Should our culture shame minimum wage work?

[Jason76]

Actually, there is nothing wrong with a Wal-Mart or McDonalds job. In fact, in combination with perhaps income from e-bay one might get by, especially if a person had worked themselves up to a manager position. Why is there so much shame associated with minimum wage jobs?

 

[dogtowner]

Who shames them ? Are you sure McDonald's and Walmart are min wage ? I think you will find that it depends on the region and the workforce.
In other works, supply and demand.

 

[Alexia]

Those who feel it's beneath them or think of them as low jobs are people who haven't really worked or have never struggled. Minimum wage is supposed to help people so they don't get exploited, but it's more about the company ethics.

Wal-Mart could pay more, but they choose not to. Isn't it better that someone have a minimum wage job than to claim benefits or do illegal things like sell drugs?

 

[PLC1]

Of course there is nothing shameful about honest work. Staying in an entry level job indefinitely does call into question the persons' ambition and ability to move up the ladder, but no one should ever be ashamed of working for a living.

Sitting back and letting the government take care of you when you're capable of working is what should be shameful.

 

[dogtowner]

Of course there is nothing shameful about honest work. Staying in an entry level job indefinitely does call into question the persons' ambition and ability to move up the ladder, but no one should ever be ashamed of working for a living.

Sitting back and letting the government take care of you when you're capable of working is what should be shameful.

What he said

 

[Roscas]

In underdeveloped and undeveloped countries, to receive exactly the minimum wage would be cause for joy. Most workers would receive much less than what is even mandated by law and others would work for unspecified number of hours for lodging and food. The important point to these workers is they have work.

But even if one receives the minimum wage, there remains exploitation. " The natural price of labor is no other than the wage minimum." (The Poverty of Philosophy by Karl Marx) This could have been produced in the 1st hour of labor. The rest of the 8, or 9, or even more than 10 hours laborers work in a day in these countries are surplus labor.

 

[LittleAnna]

I think people aren't exactly shamed for having a minimum wage job, but are shamed for having to hold down multiple minimum wage jobs, or shamed for needing government assistance because the job pays so poorly. People are shamed for not having completed whatever form of higher education, or a high school education, and therefore work in a minimum wage job. Its wrong, but who could stop shaming?

 

[Roscas]

From a land or country that is not industrialized and considered 3rd world, jobs - whether contractual, regular, seasonal, casual types - are hard to come by. Those who were able to reach at least an associate course or a full 4-year course end in jobs that had nothing to do with their majors. In fact, they sit side by side with those who barely made it through 1st year in college or has a high school diploma. They got the same job, work in the same company because both passed the minimum requirement - age, no. of years work experience in a call center and speak English with a neutral or American accent. When you look at the classified ad section of a daily newspaper, an ad looking for house-help or family driver requirement would be a college degree holder with bare minimum units or at least high school graduate.

Of course, when applying for a job to not have a higher education is disadvantageous, compared to a college graduate or one with masters education. Here, people are thankful to have a job and earn. Because the country is underdeveloped, culture is not that developed either. That sense of proud bravado is not dominant, arrogance from position and title is not common. In fact, those who have high positions, titles and wealth would rather not show-off or talk about what they do and how well and how much they make, unless close friends are asking. They'd be worried about being kidnapped or any of their family members being hurt. They'd rather keep a low profile. Ordinary, working people take pride with honest, decent work, even if that meant earning from being a "Hi, Ma'am/Sir, welcome to McDewey. May I take your order?" fast-food chain worker, or "I am here to collect your garbage, please take them out. It is garbage day."

I, for one, would rather be a minimum wage earner, rather than be a mendicant on the street. But if anyone can give back my position as human resource and administrative manager of a private corporation, or executive director in a non-profit company, I'd be more than ecstatic to start immediately!

 

[Roscas]

Why do people feel ashamed with having a job that pays minimum wage? I come from a different place where this is not visible or rampant. Government help or assistance is not that common either. Especially in the countryside or outskirts of cities, people are unaware of any kind of assistance the government can extend to them. Why are they shamed for not getting higher education? Or having multiple jobs? Is it not a common occurrence there? My siblings who are residents in California were able to build comfortable lives for themselves and their children, including their grandchildren because of the multiple jobs they took to save-up for retirement years. I never heard them tell me stories of being shamed by others or they felt ashamed working that way. They were glad to have those jobs. I do not know where the shame is coming from and why it seems part of the culture there. Help me understand.

 

[hades_leae]

Actually, there is nothing wrong with a Wal-Mart or McDonalds job. In fact, in combination with perhaps income from e-bay one might get by, especially if a person had worked themselves up to a manager position. Why is there so much shame associated with minimum wage jobs?

People can't get by with it. It shouldn't be on the person working a minimum wage job to get out and find a second job. Any job should be enough for one person or family to be able to support themselves.

Where I live, if I get paid minimum wage, and work full time, I cannot get approved for any apartment in my city. They want you to be making like 2.5 or 3 times the rent, even though I can afford it, I cannot get past the application.

That's the problem, and people don't want to worry about struggling to make a living if people won't work with them because they make so little money. Plus inflation doesn't do any better. How can you live a good or regular life if every few months you can buy less with the same $100 dollars that you used.

 

[Alexia]

Why do people feel ashamed with having a job that pays minimum wage? I come from a different place where this is not visible or rampant. Government help or assistance is not that common either. Especially in the countryside or outskirts of cities, people are unaware of any kind of assistance the government can extend to them. Why are they shamed for not getting higher education? Or having multiple jobs? Is it not a common occurrence there? My siblings who are residents in California were able to build comfortable lives for themselves and their children, including their grandchildren because of the multiple jobs they took to save-up for retirement years. I never heard them tell me stories of being shamed by others or they felt ashamed working that way. They were glad to have those jobs. I do not know where the shame is coming from and why it seems part of the culture there. Help me understand.

In the US and also the UK there are some people in society who are judged on what job they do, and those in retail and the restaurant sector tend to be looked down upon by others as they are usually minimum wage jobs. It's also where they work that they are judged on, whether they work in McDonalds or in Harrods. What people don't know is the wages in Harrods are only just above minimum wage because they think the prestige of working there makes up for it. Therefore, many workers can say they work at Harrods, and people think better of them, but they are on low wages.

It's society and also how the media portrays careers and jobs. Many students work in these jobs too, and people should not assume they are uneducated, but some people can't see past their own noses.

 

[dogtowner]

People can't get by with it. It shouldn't be on the person working a minimum wage job to get out and find a second job. Any job should be enough for one person or family to be able to support themselves.

Where I live, if I get paid minimum wage, and work full time, I cannot get approved for any apartment in my city. They want you to be making like 2.5 or 3 times the rent, even though I can afford it, I cannot get past the application.

That's the problem, and people don't want to worry about struggling to make a living if people won't work with them because they make so little money. Plus inflation doesn't do any better. How can you live a good or regular life if every few months you can buy less with the same $100 dollars that you used.

This is what roommates are for.