"Wherever you look, there is no alternative to the megascale corporate order.." p.179 While working at Wal-Mart, Barbara finds that corporate controls everything. There is no creativity, and virtually no real human communication. This exists not only in Wal-Mart, but also is quickly becoming a national epidemic. Corporate business is to small businesses as rich is to poor. The rich control everything, and don't care who they're making do their work. Do you think that it is a good idea to start a small business in this day, or should we all just learn to live with the mega-corporations that own everything?
“’They talk about having spirit,’ she says, referring to management, ‘but they don’t give us any reason to have any spirit.’ In her view, Wal-mart would rather just keep hiring new people than treating the ones it has decently” (184). Wal-mart wants its workers to be full of pep while dealing with costumers, but how can these workers have so much pep if they’re treated so poorly? And forget about trying to rebel by starting a union, because Wal-mart has the power to fire you and hire a new recruit in a matter of minutes. This related to GOW because the planters in California have the power to hire pickers for as low as a wage as they want. If you don’t want to pick peaches for 5 cents a basket, there are 1000 more men out there who will. Basically, these planters and Wal-mart can fire their workers as they please because it’s guaranteed that there’s a person out there who wants the job. Do you think unions should be allowed to be formed within large scale corporate companies such as Wal-mart? Madison B Per 5
The last quote I chose is one mentioned on page 172 that Barbara uses as a generalization about the American economy, today and 12 years ago. On one of her down moments, Barb is quoted saying that the “…stronger the economy, the stronger the upward pressure on rents. So I’m a victim not of poverty but of prosperity. The rich and the poor, who are generally thought to live in a state of harmonious interdependence- the one providing cheap labor, the other providing low wage jobs-can no longer exist.” I don’t know about everyone’s knowledge and opinions but I know after reading this, I thought about the entire American economical system differently. This shows that the only true battle is amongst us, caused by the American way of life. What this quote is saying is that there are poor people because there are rich people. The richer the rich, the poorer the poor. The poor create opportunities for the rich to succeed, and vice versa. This quote also mentions of how the rich and poor are thought to be opposites, but in reality, they are each other’s burdens. So do you agree with this quote overall based on my explanation? Do you think that America would be a more prosperous nation if everyone was part of the same class of money such as the middle class?
Carley, I think Wal-mart doesn't allow creativity because its such a large corporate business. It's easier regulate business by having uniform rules for every store than letting each store do its own thing. I definitely agree with you when you say that big businesses don't care who does their work for them, hence the digital interviews. Nice job! Madison B
Madison - I think that unions should be allowed to form in any place they are wanted, because all a union does is try and protect the people in it, and the people working at Wal-Mart clearly need protection, as evidenced by your comment!
"Even in the tightest labor market... the person who has precious labor to sell can be made to feel one down, way down, like a supplicant with her hand stretched out (150)." I thought this quote was quite interesting, which Barbara says after applying for the job at Wal-mart. She comments on how the person applying for a job is made to feel like the one in need, when in reality the company sometimes needs the worker just as much as the worker needs a job. The companies accomplish this by forcing applicants to go through drug tests and not allowing them to speak to the manager about wages and such, so that the company is in control, not the worker.
Why don't more people take a stand for themselves when applying for jobs?
Carley, I think people should also try to start their own businesses, not just live with the existing mega-corporations. There are many entrepreneurs who have become successful in today's society, with only a good idea and a bit of luck. If everyone just submits to the mega-corporations, they will gain way too much power over peoples' lives.
"I feel oppressed too, by the mandatory gentility of Wal-Mart culture. This is ladies and we are all 'ladies' here, forbidden by storwide rule, to raise our voices or cuss. Give me a few weeks of this and I'll femme out entirely. My stride will be reduced to a mince, I'll start tucking my head down to one side," (156).
I actually think this is a really good point made by Barbara. As she is working at Wal-Mart, she notices that the women don't have much say and that this job could really lower their self-esteem. Working there too long could permanently mess with their self esteem and they may start to feel like they can't say what they feel or speak against something they think is wrong. Barbara says that her "stride will be reduced," meaning she won't have that strong confidence anymore. I think, in general, that people need to be careful to not change as a person just because of events that take place at work. They need to remember that they are a human and have the rights to speak up when they feel it is right.
Question: Do you think a job can mentally change you as a person?
Hey Madison, I completely agree with what you are saying and thought the explanation you put with it was awesome. I agree with you that it is tough for someone to be so peppy when they are actually really mentally drained from the job. Wal-Mart seems to want its workers to be robots; walking and talking the way Wal-Mart wants them to. I also liked what you said about workers not being able to form a union because Wal-Mart could just instantly fire you. The corporate business is tough because they have so many employees and could just easily replace you. Good points, Mad!
“ according to a 1999 report from the American Civil Liberties Union, “drug Testing: A Bad Investment.” Studies show that preemployment testing does not lower absenteeism, accidents, or turnover and… actually lowered productivity… the practice is quite costly… federal government spent $11.7 million to test 28,000 federal employees… only 153 tested positive…” pg 128 I thought this quote was ironic because if preemployment testing doesn’t lower accidents there’s no point of having one. If those tests don’t serve much point, I feel like they are there to judge people. Also, drug testing can be a total waste of money if only 0.5% of 29,000 people were caught; instead the money should go to creating more financial aid for the poor. This is different from GOW because employers took anyone that was willing to work a low price and there were no special requirements. Is drug testing a bad investment? Jenny, I’ve never thought that employers might use drug testing to take control of the employees. I think people don’t take a stand for themselves when applying for job s because they are too desperate. Fighting for a higher wage might mean getting fired and some might not be able to risk their job if they have kids or especially if they can’t find another job. This relates to GOW because some families worked for small pays without complaining because it was better than having no job. Ashley P6
"Who are these nutcases who would volunteer for an artificially daunting situation in order to entertain millions of strangers with their half-assed efforts to survive? Then I remember where I am and why I am here." (160) I think that this quote shows a lot about how Barbara acted in this chapter, as well as in the entire book. Her motives behind this experiment were most definitely solely for show and entertainment for others. Furthermore, her "half-assed efforts" were that in every "new life" she had, she cheated in some way, even when it was not necessary for her survival. In my opinion, Barbara went into this experiment thinking that it would be easy since she was properly educated. She even went as far as saying that she would be overly educated for certain jobs. However in reality, Barbara was not strong enough to follow the guidelines she set for herself and live the way that some people actually do. What do you think Barbara should have changed about her experiment? Do you think you could have survived under the guidelines that she set herself? If not, what guidelines would you have chosen?
Kelly, I agree with you that Barbara actually made a good point. The women were treated poorly and it was sad that they could not stick up for themselves. In regards to your question, I think that for some people, a job can change a person, much in the way that school changes us. When you get so accustomed to going to the same place everyday, your actions, personality, and outlook can be altered by the people around you. This isn't always the case, and some people may be strong enough to not let their jobs change anything about them. -Amanda M
On page 167 she states “in fact, I hate the idea of things being sold – uprooted from their natural homes, whisked off to some closet that’s in god-knows-what state of disorder” This quote caught my eye. It seems as though as she has been working at this store she has become almost emotionally attached to the store. And Not only to the store but she has become attached to the wares of the store. She says about the clothes on the page before “I start thinking they are mine.” This made me really think. I found it quite odd that she would have this kind of mind set. Why is she becoming so attached to this store and its wares as she works in it? My question I would pose to you is, what could make Her so attached to the store and the clothes inside of it? Jarrett L. Period 5
Carley, In my opinion i think that it is a good idea to start a small business. For one i know a lot of people that prefer to go to the business down the street to get certain things instead of going to the large business in town. For instance, Carons Corner in Branford. Instead of going to lets say Stop and Shop many people like to just go to Carons for their grocery's. Another point is that Some people just want to start up their own little business. And thats what they should do. Jarrett L.
"There seems to be a vicious cycle at work here, making ours not just an economy but a culture of extreme inequality. Corporate decision makers, and even some two-bit entrepreneurs like my boss at the maids occupy an economic position miles above that of the underpaid people whose labor they depend on. For reasons that have more to do with class, and often racial, prejudice than with actual experience, they tend to fear and distrust the category of people from which they recruit their workers. Hence the perceived need for repressive management and intrusive measures like drug and personality testing." (p. 212)
I think that Barbara makes a good point here. Employers pick people to work for them and often base it on their own prejudice beliefs. They interview and test people because they have to. If they didn't they could just judge the person how they see them in their own eyes and thats all. Meanwhile these people who they are making judgements about are the people doing all of their dirty work for them. How many more people do you think would be umemployed if some places of work were not required to take personality and drug annyalyses of people?
