"Broadly speaking, critical thinking is concerned with reason, intellectual honesty, and open-mindedness, as opposed too emotionalism, intellectual laziness, and closed-mindedness. Thus, critical thinking involves: following evidence where is leads; considering all possibilites; relying on reason rather that emotion; being precise; .. being aware of one's own prejudices and biases, etc.."
-Kurland, Daniel J.
--> This quote I mentioned above describes my version of critical thinking very nicely. Open-mindedness comes to mind right off the bat when I think of 'critical thinking', because I find it to be a key component to being successful to reach utmost learning potential. I came into this class with closed-mindedness to begin, and once Bousquet forced me to be more open, I actually find it to help. As much as I would have liked to be hard headed (like usual), I must admit it helped reach quality critical thinking. Through hypertext is was much easier to follow evidence around the internet and such to be critical in my evaluation of sources, there usefulness, and so forth. Over all this quote is definitely the one that hits the idea of "Critical Thinking" home with me!
30 May 2007
Not yet completed but there you go :)
"Broadly speaking, critical thinking is concerned with reason, intellectual honesty, and open-mindedness, as opposed too emotionalism, intellectual laziness, and closed-mindedness. Thus, critical thinking involves: following evidence where is leads; considering all possibilites; relying on reason rather that emotion; being precise; .. being aware of one's own prejudices and biases, etc.."
-Kurland, Daniel J.
--> This quote I mentioned above describes my version of critical thinking very nicely.
-Kurland, Daniel J.
--> This quote I mentioned above describes my version of critical thinking very nicely.
Critical Thinking
"Critical Thinking is used to describe thinking that is purposeful, reasoned and goal directed. Critical Thinking is sometimes called directed thinking because it focuses on desired outcome." - Diane F. Halpern.........I agree with this statement because I feel that the hypertext causes you to think about the long term goal rather than throwing ideas on to a single page. Hyptertext creates categories which then sets the writer up with a very detailed outline. The hypertext is thought about in depth and thought about relating to what the desired outcome of the writer happens to be.
Amanda's Critical Thinking
"The purpose of critical thinking is therefore to achieve understanding, evaluate view points and solve problems...critical thinking is the questioning or inquiry we engage in when we seek to understand, evaluate, or resolve." Maiorana 1992
"...understanding the meaning of a statement...judging whether statements made by authorities are acceptable." Smith 1990
I believe that theses two quotes strongly relate to the ideas of writing and developing my hypertext. When writing my hypertext I really had to think not only my view point but also understand and determine how others feel about the topics I chose to do my hypertext on. In order to get a deep grasp of my two topics I really had to think not only about the people who are directly impacted/effected, but also go outside the box, thinking about how other might feel or be effect by a certain situation. When developing my hypertext I had to learn to take my thoughts and write them in a more condensed writing, but to make sure not to loose the mean of my content. I needed to be brief, but stil have my writing backed with a punch.
"...understanding the meaning of a statement...judging whether statements made by authorities are acceptable." Smith 1990
I believe that theses two quotes strongly relate to the ideas of writing and developing my hypertext. When writing my hypertext I really had to think not only my view point but also understand and determine how others feel about the topics I chose to do my hypertext on. In order to get a deep grasp of my two topics I really had to think not only about the people who are directly impacted/effected, but also go outside the box, thinking about how other might feel or be effect by a certain situation. When developing my hypertext I had to learn to take my thoughts and write them in a more condensed writing, but to make sure not to loose the mean of my content. I needed to be brief, but stil have my writing backed with a punch.
Critical Thinking: Hypertext whaa?
In my hypertext, I found that I was branching off from traditional english paper writing in some ways but still rooted in others. Halpern wrote "Critical thinking is sometimes called directed thinking because it focuses on a desired outcome." I am completely aware that the goal of hypertext is not to look at a desired outcome before writing. I however knew before I went in to my strawberry picker hypertext looking for injustices that existed. I found some, but not as many as I would have 'liked' to find to have a good story. At points I have found myself being checked by my prefrontal cortex, reminding myself that I need to look at this hypertext with an open frame of mind. As I have moved further in this last hypertext I have found that it has become easier to allow the facts to stand for themselves and interpret them as be, thereby learning from it. I would also like to point out that hypertext, like other works of inspiration, have to come not just from the intellectual side but emotional side as well. Without emotion involved, there is no drive.
