things like teaching, cleaning, food preparation, car repair, computer administration, guarding and protecting people and property: those all increase quality of life as well.

In the early 20th century the US got so good at farming that we didn't need millions of people on the farm to grow enough food for us and to export. Late in the 20th century we got so good at manufacturing that we didn't need millions of people in factories to make stuff for us (remember, we still manufacture more than China, and the US currently manufactures more than it ever has in the past it just doesn't need as many people to do it.)