Carley, I agree. You see and hear about it all the time- small businesses getting knocked out by the big corporations. It really does put a damper on the American dream of freedom to do what you want. It's almost like you don't have that choice because in the end you'll most likely lose to the man. and by the man, i dont mean myself, even though I am also "the man," i mean big businesses. I don't think small businesses should give up; a lot of the time people prefer to support their local (fill in the blank.)
“All I see is customers unfolding carefully folded T-shirts, taking dresses and pants off their hangers, holding them up for a moment’s idle inspection, then dropping them somewhere for us associates to pick up. For me, the way out of resentment begins with a clue provided by a poster near the break room, in the back of the store where only associates go: “Your mother doesn’t work here,” it says. “Please pick up after yourself.” I’ve passed it many times, thinking, “Ha, that’s all I do-pick up after people.” Then it hits me: most of the people I pick up after are mothers themselves, meaning that what I do at work is what they do at home-pick up the toys and the clothes and the spills. So the great thing about shopping, for most of these women, is that here they get to behave like brats, ignoring the bawling babies in their carts, tossing things around for someone else to pick up. And it wouldn’t be any fun-would it?-unless the clothes were all reasonably orderly to begin with, which is where I come in, constantly re-creating orderliness for the customers to maliciously destroy. Its appalling, but its in their nature: only pristine and virginal displays truly excite them.” page 177
Do you think its unreasonable for Barbara to complain that she has to pick up after mothers who can afford to make a mess? After all…she IS getting paid, and it IS her job to do what everyday mothers do at home, for their own kids.
"Then it hit me: most of the people I pick up after are mothers themselves, meaning that what I do at work is what they do at home-pick up toys and the clothes and the spills. So the great thing about shopping, for most of these women, is that they behave like brats, ignoring the bawling babies in their carts, tossing things around for someone else to pick up"
When i read this in the novel, this quote came to my attention because i felt that part of it is very true in our society today. There are many women who are very rude when shopping, especially in a store such as Wallmart. Personally when I am this way I see some people acting like this, but not all. For example whenever I am in the store with my she never throws stuff around and ignores one of my sisters if they are crying. Though she doesn't act the same as if she was shopping at a nice clothing botque in the center of town.
This leaves me thinking of why people act differently in different stores? Shouldn't we give each worker the same amount of respect no matter what store? Another question is weither after working in this store and throughout all these different jobs will Barbra act differently in these places now that she has been in the shoes of the workers?
“Walmart employees have sued the retail chain for unpaid overtime in four states... The plaintiffs allege that they were pressured to work overtime and that the company then erased the overtime hours from their time records.” (183)
My question would be how does Walmart and other large companies get away with unpaid and forced overtime? The government should take control and make sure that the workers aren’t being threatened to do overtime. The workers are in a bad position because if they don't comply to forced overtime then they may lose their jobs. Companies should be forced to keep records and have inspections of their workers. As you can see, the workers are being treated unfairly and are getting taken advantage of by their employers. Overtime requirements and payments should be included in the contract of the worker and shouldn't be enforced by the employer when they feel like it. -Bob T 6
Jarrett, Maybe Barbara is becoming so attached to her store because she’s there every single day, working and keeping it nice and tidy. I feel like when you spend enough time doing the same thing, you begin to have deeper emotions towards it, causing you to become attached. Julianne M
Hey Amanda! I thought that you brought up an excellent in your blog post. What you said about the way Barbara acted through out the whole novel I also found very true. I agree completely with what you said about how barbara did everything to the half way instead of sticking through and living in the others shoes to the fullest. Through out the novel she acts so suprised when she finds out how hard it is to live and work under these conditions, and I agree with what you said that Barbara didn't think that this experiment would be so hard because she was a well educated person! That was an excellent point! I feel like Barbara should have tried to be more realistic about the situation and try and understand more what it was like to live like this instead of thinking that she is better than what she is doing and fleeing from her situation. Great post (:
Grace, I found your quote very interesting. I have noticed the way mothers have neglected their children while shopping and also the way they leave items in different places then where they originally found them. People who don’t work at these jobs don’t really care about the workers who have to pick up the items they misplaced. Barbara did a good job by representing the issue from the viewpoint of the worker instead of the consumer. -Bob T 6
Jarrett, I liked your post/question. Ya, know, it's like GOW in the sense of the land. I think that when you work somewhere or just in general use your time to deal with one thing in particular, I think people just get attached. Like my old job, I quit because of the working conditions... but when I go in there and see the register I worked at I have a small inkling of nostalgia. I think Barbara just got used to being around that job so she felt an attachment to the store, clothes, etc. Just like Grandpa was attached to his land... only different? You get my gist.
quote: "she councils patience: it could happen to me. Melissa, who has the advantage of a working husband , says, "Well, it's a job." Yes, she made twice as much when she was a waitress but that place closed down and at her age she's never going to be hired at a high-tip place. I recognize the intertia, the unwillingness to start up with the apps and the interviews and the drug tests again. She thinks she should give it a year. A year? I tell her i'm wondering whether i should give it another week." This quote comes toward the very end of the book where Barb starts to get fed up with Walmart. She starts asking her coworkers if they're happy with their job and though most of them aren't they're stuck with it.
Comment: i think that this shows how slow people with minimum wage full time jobs make decisions. They are careful to make any decision about anything having to do with money because it could potentially make or break them in the long run, so many just go along with a job they don't like because of the fear they have of possibly not being able to get a new one. I also think this quote is sad because the women Melissa is stuck doing a job that makes her unhappy.
Relation: My aunt and my aunts friend are both stuck doing jobs that they wish they didn't have to do right now, my aunt selling mattresses and my aunts friend is a truck driver. He never gets to come home except for a few weekends, and my aunt depends on selling a few mattresses to keep up with the rent. They both are scared to quit and find new jobs because both don't have a college degree and neither of their spouses work.
Ashley, i totally agree about what you were saying about the quote. If it is such a high ticket bill and its not effective at all, why the heck to we have it? its a pointless government tag that they should look over and get rid of. It makes no sense to waste our tax dollars on a worthless cause. - Stacy per 6
"...nor can I believe the wage Walt tells me I'll be getting-not $8.50 but an incredible $10 an hour. Now I don't need Walmart anymore, I think, although it turns out they need me... and when she says $7 an hour, I think: OK, cased closed. But I decide, in the spirit of caution and inquiry, to attend the Wal-Mart orientation anyway. This turns out, for unforeseen physiological reasons, to be another major mistake." pg. 142-143. So I thought she was supposed to take the higher paying job because if you were struggling for money obviously that's what you would do, however she does not. She says she didn't for "caution". What caution? I feel like she just was playing it safe by going for Wal-Mart. In the real world, someone would take what pays more if they're struggling, just like in GOW. So I don't get why she goes for the job that's paying 3 dollars less.
“It rankles—at some deep personal, physical level to know that the many engaging qualities I believe I have to offer—friendliness, reliability, willingness to learn—can all be trumped by my pee.”
Barbara says this when she's afraid that she might not get a job because she has marijuana in her system. I kind of agree with her: the drug-testing IS pointless. It doesn't show any characteristics you might have to offer at the work-place. And how are people with drug flowing in their system supposed to get jobs that way? How would THEY survive?
Do you think the drug-testing is necessary?
Ashley, Yes, I think drug testing is a bad investment. As you've said, all the money to fund for such pointless tests could go on helping the poor, perhaps raising the wages, or provide health insurance, or social security. Also, the fact that only a very few percentage of the testers result positive adds to what a waste of money the drug-testing is.
I found this section of the boom to be the most interesting because it made me realize how companies can act like huge tyrants. In this section Barbara goes through the application process in heavier detail and from this section i got that it was necessary to act cheery and lie to the the corporation and almost dumb yourself down to actually seem more qualified for the job. The normal snooty attitude of Barbara would be something that wal-Mart probabaly would not tolerate in one of its workers.
Do you think that it is possible to be too highly qualified for a job and that sometimes less educationally demanding jobs will hire dumber and less educated people because they will simply do what they are told and not think twice about it?