One other author said "Critical thinking is the examination and testing of suggested solutions to see whether they will work." I find hypertext very conducive to this definition being that it allows the writer to branch off and devote one page to a topic, exploring it to their desire. I found this came up with I was thinking about subtopics within the realm of strawberry workers in california. As I was writing, I found myself testing the subject and my own opinion as well. The view of the groweres, the consumer, the worker all came up in my writing and I found that it was difficult to completely ignore one. I did, however, come to find that the workers are the least well off of the three and it is their story that is not told and needs to be. I hope you have enjoyed reading my expose on Critical Thinking, prost.
One other author said "Critical thinking is the examination and testing of suggested solutions to see whether they will work." I find hypertext very conducive to this definition being that it allows the writer to branch off and devote one page to a topic, exploring it to their desire. I found this came up with I was thinking about subtopics within the realm of strawberry workers in california. As I was writing, I found myself testing the subject and my own opinion as well. The view of the groweres, the consumer, the worker all came up in my writing and I found that it was difficult to completely ignore one. I did, however, come to find that the workers are the least well off of the three and it is their story that is not told and needs to be. I hope you have enjoyed reading my expose on Critical Thinking, prost.
Critical Thinking for Hypertext
I have found from my personal experience of building my hypertext essay, that my thinking has had to adapt, and at the same time regress. I say that my thinking has regressed, meaning that I have had to, very positively, unlearn some of the things that I found to bar my writing. For example, as children, we never think in a linear fashion. The traditional essay is a product of pen and paper without the technology to put natural thoughts into words.
I would argue that Vicotr Maiorana's description of critical thinking, as a means "to achieve understanding, evaluate view points, and solve problems" is the best embodiment of my personal experience available. This hypertext project has really forced me to write as I think, and pushed me to consider multiple viewpoints while searching for an answer and furthermore, trying to let others have an opportunity to share in my new-found knowledge.
I would argue that Vicotr Maiorana's description of critical thinking, as a means "to achieve understanding, evaluate view points, and solve problems" is the best embodiment of my personal experience available. This hypertext project has really forced me to write as I think, and pushed me to consider multiple viewpoints while searching for an answer and furthermore, trying to let others have an opportunity to share in my new-found knowledge.
amy's critical thinking post suckas
"The purpose of critical thinking is, therefore, to achieve understanding, evaluate view points, and solve problems. Since all three areas involve the asking of questions, we can say that critical thinking is the questioning or inquiry we engage in when we seek to understand, evaluate, or resolve." (Maiornana)
I like to compare my hypertext experience to that of riding a rollercoaster. I really dislike riding roller coasters. However, like all things in life, it is an experience, something to learn from, reflect upon, and determine what was learned from such an experience. Throughout this course and my hypertext extravaganza I now have new insight into the website creation world and am better equipped and willing to solve problems with an open and willing mind. Although it is frusterating, and I have a lot of work left on my second website I am faithful it will turn out much better than my first and am very happy I took this course. As the quote clearly states, critical thinking is a way to ask questions and look at problems with an open mind.
I like to compare my hypertext experience to that of riding a rollercoaster. I really dislike riding roller coasters. However, like all things in life, it is an experience, something to learn from, reflect upon, and determine what was learned from such an experience. Throughout this course and my hypertext extravaganza I now have new insight into the website creation world and am better equipped and willing to solve problems with an open and willing mind. Although it is frusterating, and I have a lot of work left on my second website I am faithful it will turn out much better than my first and am very happy I took this course. As the quote clearly states, critical thinking is a way to ask questions and look at problems with an open mind.
"The purpose of critical thinking is, therefore, to achieve understanding, evaluate view points, and solve problems. Since all three areas involve the asking of questions, we can say that critical thinking is the questioning or inquiry we engage in when we seek to understand, evaluate, or resolve." (Maiornana)
I like to compare my hypertext experience to that of riding a rollercoaster. I really dislike riding roller coasters. However, like all things in life, it is an experience, something to learn from, reflect upon, and determine what was learned from such an experience. Throughout this course and my hypertext extravaganza I now have new insight into the website creation world and am better equipped and willing to solve problems with an open and willing mind. Although it is frusterating, and I have a lot of work left on my second website I am faithful it will turn out much better than my first and am very happy I took this course. As the quote clearly states, critical thinking is a way to ask questions and look at problems with an open mind.
