Keen On

The Harper’s cover story this month is about the ever-softening soft skills of American workers. Written by Lily Scherlis, it suggests that today’s emphasis on "soft skills" reflects America’s broader anxieties about automation, workplace conditions, and ever deepening socioeconomic inequality. After attending a Dale Carnegie training course, Scherlis observed how these programs frame human connection as something that can be quantified and engineered. She suggests that the focus on developing individual soft skills serves as a way to blame workers for systemic problems while avoiding addressing deeper political and economic issues. Scherlis views this trend as part of what she calls the "fantasy of the center" that values cultural politeness over meaningful political change. five key takeaways * Scherlis argues that the "soft skills crisis" is not actually about declining sociability but rather reflects deeper anxieties about labor conditions, automation, and political issues.* The Dale Ca