Carley, I think that it is a good idea to start a small private business rather than moving into the fishbowl life of working for a mega corporation because a smaller private business allows for more creaticity and more freedom.
"If I had used cocaine or heroin there would have been no problem, since these are water-soluble and wash out of he body in a couple of days. (LSD isn't even tested for.) But my indiscretion involved the only drug usually detected by testing, marijuana, which is fat-soluble and, I have read, can linger in the body for months."(pg 125)
I think that this is completely backwards. There's nothing we can do about it, but it still seems stupid that the hard-core drugs are basically indetectable, while pot, which is basically the least harmful drug can be detected weeks after use.
My question is: why do employers think that catching people who smoke pot will improve anything, because other drugs are the ones that would really be detrimantal to their business?
Madison, I think they should, for all large corporations. If things like this could be stopped, not only would the employees be happier, but the employers would see more productivity because their worked are happy. Also, it would make them look better and they would get more customers. It would just improve their whole business if they treated thier workers like people insted of emplyee number 527153627.
"People working more than one job-and in effect I would be doing that for a day by going from my three-to-eleven stint at Wal-Mart to a day at Menards-have to take sleep deprivation in stride. I do not. I am shaky, my brain fried like that egg in Partnership for a Drug-Free America commercial." I think that Barbara did not mentally prepare herself for the mental and physical exhaustions of this assignment. Physically, I believe that she is not fit for this life style. All the other people working harder than she is and surviving better than she is, are used to this way of life and have been doing it for more than a month or two. I think she wasn't prepared for this at all.
Why did Barbara think that this wasn't going to be such a difficult task?
Carley,
I think that small businesses are important because they not only give people a sense of comfort and hope for those who have dreams, but they also help with the economy. I think that if people just "give in" to corporate businesses than the people that are not so rich will be helpless and be forced to submit to those who do have the upper hand. Howvever, we should try to eliminate big businesses because they also help the economy and the people with job and economic growth.
1. “I call Caroline to ask for her insights into the housing situation and- I should have guessed this was coming- she calls back in a few minutes to invite me to move in with her and her family. I say no, I've already had a stint of free lodging and now I have to take my chances with the market like anyone else. But for a moment I get touched-by-an-angel feeling I'd gotten from Melissa's sandwich: I am not really entirely alone.” This quote shows that even though people don't have much they're still reaching out to others to try and help them. Sometimes, they put others before themselves. However, people who have the money to help don't. This tells us that people in the same situation as others have more compassion towards them. 2. Why don't people put themselves in others shoes more often? - Alexis A. Period 6
Ashley, I feel that drug testing is a bad investment. Study’s show how much of a waste that practice is and prove we don't need them. They're only hurting things by making workers feel violated and judged. I thought you had a great point by saying that the money used on these tests should be invested in financial aid to the poor!
"Even in the tightest labor market... the person who has precious labor to sell can be made to feel one down, way down, like a supplicant with her hand stretched out (150)."
I don't understand why people don't stand up for themselves when applying for jobs. An application shouldn't take such a toll on your life and what you feel you should write. I think that this quote really shows how low they make you feel, for example, asking how much you steal. That's nobody's business, and it's not like anyone will tell the truth anyways.
Why do applications ask you for that information when people lie anyways?
Jenny, We used the same quote and I also agree with your comment and questions about why they do ask those questions. It's too personal for that kind of information.
"Take away the career and the higher education, and maybe what you're left with is this original Barb, the one who might have ended up working at Wal-mart for real if her father hadn't managed to climb out of the mines. So it's interesting, and more than a little disturbing, to see how Barb turned out-that she's meaner and slyer than I am, more cherishing of grudges, and not quite as smart as I'd hoped."
I found this quote to be very interesting. i don't know about you, but I've wondered how my life would have been like, if the events that completely altered my life didn't take place. How would of my life turned out like if my dad didn't move the family to America? Would I have been a completely different person. I'd probably be less freaked out by bugs and more bold than I am now if I grew up in Nigeria? It's fascinating to think of what we would be and what our places would be like in this world if the major things in our lives never happened. Ehrenreich makes a valid statement here in which she compares the woman she is becoming in her lower class state to the woman she is in reality.
Why should we judge each other if we don't know the kind of person we could have been if our lives were different?
I definitely didn't have much time to elaborate on my quote about how I feel about this quote. I strongly do not agree with drug-testing and the things and questions you are made to answer to. Nobody can tell anything about you through an application, and why do they think the only reason you want to talk to a manager is for wages? I think that since they believe that the workers need the jobs as bad as the job needs the workers, they are sort of stereotyping the workers as desperate and almost low quality. The workers are what make the company better, and whether they do drugs or not, they are still bringing in the money for the company. The least harmful drug, pot, can stay in your body for a month and other drugs that can kill, such as cocaine and heroin, wash right out. Drug testing is almost useless if you can't catch the people with the worst drugs.
Why is drug testing such a big deal when they don't catch the culprit of heroin or cocaine because those drugs are water-soluable?
"But the truth is I'm not ready to leave Wal-Mart yet; it's my connection to the world, my source of identity, my place" (171).
Although Barbara was not getting enough money from working at Wal-Mart, it is human nature that she did not want to leave. Everyone wants to fit in and feel comfortable, regardless of other consequences. In Barbara's case, staying in her comfort zone meant lower wages. Often enough, some people don't like to take the chance or risk of leaving where they feel like they belong for something new because they fear change. It is predictable for human nature to stay in their comfort zone. I am able to connect to this quote because I work at a restaurant that doesn't pay very good. While I've had other job opportunities, I denied them because I am used to working at my job now and I like the people.
Do you tend to stay in your comfort zone, or does change not bother you?
I think that it is EXTREMELY important that jobs enforce drug testing. It is done to maintain health and safety standards within the workplace. Drug use impairs a person’s ability to function in their everyday life. The drug tests ensure that the quality of work is not effected by substance abuse. Also, employee drug testing programs have been proven to reduce absences within the workplace. Drug related absences and sick leave could be devastating to the company in terms of both the cost and company morale. However, if someone is caught using drugs early on, this problem could be eliminated so that a company could hire someone more efficient.
On page 179 Barbara Ehrenreich states “I like to read the labels to find out where the clothing we sell is made---Indonesia, Mexico, Turkey, the Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Brazil---but the labels serve only to remind me that none of these places is “exotic” anymore, that they’ve all been eaten by the great blind profit making global machine” I found this quote to be quite eye opening. It is important to realize that poverty is a global problem. This quote made me do just that. I realized that every country has some areas containing poverty stricken people and that these low wage jobs are all connected to each other no matter what continent you live on. Huge worldwide corporations such as Wall Mart have taken once beautiful and exotic countries and turned them into factory ridden places; homes to thousands of minimum wage workers. Somewhere in the world a low class citizen, perhaps even a child, sat in a factory and participated in the manufacturing of the shirt that Ehrenreich was folding. This made me recognize the fact that people all over the world share common struggle for success in the job market, even in places that were once considered “exotic” vacation destinations. In conclusion, global corporations are taking over countries all over the world just like the big banks and corporations took over in The Grapes of Wrath. The same principle of big executive companies having the upper hand over local businesses and the middle class still rings true today.
Discussion Question: Do you agree that huge corporations are taking over America? Do you prefer supporting small businesses or corporations such as Wall Mart? Why?
Carley, My post deals with similar issues. Your comment brought up a great question. I think that we should support the creation of small businesses because they are the perfect places to harvest creativity and personal growth. I also believe small businesses treat their employees better because they know them on a more personal basis. Lastly, I think small businesses tend to focus on the quality of the products they are producing and take pride in their work.
On pg. 174, Barbara says, "Only when I'm driving away with my sugary loot do I realize the importance of what I've learned in this encounter. At one point toward the end of the interview, the CEAP lady had apologized for forgetting almost everything I had said about myself- that I had a car, lived in a motel, etc. She was mixing me up with someone else who had worked at Wal-Mart, she explained, someone who had just been in a few days ago. Now, of course I've noticed that many of my coworkers are poor in all the hard-to-miss, stereotypical ways." I thought that this quote was important because it shows how Barbara hadn't really thought about how her coworkers at Wal-Mart were poor people. This is because no matter how wealthy a person may be, it doesn't necessarily change how they will act or the kind of person they are on the inside and sometimes the outside as well. A question that I have is why did Barbara decde not to tell anyone that she worked with during her experiment that it was only a project she was working on and that she wasn't really a "working class" person? Did she think it could possibly ruin her experiment? Did she feel as if she was better than all of them until the end? -Jess B. p. 5
Jake, To answer your question, I think that it is possible to be "too educated" for a job. You made a good point when saying that people who are not as smart will tend to just do what they are told rather than refuse. I definitely agree with that and I feel that may be the reason they look for less intelligent people to higher at places like Wal-Mart. Good post too! (: -Jess B.