I like to compare my hypertext experience to that of riding a rollercoaster. I really dislike riding roller coasters. However, like all things in life, it is an experience, something to learn from, reflect upon, and determine what was learned from such an experience. Throughout this course and my hypertext extravaganza I now have new insight into the website creation world and am better equipped and willing to solve problems with an open and willing mind. Although it is frusterating, and I have a lot of work left on my second website I am faithful it will turn out much better than my first and am very happy I took this course. As the quote clearly states, critical thinking is a way to ask questions and look at problems with an open mind.
23 May 2007
critical thinking
"Critical thinking is the formation of logical inferences"- Simon and Kapplan, 1989. I think this definition applies to hypertext because in designing a webpage, determining which links are the most important, and how to put them together, one is certainly forming logical inferences (what leads to what? how are they connected?). For example, in my own website, I was conflicted on how to arrange my pages-- should I include the physical abuse and the psychological abuse of workers on the same page? What about the psychological abuse and the effects of that abuse on the workers self esteem? In addition, when you read about cases of extraordinary abuse, you then are faced with the question, why aren't people responding better to help end these sweatshops? Once you think about that, you realize that it may be due to the fact that there is still a great deal of classism, racism, and anit immigrant sentiments in America. Stringing these connections together is my definition of critical thinking.
Another definition that strikes me is: "The purpose of critical thinking is, therefore, to achieve understanding, evaluate view points, and solve problems." In my own website making experience, I realized that the first task was to gain knowledge about whichever subject I was discussing. In the case of my hypertext essay 2, I am learning about garment workers, but also how global capitalism effects different groups of people so differently. Then, once you understand the situation, you can look at different perspectives, and see where people agree and disagree, and also which portion of the problem they chose to focus on. For example, some of my resources focused on the strides of the garment workers themselves, whereas others looked at the widening class and racial gaps within the Los Angeles garment industry. Only when you understand the problem and the view points can you even attempt to solve the problem. After you evaluate other people's viewpoints (some say that sweatshops are inevitable because of the high supply of immigrant labor) you make you own judgements (I would agrue that a large immigrant population is by no means a justification for treating people like dirt), and work on solving the problem.
Another definition that strikes me is: "The purpose of critical thinking is, therefore, to achieve understanding, evaluate view points, and solve problems." In my own website making experience, I realized that the first task was to gain knowledge about whichever subject I was discussing. In the case of my hypertext essay 2, I am learning about garment workers, but also how global capitalism effects different groups of people so differently. Then, once you understand the situation, you can look at different perspectives, and see where people agree and disagree, and also which portion of the problem they chose to focus on. For example, some of my resources focused on the strides of the garment workers themselves, whereas others looked at the widening class and racial gaps within the Los Angeles garment industry. Only when you understand the problem and the view points can you even attempt to solve the problem. After you evaluate other people's viewpoints (some say that sweatshops are inevitable because of the high supply of immigrant labor) you make you own judgements (I would agrue that a large immigrant population is by no means a justification for treating people like dirt), and work on solving the problem.
Reyn's Critical Thinking Response
"Critical thinking is the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome...Critical thinking also involves evaluating the thinking process the reasoning that went into the conclusion we've arrived at the kinds of factors considered in making a decision."
Halper, Diane F.
The strategies used in order to appeal to the modern technological audience is the writing of a traditional essay as a hypertext webpage. By using dreamweaver, we are able to stray away from the traditional printable essay and create a new, more desirable type of information.
"The purpose of critical thinking is, therefore, to achieve understanding, evaluate view points, and solve problems. Since all three areas involve the asking of questions, we can say that critical thinking is the questioning or inquiry we engage in when we seek to understand, evaluate, or resolve."
"Criticial thinking is 'the art of thinking about your thinking while you are thinking in order to make your thinking better: more clear, more accurate, or more defensible."
Maiorana, Victor P.
In hypertext2, we are doing exactly this. We are evaluating the view points of the people who share a problem, and use these view points to formulate a solution."Criticial thinking is 'the art of thinking about your thinking while you are thinking in order to make your thinking better: more clear, more accurate, or more defensible."