1.)“What you see- highways, parking lots, stores- is all there is, or all that’s left to us here in the reign of globalized, totalized, paved-over, corporatized everything,” (179). When Barbara worked in Minnesota, she started to realize that corporate businesses and buildings were all that’s left in the world. Everywhere you look there are stores, businesses, roads that are full of corporations, as if they have taken over the world as we know it. 2.)I can relate this to my own life because I agree that corporations and the Internet as well, are taking over many people’s lives. Our generation is all about wearing designer labels and then going on Facebook to talk to your friends. Even with cell phones, everyone is so text-savvy that no one bothers to call someone once in a while, or better yet, see them in person! Everywhere you look, there are stores and people who would pay anything to get an expensive shirt that they could get much cheaper at a department store. It’s called globalization and it’s beginning to control the world. 3.)Do you think that globalization is helping out the working-class or destroying it in any way?
Jessssssss, I think the point of the experiment was to go into the working class without anyone knowing that she actually had good living conditions. The reason for this is because her co-workers would have treated her differently and it would've been more difficult for her to get hired as well. If businesses saw that she had a good amount of money, food, and shelter, then they would have given the job to someone without, instead. Good job :)
"’They talk about having spirit,’ she says, referring to management, ‘but they don’t give us any reason to have any spirit."
It's quotes like these that really hit me while I read books. One of the major downsides to corporations is that they allow little to none freedom. You work for the company. That's it. You start at the bottom (usually) and work your way up. Corporations are built by beaurocracy. There are so many different levels and restrictions against the common man, making it extremely tough to do as I said before, work towards the top.
I think this quote merely demonstrates the lack of freedom and creativity largescale corporations like Wal-Mart give their low employees.
I personally think that it is the small businesses that give our economy a much needed base, where as large companies (although generally offering more jobs and more benefits) can be too powerful. It's one of the reasons we outlawed monopolies in America, they leave our economy vulnerable (if the monopoly fails, the economy goes under) and the control too much of the market (causing the prices on items to be gauged higher and higher).
In summary, Small businesses are very good. Corporations should not be allowed to control the workforce or the market too much.
On the very first page of this section, Barbara said, "But warnings about the heat and allergies put me off, not to mention my worry that the Latinos might be hogging all the crap jobs and substandard housing for themselves, as they so often do." This quote really bothered me. First of all, she is blessed with a fantastic job. Isn't she hogging crap jobs and substandard housing by doing this experiment? Saying that is extremely selfish of her. Second of all, everyone needs to get by, including Latinos. Do you think she has the right to complain about Latinos taking jobs when she already has a great one?
Gretchen-I do think that drug testing has a point. If there were a better way to find users of cocaine or heroine, I would be all for the testing. Right now, it is only possible to find pot, but it's better to find some users than no users. Besides, pot is illegal, and I doubt companies are thrilled to hire law breakers, no matter how often this particular law is broken.
p. 87 "Now if i get a migraine I just pop two Excedrins and get on with my life. That's what you have to do--work through it." As Barbara becomes more of a hands on worker, she realizes that sometimes there's nothing you can do about the pain. If you want to keep your job and make a living, more often than not you have to just suck it up. I like this quote because it really shows how hard working Barbara was. I appreciate the fact that instead of complaining, Barbara took some medicine and tried to take her mind off her migraine by working through it.
Do you think Barbara would have been able to stick it out for as long as she did without sucking up the aches and pains of hard labor some of the time?
Anjita, To answer your question, I think it is necessary to drug test employees because if a company is investing their money into you being a part of their workforce, you shouldn't have anything such as drugs slowing you down from doing your absolute best work for them. Companies have the right to know if you are on drugs or not. On the other hand, the drug tests that are given today are very inaccurate. They usually don't even show any hardcore drugs such as heroine or cocaine because of how quickly they leave your system. They can detect weed easily because it stays in your system for about 30 days. Theoretically, it is a good idea to drug test employees, but since they are so inaccurate, it really doesn't give the company an accurate depiction of wether or not you are a good investment for them. Sometimes I wonder if companies are better off saving the money on drug testing employees before they are hired, and instead using it for random drug tests once they are hired. Great question!
“So I have now a friend in Minneapolis, and the odd thing is that she is the original- the woman who uprooted herself and came out somehow on her feet and who did all this in real life and with children- while I am the imitation, the pallid, child-free pretender.”(134)
I felt like this quote basically summed up the whole book for me. This book was an experiment to uncover the truths about poverty, and trying to survive on minimum wage. It was just an experiment and Barbara was a pretender. I feel in some spots Barbara gave a great understanding of the situation and showed us a lot, but also I feel like she didn’t give enough to this experiment. I feel like if she kept at it for more time and stayed in one place, it would have been more meaningful.
How do you think Barbara did in portraying the lower class? Did she try hard enough to fully understand their situation? ~Jessica C. P6
Hey Kelly, I absolutely think a job can change you mentally. If you do the same thing every day of your life, it starts to weigh on you. Also, the type of work you do can mentally change you. If every day you were a maid and had people constantly looking down on you and judging you, you might to start to believe what they think. You may not think your good enough and just stay in this job that’s getting you nowhere. I think that if you aren’t respected or treated like a human being, that it could totally screw with your head, and that’s horrible. This was such a great question! ~Jessica C P6
"I told her I was living in a motel almost entirely on fast food, and she felt sorry for me. Now I'm embarressed, and beyond overwhelmed to discover a stream of generosity running counter to the dominant corporate miserliness. " (163)
In this quote, Barbara sees that people who don't have much usually give more away. This reminded me of GOW and how Ma thought that the only nice people are poor people.
Why do you think this topic in both books divides the classes in America? Shama K P6
The St. Paul based Jobs Now Coalition estimated that in 1997, a living wage for a single parent supporting a single child in the the Twin Cities metro area was $11.77 an hour. How is it possible that people make it while the minimum wage is only $8.00. There needs to be a major change in order to make the country a better place for the low income family.
What do you think should be done about the minimum wage?
Ashley, I think drug testing is a bad investment for common jobs like waitressing and cashiering but I think it is necessary for jobs in the pharmecutical company. Most people wouldn't go to work high, and it's a waste of money to find those oddities that would. Shama K. p6
Lax Bro, No I don't because in order for the country to work there needs to be people with more money then others in order to employ the other people. Also I just think you can never have everyone in the same class of people.
1. The difference in how Wal-Mart and the smaller store, both wnating to hire her, treat her as a person. Wal-Mart makes her take a drug test, somthers her with corporate propaganda, and basicaly treats her like a criminal unless otherwise proven. The small store, on the other hand, only asks her to do an interview and allows her to join. The difference in courtesy is probably because of the different sizes of the corporations. 2. Over how much time did "Selling in Minnesota" last? 3. Austin, I agree that there will always be a high and low class of people in any capitalist system. However, capitalism's saving grace is that, with fair regulations, people can move up (and down) the social ladder. Luke S. Period 6
"Wherever you look, there is no alternative to the megascale corporate order.." p.179
ReplyDeleteWhile working at Wal-Mart, Barbara finds that corporate controls everything. There is no creativity, and virtually no real human communication. This exists not only in Wal-Mart, but also is quickly becoming a national epidemic. Corporate business is to small businesses as rich is to poor. The rich control everything, and don't care who they're making do their work.
Do you think that it is a good idea to start a small business in this day, or should we all just learn to live with the mega-corporations that own everything?
-Carley W. p5
“’They talk about having spirit,’ she says, referring to management, ‘but they don’t give us any reason to have any spirit.’ In her view, Wal-mart would rather just keep hiring new people than treating the ones it has decently” (184). Wal-mart wants its workers to be full of pep while dealing with costumers, but how can these workers have so much pep if they’re treated so poorly? And forget about trying to rebel by starting a union, because Wal-mart has the power to fire you and hire a new recruit in a matter of minutes. This related to GOW because the planters in California have the power to hire pickers for as low as a wage as they want. If you don’t want to pick peaches for 5 cents a basket, there are 1000 more men out there who will. Basically, these planters and Wal-mart can fire their workers as they please because it’s guaranteed that there’s a person out there who wants the job. Do you think unions should be allowed to be formed within large scale corporate companies such as Wal-mart?
ReplyDeleteMadison B Per 5
The last quote I chose is one mentioned on page 172 that Barbara uses as a generalization about the American economy, today and 12 years ago. On one of her down moments, Barb is quoted saying that the “…stronger the economy, the stronger the upward pressure on rents. So I’m a victim not of poverty but of prosperity. The rich and the poor, who are generally thought to live in a state of harmonious interdependence- the one providing cheap labor, the other providing low wage jobs-can no longer exist.” I don’t know about everyone’s knowledge and opinions but I know after reading this, I thought about the entire American economical system differently. This shows that the only true battle is amongst us, caused by the American way of life. What this quote is saying is that there are poor people because there are rich people. The richer the rich, the poorer the poor. The poor create opportunities for the rich to succeed, and vice versa. This quote also mentions of how the rich and poor are thought to be opposites, but in reality, they are each other’s burdens.
ReplyDeleteSo do you agree with this quote overall based on my explanation? Do you think that America would be a more prosperous nation if everyone was part of the same class of money such as the middle class?
-Ryan H. Per.5
Carley,
ReplyDeleteI think Wal-mart doesn't allow creativity because its such a large corporate business. It's easier regulate business by having uniform rules for every store than letting each store do its own thing. I definitely agree with you when you say that big businesses don't care who does their work for them, hence the digital interviews. Nice job!
Madison B
Madison - I think that unions should be allowed to form in any place they are wanted, because all a union does is try and protect the people in it, and the people working at Wal-Mart clearly need protection, as evidenced by your comment!
ReplyDelete-Carley
"Even in the tightest labor market... the person who has precious labor to sell can be made to feel one down, way down, like a supplicant with her hand stretched out (150)."
ReplyDeleteI thought this quote was quite interesting, which Barbara says after applying for the job at Wal-mart. She comments on how the person applying for a job is made to feel like the one in need, when in reality the company sometimes needs the worker just as much as the worker needs a job. The companies accomplish this by forcing applicants to go through drug tests and not allowing them to speak to the manager about wages and such, so that the company is in control, not the worker.
Why don't more people take a stand for themselves when applying for jobs?
Carley,
I think people should also try to start their own businesses, not just live with the existing mega-corporations. There are many entrepreneurs who have become successful in today's society, with only a good idea and a bit of luck. If everyone just submits to the mega-corporations, they will gain way too much power over peoples' lives.
Jenny L. 6
"I feel oppressed too, by the mandatory gentility of Wal-Mart culture. This is ladies and we are all 'ladies' here, forbidden by storwide rule, to raise our voices or cuss. Give me a few weeks of this and I'll femme out entirely. My stride will be reduced to a mince, I'll start tucking my head down to one side," (156).
ReplyDeleteI actually think this is a really good point made by Barbara. As she is working at Wal-Mart, she notices that the women don't have much say and that this job could really lower their self-esteem. Working there too long could permanently mess with their self esteem and they may start to feel like they can't say what they feel or speak against something they think is wrong. Barbara says that her "stride will be reduced," meaning she won't have that strong confidence anymore. I think, in general, that people need to be careful to not change as a person just because of events that take place at work. They need to remember that they are a human and have the rights to speak up when they feel it is right.
Question: Do you think a job can mentally change you as a person?
Kelly L, P5
Hey Madison,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with what you are saying and thought the explanation you put with it was awesome. I agree with you that it is tough for someone to be so peppy when they are actually really mentally drained from the job. Wal-Mart seems to want its workers to be robots; walking and talking the way Wal-Mart wants them to. I also liked what you said about workers not being able to form a union because Wal-Mart could just instantly fire you. The corporate business is tough because they have so many employees and could just easily replace you. Good points, Mad!
Kelly L, P5
“ according to a 1999 report from the American Civil Liberties Union, “drug Testing: A Bad Investment.” Studies show that preemployment testing does not lower absenteeism, accidents, or turnover and… actually lowered productivity… the practice is quite costly… federal government spent $11.7 million to test 28,000 federal employees… only 153 tested positive…” pg 128
ReplyDeleteI thought this quote was ironic because if preemployment testing doesn’t lower accidents there’s no point of having one. If those tests don’t serve much point, I feel like they are there to judge people. Also, drug testing can be a total waste of money if only 0.5% of 29,000 people were caught; instead the money should go to creating more financial aid for the poor. This is different from GOW because employers took anyone that was willing to work a low price and there were no special requirements.
Is drug testing a bad investment?
Jenny,
I’ve never thought that employers might use drug testing to take control of the employees. I think people don’t take a stand for themselves when applying for job s because they are too desperate. Fighting for a higher wage might mean getting fired and some might not be able to risk their job if they have kids or especially if they can’t find another job. This relates to GOW because some families worked for small pays without complaining because it was better than having no job.
Ashley P6
"Who are these nutcases who would volunteer for an artificially daunting situation in order to entertain millions of strangers with their half-assed efforts to survive? Then I remember where I am and why I am here." (160)
ReplyDeleteI think that this quote shows a lot about how Barbara acted in this chapter, as well as in the entire book. Her motives behind this experiment were most definitely solely for show and entertainment for others. Furthermore, her "half-assed efforts" were that in every "new life" she had, she cheated in some way, even when it was not necessary for her survival. In my opinion, Barbara went into this experiment thinking that it would be easy since she was properly educated. She even went as far as saying that she would be overly educated for certain jobs. However in reality, Barbara was not strong enough to follow the guidelines she set for herself and live the way that some people actually do.
What do you think Barbara should have changed about her experiment? Do you think you could have survived under the guidelines that she set herself? If not, what guidelines would you have chosen?
Amanda M period 5
Kelly, I agree with you that Barbara actually made a good point. The women were treated poorly and it was sad that they could not stick up for themselves. In regards to your question, I think that for some people, a job can change a person, much in the way that school changes us. When you get so accustomed to going to the same place everyday, your actions, personality, and outlook can be altered by the people around you. This isn't always the case, and some people may be strong enough to not let their jobs change anything about them. -Amanda M
ReplyDeleteOn page 167 she states “in fact, I hate the idea of things being sold – uprooted from their natural homes, whisked off to some closet that’s in god-knows-what state of disorder” This quote caught my eye. It seems as though as she has been working at this store she has become almost emotionally attached to the store. And Not only to the store but she has become attached to the wares of the store. She says about the clothes on the page before “I start thinking they are mine.” This made me really think. I found it quite odd that she would have this kind of mind set. Why is she becoming so attached to this store and its wares as she works in it? My question I would pose to you is, what could make Her so attached to the store and the clothes inside of it?
ReplyDeleteJarrett L. Period 5
Carley,
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion i think that it is a good idea to start a small business. For one i know a lot of people that prefer to go to the business down the street to get certain things instead of going to the large business in town. For instance, Carons Corner in Branford. Instead of going to lets say Stop and Shop many people like to just go to Carons for their grocery's. Another point is that Some people just want to start up their own little business. And thats what they should do.
Jarrett L.
"There seems to be a vicious cycle at work here, making ours not just an economy but a culture of extreme inequality. Corporate decision makers, and even some two-bit entrepreneurs like my boss at the maids occupy an economic position miles above that of the underpaid people whose labor they depend on. For reasons that have more to do with class, and often racial, prejudice than with actual experience, they tend to fear and distrust the category of people from which they recruit their workers. Hence the perceived need for repressive management and intrusive measures like drug and personality testing." (p. 212)
ReplyDeleteI think that Barbara makes a good point here. Employers pick people to work for them and often base it on their own prejudice beliefs. They interview and test people because they have to. If they didn't they could just judge the person how they see them in their own eyes and thats all. Meanwhile these people who they are making judgements about are the people doing all of their dirty work for them. How many more people do you think would be umemployed if some places of work were not required to take personality and drug annyalyses of people?
JACKIE G5
Carley, I agree. You see and hear about it all the time- small businesses getting knocked out by the big corporations. It really does put a damper on the American dream of freedom to do what you want. It's almost like you don't have that choice because in the end you'll most likely lose to the man. and by the man, i dont mean myself, even though I am also "the man," i mean big businesses. I don't think small businesses should give up; a lot of the time people prefer to support their local (fill in the blank.)
ReplyDeleteJACKIE G5
“All I see is customers unfolding carefully folded T-shirts, taking dresses and pants off their hangers, holding them up for a moment’s idle inspection, then dropping them somewhere for us associates to pick up. For me, the way out of resentment begins with a clue provided by a poster near the break room, in the back of the store where only associates go: “Your mother doesn’t work here,” it says. “Please pick up after yourself.” I’ve passed it many times, thinking, “Ha, that’s all I do-pick up after people.” Then it hits me: most of the people I pick up after are mothers themselves, meaning that what I do at work is what they do at home-pick up the toys and the clothes and the spills. So the great thing about shopping, for most of these women, is that here they get to behave like brats, ignoring the bawling babies in their carts, tossing things around for someone else to pick up. And it wouldn’t be any fun-would it?-unless the clothes were all reasonably orderly to begin with, which is where I come in, constantly re-creating orderliness for the customers to maliciously destroy. Its appalling, but its in their nature: only pristine and virginal displays truly excite them.” page 177
ReplyDeleteDo you think its unreasonable for Barbara to complain that she has to pick up after mothers who can afford to make a mess? After all…she IS getting paid, and it IS her job to do what everyday mothers do at home, for their own kids.
^Julianne M
ReplyDelete"Then it hit me: most of the people I pick up after are mothers themselves, meaning that what I do at work is what they do at home-pick up toys and the clothes and the spills. So the great thing about shopping, for most of these women, is that they behave like brats, ignoring the bawling babies in their carts, tossing things around for someone else to pick up"
ReplyDeleteWhen i read this in the novel, this quote came to my attention because i felt that part of it is very true in our society today. There are many women who are very rude when shopping, especially in a store such as Wallmart. Personally when I am this way I see some people acting like this, but not all. For example whenever I am in the store with my she never throws stuff around and ignores one of my sisters if they are crying. Though she doesn't act the same as if she was shopping at a nice clothing botque in the center of town.
This leaves me thinking of why people act differently in different stores? Shouldn't we give each worker the same amount of respect no matter what store?
Another question is weither after working in this store and throughout all these different jobs will Barbra act differently in these places now that she has been in the shoes of the workers?
Grace N.
Period 6
“Walmart employees have sued the retail chain for unpaid overtime in four states... The plaintiffs allege that they were pressured to work overtime and that the company then erased the overtime hours from their time records.” (183)
ReplyDeleteMy question would be how does Walmart and other large companies get away with unpaid and forced overtime? The government should take control and make sure that the workers aren’t being threatened to do overtime. The workers are in a bad position because if they don't comply to forced overtime then they may lose their jobs. Companies should be forced to keep records and have inspections of their workers. As you can see, the workers are being treated unfairly and are getting taken advantage of by their employers. Overtime requirements and payments should be included in the contract of the worker and shouldn't be enforced by the employer when they feel like it.
-Bob T 6
Jarrett,
ReplyDeleteMaybe Barbara is becoming so attached to her store because she’s there every single day, working and keeping it nice and tidy. I feel like when you spend enough time doing the same thing, you begin to have deeper emotions towards it, causing you to become attached.
Julianne M
Hey Amanda!
ReplyDeleteI thought that you brought up an excellent in your blog post. What you said about the way Barbara acted through out the whole novel I also found very true. I agree completely with what you said about how barbara did everything to the half way instead of sticking through and living in the others shoes to the fullest. Through out the novel she acts so suprised when she finds out how hard it is to live and work under these conditions, and I agree with what you said that Barbara didn't think that this experiment would be so hard because she was a well educated person! That was an excellent point! I feel like Barbara should have tried to be more realistic about the situation and try and understand more what it was like to live like this instead of thinking that she is better than what she is doing and fleeing from her situation. Great post (:
Love Grace,
Grace,
ReplyDeleteI found your quote very interesting. I have noticed the way mothers have neglected their children while shopping and also the way they leave items in different places then where they originally found them. People who don’t work at these jobs don’t really care about the workers who have to pick up the items they misplaced. Barbara did a good job by representing the issue from the viewpoint of the worker instead of the consumer.
-Bob T 6
Jarrett,
ReplyDeleteI liked your post/question. Ya, know, it's like GOW in the sense of the land. I think that when you work somewhere or just in general use your time to deal with one thing in particular, I think people just get attached. Like my old job, I quit because of the working conditions... but when I go in there and see the register I worked at I have a small inkling of nostalgia. I think Barbara just got used to being around that job so she felt an attachment to the store, clothes, etc. Just like Grandpa was attached to his land... only different?
You get my gist.
-Olivia N. 6.
quote: "she councils patience: it could happen to me. Melissa, who has the advantage of a working husband , says, "Well, it's a job." Yes, she made twice as much when she was a waitress but that place closed down and at her age she's never going to be hired at a high-tip place. I recognize the intertia, the unwillingness to start up with the apps and the interviews and the drug tests again. She thinks she should give it a year. A year? I tell her i'm wondering whether i should give it another week." This quote comes toward the very end of the book where Barb starts to get fed up with Walmart. She starts asking her coworkers if they're happy with their job and though most of them aren't they're stuck with it.
ReplyDeleteComment: i think that this shows how slow people with minimum wage full time jobs make decisions. They are careful to make any decision about anything having to do with money because it could potentially make or break them in the long run, so many just go along with a job they don't like because of the fear they have of possibly not being able to get a new one. I also think this quote is sad because the women Melissa is stuck doing a job that makes her unhappy.
Relation: My aunt and my aunts friend are both stuck doing jobs that they wish they didn't have to do right now, my aunt selling mattresses and my aunts friend is a truck driver. He never gets to come home except for a few weekends, and my aunt depends on selling a few mattresses to keep up with the rent. They both are scared to quit and find new jobs because both don't have a college degree and neither of their spouses work.
Ashley, i totally agree about what you were saying about the quote. If it is such a high ticket bill and its not effective at all, why the heck to we have it? its a pointless government tag that they should look over and get rid of. It makes no sense to waste our tax dollars on a worthless cause.
- Stacy per 6
"...nor can I believe the wage Walt tells me I'll be getting-not $8.50 but an incredible $10 an hour. Now I don't need Walmart anymore, I think, although it turns out they need me... and when she says $7 an hour, I think: OK, cased closed. But I decide, in the spirit of caution and inquiry, to attend the Wal-Mart orientation anyway. This turns out, for unforeseen physiological reasons, to be another major mistake." pg. 142-143.
ReplyDeleteSo I thought she was supposed to take the higher paying job because if you were struggling for money obviously that's what you would do, however she does not. She says she didn't for "caution". What caution? I feel like she just was playing it safe by going for Wal-Mart. In the real world, someone would take what pays more if they're struggling, just like in GOW. So I don't get why she goes for the job that's paying 3 dollars less.
What is the real reason she chooses Wal-mart?
Olivia N 6.
“It rankles—at some deep personal, physical level to know that the many engaging qualities I believe I have to offer—friendliness, reliability, willingness to learn—can all be trumped by my pee.”
ReplyDeleteBarbara says this when she's afraid that she might not get a job because she has marijuana in her system. I kind of agree with her: the drug-testing IS pointless. It doesn't show any characteristics you might have to offer at the work-place. And how are people with drug flowing in their system supposed to get jobs that way? How would THEY survive?
Do you think the drug-testing is necessary?
Ashley,
Yes, I think drug testing is a bad investment. As you've said, all the money to fund for such pointless tests could go on helping the poor, perhaps raising the wages, or provide health insurance, or social security. Also, the fact that only a very few percentage of the testers result positive adds to what a waste of money the drug-testing is.
Anjita P-6
I found this section of the boom to be the most interesting because it made me realize how companies can act like huge tyrants. In this section Barbara goes through the application process in heavier detail and from this section i got that it was necessary to act cheery and lie to the the corporation and almost dumb yourself down to actually seem more qualified for the job. The normal snooty attitude of Barbara would be something that wal-Mart probabaly would not tolerate in one of its workers.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that it is possible to be too highly qualified for a job and that sometimes less educationally demanding jobs will hire dumber and less educated people because they will simply do what they are told and not think twice about it?
Carley,
I think that it is a good idea to start a small private business rather than moving into the fishbowl life of working for a mega corporation because a smaller private business allows for more creaticity and more freedom.
Jake Period 6
"If I had used cocaine or heroin there would have been no problem, since these are water-soluble and wash out of he body in a couple of days. (LSD isn't even tested for.) But my indiscretion involved the only drug usually detected by testing, marijuana, which is fat-soluble and, I have read, can linger in the body for months."(pg 125)
ReplyDeleteI think that this is completely backwards. There's nothing we can do about it, but it still seems stupid that the hard-core drugs are basically indetectable, while pot, which is basically the least harmful drug can be detected weeks after use.
My question is: why do employers think that catching people who smoke pot will improve anything, because other drugs are the ones that would really be detrimantal to their business?
Gretchen G
period 5
Madison,
ReplyDeleteI think they should, for all large corporations. If things like this could be stopped, not only would the employees be happier, but the employers would see more productivity because their worked are happy. Also, it would make them look better and they would get more customers. It would just improve their whole business if they treated thier workers like people insted of emplyee number 527153627.
Gretchen G
period 5
"People working more than one job-and in effect I would be doing that for a day by going from my three-to-eleven stint at Wal-Mart to a day at Menards-have to take sleep deprivation in stride. I do not. I am shaky, my brain fried like that egg in Partnership for a Drug-Free America commercial."
ReplyDeleteI think that Barbara did not mentally prepare herself for the mental and physical exhaustions of this assignment. Physically, I believe that she is not fit for this life style. All the other people working harder than she is and surviving better than she is, are used to this way of life and have been doing it for more than a month or two. I think she wasn't prepared for this at all.
Why did Barbara think that this wasn't going to be such a difficult task?
Carley,
I think that small businesses are important because they not only give people a sense of comfort and hope for those who have dreams, but they also help with the economy. I think that if people just "give in" to corporate businesses than the people that are not so rich will be helpless and be forced to submit to those who do have the upper hand. Howvever, we should try to eliminate big businesses because they also help the economy and the people with job and economic growth.
Steph E
Selling in Minnesota:
ReplyDelete1. “I call Caroline to ask for her insights into the housing situation and- I should have guessed this was coming- she calls back in a few minutes to invite me to move in with her and her family. I say no, I've already had a stint of free lodging and now I have to take my chances with the market like anyone else. But for a moment I get touched-by-an-angel feeling I'd gotten from Melissa's sandwich: I am not really entirely alone.” This quote shows that even though people don't have much they're still reaching out to others to try and help them. Sometimes, they put others before themselves. However, people who have the money to help don't. This tells us that people in the same situation as others have more compassion towards them.
2. Why don't people put themselves in others shoes more often?
- Alexis A. Period 6
Ashley, I feel that drug testing is a bad investment. Study’s show how much of a waste that practice is and prove we don't need them. They're only hurting things by making workers feel violated and judged. I thought you had a great point by saying that the money used on these tests should be invested in financial aid to the poor!
"Even in the tightest labor market... the person who has precious labor to sell can be made to feel one down, way down, like a supplicant with her hand stretched out (150)."
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why people don't stand up for themselves when applying for jobs. An application shouldn't take such a toll on your life and what you feel you should write. I think that this quote really shows how low they make you feel, for example, asking how much you steal. That's nobody's business, and it's not like anyone will tell the truth anyways.
Why do applications ask you for that information when people lie anyways?
Jenny,
We used the same quote and I also agree with your comment and questions about why they do ask those questions. It's too personal for that kind of information.
Taylor S.
Period 5
"Take away the career and the higher education, and maybe what you're left with is this original Barb, the one who might have ended up working at Wal-mart for real if her father hadn't managed to climb out of the mines. So it's interesting, and more than a little disturbing, to see how Barb turned out-that she's meaner and slyer than I am, more cherishing of grudges, and not quite as smart as I'd hoped."
ReplyDeleteI found this quote to be very interesting. i don't know about you, but I've wondered how my life would have been like, if the events that completely altered my life didn't take place. How would of my life turned out like if my dad didn't move the family to America? Would I have been a completely different person. I'd probably be less freaked out by bugs and more bold than I am now if I grew up in Nigeria? It's fascinating to think of what we would be and what our places would be like in this world if the major things in our lives never happened. Ehrenreich makes a valid statement here in which she compares the woman she is becoming in her lower class state to the woman she is in reality.
Why should we judge each other if we don't know the kind of person we could have been if our lives were different?
Treasure p6
I definitely didn't have much time to elaborate on my quote about how I feel about this quote. I strongly do not agree with drug-testing and the things and questions you are made to answer to. Nobody can tell anything about you through an application, and why do they think the only reason you want to talk to a manager is for wages? I think that since they believe that the workers need the jobs as bad as the job needs the workers, they are sort of stereotyping the workers as desperate and almost low quality. The workers are what make the company better, and whether they do drugs or not, they are still bringing in the money for the company. The least harmful drug, pot, can stay in your body for a month and other drugs that can kill, such as cocaine and heroin, wash right out. Drug testing is almost useless if you can't catch the people with the worst drugs.
ReplyDeleteWhy is drug testing such a big deal when they don't catch the culprit of heroin or cocaine because those drugs are water-soluable?
Taylor S. (AGAIN)
Period 5
"But the truth is I'm not ready to leave Wal-Mart yet; it's my connection to the world, my source of identity, my place" (171).
ReplyDeleteAlthough Barbara was not getting enough money from working at Wal-Mart, it is human nature that she did not want to leave. Everyone wants to fit in and feel comfortable, regardless of other consequences. In Barbara's case, staying in her comfort zone meant lower wages. Often enough, some people don't like to take the chance or risk of leaving where they feel like they belong for something new because they fear change. It is predictable for human nature to stay in their comfort zone. I am able to connect to this quote because I work at a restaurant that doesn't pay very good. While I've had other job opportunities, I denied them because I am used to working at my job now and I like the people.
Do you tend to stay in your comfort zone, or does change not bother you?
Alexis M, Period 5
Anjita,
ReplyDeleteI think that it is EXTREMELY important that jobs enforce drug testing. It is done to maintain health and safety standards within the workplace. Drug use impairs a person’s ability to function in their everyday life. The drug tests ensure that the quality of work is not effected by substance abuse. Also, employee drug testing programs have been proven to reduce absences within the workplace. Drug related absences and sick leave could be devastating to the company in terms of both the cost and company morale. However, if someone is caught using drugs early on, this problem could be eliminated so that a company could hire someone more efficient.
Alexis M P5
On page 179 Barbara Ehrenreich states “I like to read the labels to find out where the clothing we sell is made---Indonesia, Mexico, Turkey, the Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Brazil---but the labels serve only to remind me that none of these places is “exotic” anymore, that they’ve all been eaten by the great blind profit making global machine” I found this quote to be quite eye opening. It is important to realize that poverty is a global problem. This quote made me do just that. I realized that every country has some areas containing poverty stricken people and that these low wage jobs are all connected to each other no matter what continent you live on. Huge worldwide corporations such as Wall Mart have taken once beautiful and exotic countries and turned them into factory ridden places; homes to thousands of minimum wage workers. Somewhere in the world a low class citizen, perhaps even a child, sat in a factory and participated in the manufacturing of the shirt that Ehrenreich was folding. This made me recognize the fact that people all over the world share common struggle for success in the job market, even in places that were once considered “exotic” vacation destinations. In conclusion, global corporations are taking over countries all over the world just like the big banks and corporations took over in The Grapes of Wrath. The same principle of big executive companies having the upper hand over local businesses and the middle class still rings true today.
ReplyDeleteDiscussion Question: Do you agree that huge corporations are taking over America? Do you prefer supporting small businesses or corporations such as Wall Mart? Why?
Carley,
My post deals with similar issues. Your comment brought up a great question. I think that we should support the creation of small businesses because they are the perfect places to harvest creativity and personal growth. I also believe small businesses treat their employees better because they know them on a more personal basis. Lastly, I think small businesses tend to focus on the quality of the products they are producing and take pride in their work.
-Sophia G. Period 5
On pg. 174, Barbara says, "Only when I'm driving away with my sugary loot do I realize the
ReplyDeleteimportance of what I've learned in this encounter. At one point toward the end of the interview, the CEAP lady had apologized for forgetting almost everything I had said about myself- that I had a car, lived in a motel, etc. She was mixing me up with someone else who had worked at Wal-Mart, she explained, someone who had just been in a few days ago. Now, of course I've noticed that many of my coworkers are poor in all the hard-to-miss, stereotypical ways."
I thought that this quote was important because it shows how Barbara hadn't really thought about how her coworkers at Wal-Mart were poor people. This is because no matter how wealthy a person may be, it doesn't necessarily change how they will act or the kind of person they are on the inside and sometimes the outside as well.
A question that I have is why did Barbara decde not to tell anyone that she worked with during her experiment that it was only a project she was working on and that she wasn't really a "working class" person? Did she think it could possibly ruin her experiment? Did she feel as if she was better than all of them until the end?
-Jess B. p. 5
Jake,
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question, I think that it is possible to be "too educated" for a job. You made a good point when saying that people who are not as smart will tend to just do what they are told rather than refuse. I definitely agree with that and I feel that may be the reason they look for less intelligent people to higher at places like Wal-Mart. Good post too! (:
-Jess B.
1.)“What you see- highways, parking lots, stores- is all there is, or all that’s left to us here in the reign of globalized, totalized, paved-over, corporatized everything,” (179).
ReplyDeleteWhen Barbara worked in Minnesota, she started to realize that corporate businesses and buildings were all that’s left in the world. Everywhere you look there are stores, businesses, roads that are full of corporations, as if they have taken over the world as we know it.
2.)I can relate this to my own life because I agree that corporations and the Internet as well, are taking over many people’s lives. Our generation is all about wearing designer labels and then going on Facebook to talk to your friends. Even with cell phones, everyone is so text-savvy that no one bothers to call someone once in a while, or better yet, see them in person! Everywhere you look, there are stores and people who would pay anything to get an expensive shirt that they could get much cheaper at a department store. It’s called globalization and it’s beginning to control the world.
3.)Do you think that globalization is helping out the working-class or destroying it in any way?
Jessssssss,
I think the point of the experiment was to go into the working class without anyone knowing that she actually had good living conditions. The reason for this is because her co-workers would have treated her differently and it would've been more difficult for her to get hired as well. If businesses saw that she had a good amount of money, food, and shelter, then they would have given the job to someone without, instead. Good job :)
Allie B Period 6
"’They talk about having spirit,’ she says, referring to management, ‘but they don’t give us any reason to have any spirit."
ReplyDeleteIt's quotes like these that really hit me while I read books. One of the major downsides to corporations is that they allow little to none freedom. You work for the company. That's it. You start at the bottom (usually) and work your way up.
Corporations are built by beaurocracy. There are so many different levels and restrictions against the common man, making it extremely tough to do as I said before, work towards the top.
I think this quote merely demonstrates the lack of freedom and creativity largescale corporations like Wal-Mart give their low employees.
Noah P. Period 5
Dearest Carley,
ReplyDeleteI personally think that it is the small businesses that give our economy a much needed base, where as large companies (although generally offering more jobs and more benefits) can be too powerful.
It's one of the reasons we outlawed monopolies in America, they leave our economy vulnerable (if the monopoly fails, the economy goes under) and the control too much of the market (causing the prices on items to be gauged higher and higher).
In summary,
Small businesses are very good. Corporations should not be allowed to control the workforce or the market too much.
Noah P Period 5
On the very first page of this section, Barbara said, "But warnings about the heat and allergies put me off, not to mention my worry that the Latinos might be hogging all the crap jobs and substandard housing for themselves, as they so often do." This quote really bothered me. First of all, she is blessed with a fantastic job. Isn't she hogging crap jobs and substandard housing by doing this experiment? Saying that is extremely selfish of her. Second of all, everyone needs to get by, including Latinos. Do you think she has the right to complain about Latinos taking jobs when she already has a great one?
ReplyDeleteGretchen-I do think that drug testing has a point. If there were a better way to find users of cocaine or heroine, I would be all for the testing. Right now, it is only possible to find pot, but it's better to find some users than no users. Besides, pot is illegal, and I doubt companies are thrilled to hire law breakers, no matter how often this particular law is broken.
-Katrice K, period 5
p. 87 "Now if i get a migraine I just pop two Excedrins and get on with my life. That's what you have to do--work through it."
ReplyDeleteAs Barbara becomes more of a hands on worker, she realizes that sometimes there's nothing you can do about the pain. If you want to keep your job and make a living, more often than not you have to just suck it up. I like this quote because it really shows how hard working Barbara was. I appreciate the fact that instead of complaining, Barbara took some medicine and tried to take her mind off her migraine by working through it.
Do you think Barbara would have been able to stick it out for as long as she did without sucking up the aches and pains of hard labor some of the time?
Anjita,
To answer your question, I think it is necessary to drug test employees because if a company is investing their money into you being a part of their workforce, you shouldn't have anything such as drugs slowing you down from doing your absolute best work for them. Companies have the right to know if you are on drugs or not. On the other hand, the drug tests that are given today are very inaccurate. They usually don't even show any hardcore drugs such as heroine or cocaine because of how quickly they leave your system. They can detect weed easily because it stays in your system for about 30 days. Theoretically, it is a good idea to drug test employees, but since they are so inaccurate, it really doesn't give the company an accurate depiction of wether or not you are a good investment for them. Sometimes I wonder if companies are better off saving the money on drug testing employees before they are hired, and instead using it for random drug tests once they are hired. Great question!
Leah S. Period 5
“So I have now a friend in Minneapolis, and the odd thing is that she is the original- the woman who uprooted herself and came out somehow on her feet and who did all this in real life and with children- while I am the imitation, the pallid, child-free pretender.”(134)
ReplyDeleteI felt like this quote basically summed up the whole book for me. This book was an experiment to uncover the truths about poverty, and trying to survive on minimum wage. It was just an experiment and Barbara was a pretender. I feel in some spots Barbara gave a great understanding of the situation and showed us a lot, but also I feel like she didn’t give enough to this experiment. I feel like if she kept at it for more time and stayed in one place, it would have been more meaningful.
How do you think Barbara did in portraying the lower class? Did she try hard enough to fully understand their situation?
~Jessica C. P6
Hey Kelly,
ReplyDeleteI absolutely think a job can change you mentally. If you do the same thing every day of your life, it starts to weigh on you. Also, the type of work you do can mentally change you. If every day you were a maid and had people constantly looking down on you and judging you, you might to start to believe what they think. You may not think your good enough and just stay in this job that’s getting you nowhere. I think that if you aren’t respected or treated like a human being, that it could totally screw with your head, and that’s horrible. This was such a great question!
~Jessica C P6
"I told her I was living in a motel almost entirely on fast food, and she felt sorry for me. Now I'm embarressed, and beyond overwhelmed to discover a stream of generosity running counter to the dominant corporate miserliness. " (163)
ReplyDeleteIn this quote, Barbara sees that people who don't have much usually give more away. This reminded me of GOW and how Ma thought that the only nice people are poor people.
Why do you think this topic in both books divides the classes in America?
Shama K P6
The St. Paul based Jobs Now Coalition estimated that in 1997, a living wage for a single parent supporting a single child in the the Twin Cities metro area was $11.77 an hour.
ReplyDeleteHow is it possible that people make it while the minimum wage is only $8.00. There needs to be a major change in order to make the country a better place for the low income family.
What do you think should be done about the minimum wage?
Austin C Period 6
Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI think drug testing is a bad investment for common jobs like waitressing and cashiering but I think it is necessary for jobs in the pharmecutical company. Most people wouldn't go to work high, and it's a waste of money to find those oddities that would.
Shama K. p6
Lax Bro,
ReplyDeleteNo I don't because in order for the country to work there needs to be people with more money then others in order to employ the other people. Also I just think you can never have everyone in the same class of people.
Austin C. Period 6
1. The difference in how Wal-Mart and the smaller store, both wnating to hire her, treat her as a person. Wal-Mart makes her take a drug test, somthers her with corporate propaganda, and basicaly treats her like a criminal unless otherwise proven. The small store, on the other hand, only asks her to do an interview and allows her to join. The difference in courtesy is probably because of the different sizes of the corporations.
ReplyDelete2. Over how much time did "Selling in Minnesota" last?
3. Austin, I agree that there will always be a high and low class of people in any capitalist system. However, capitalism's saving grace is that, with fair regulations, people can move up (and down) the social ladder.
Luke S. Period 6