Paul, Binker, Adamson, and Martin
In writing the hypertexts, we create a draft of the online hypertext, then a printable version, and then a final draft of the online hypertext. This is the process of thinking about my thinking while I think in order to make my thinking better. They printable version is a way to think about and evaluate my hypertext thinking in order to better that thinking.
Critical Thinking
"Critical thinking is deciding rationally what to or what not believe." Norris, Stephen P.
This statement relates to my hypertext because my research on strippers helped me to make my own educated opinion of strippers work. My instinctual reaction was one of disgust, but after I found that I can see strippers more as real people who are struggling for their rights. I think the word "rationally" is very important because research allows a person to make a knowlegeable educated statement about a topic. Hypertext helps me to learn about the world and make my own opinions of what I find in it.
"Critical thinking is the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome" Halpern, Diane F. I think this is also a very important statement in terms of writing hypertext because I found in my paper that really reflecting on the information that I learned from my research and then trying to explain my conclusions in an understandable manner is very important helps me to learn about it. I also think that a "desirable outcome" is an important aspect of critical thinking, because a writer should understand what he or she is trying to say. In many of my papers once I have written one draft I find that I have gotten lost in my writing and don't have clear point.
"Critical thinking skill: understanding the meaning of a statement." This is extremely important for both the author and the reader. A clear understanding of one's own ideas is very important because if the author does not know exactly what he or she is writing about it definitely won't be understood by the reader. Sometimes I think the hardest part of writing an essay for me is understanding exactly what I want to say and illustrate to the reader. I find that a lot of times I have to write a draft and then take a step back for some time and really try to understand what I want to focus on. I think the more a paper has a clear meaning the better it is.
This statement relates to my hypertext because my research on strippers helped me to make my own educated opinion of strippers work. My instinctual reaction was one of disgust, but after I found that I can see strippers more as real people who are struggling for their rights. I think the word "rationally" is very important because research allows a person to make a knowlegeable educated statement about a topic. Hypertext helps me to learn about the world and make my own opinions of what I find in it.
"Critical thinking is the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome" Halpern, Diane F. I think this is also a very important statement in terms of writing hypertext because I found in my paper that really reflecting on the information that I learned from my research and then trying to explain my conclusions in an understandable manner is very important helps me to learn about it. I also think that a "desirable outcome" is an important aspect of critical thinking, because a writer should understand what he or she is trying to say. In many of my papers once I have written one draft I find that I have gotten lost in my writing and don't have clear point.
"Critical thinking skill: understanding the meaning of a statement." This is extremely important for both the author and the reader. A clear understanding of one's own ideas is very important because if the author does not know exactly what he or she is writing about it definitely won't be understood by the reader. Sometimes I think the hardest part of writing an essay for me is understanding exactly what I want to say and illustrate to the reader. I find that a lot of times I have to write a draft and then take a step back for some time and really try to understand what I want to focus on. I think the more a paper has a clear meaning the better it is.
Critical thinking is the "art of thinking about your thinking while you are thinking in order to make you thinking better: more clear, more accurate or more defensible"
I like this definition because of its cyclical nature. There is definitetly a trial and error slant to this statement and I find that thus far my attempt at hyper text i re-do more than i do. That is to say that ideas presented without a linear digression are realer to the thought process. This organic methodology is a challenge to a mind constantly coersed into linear explinations since the incept of thought molding by education institutions. For me the most difficult aspect of hyper text is thinking about how the document itself thinks, as I believe the document has a mind of its own. It definetley holds an agenda, but the nature of how that agenda is communicated is idiosyncratic to the individual user. Revising a hypertext isnt a matter of communicating clarity, but rather improving fluidity. My first hypertext was an immense failure, coming off as more of a slide show one makes in 2nd grade computer classes. For the second hypertext i aim to spend a significant amount of time using my story to frame corporate policy as a means to understand how the low wage life is formed at the policy level as well as how it feels at the level of people working in sorting facilities or trucks. While sorting facilities are a little worse, i feel ast though truck hands are also faced with unpleasent jobs for low wages. To think critically on this i must consider how the environment is formed and what can be done to improve it.
I like this definition because of its cyclical nature. There is definitetly a trial and error slant to this statement and I find that thus far my attempt at hyper text i re-do more than i do. That is to say that ideas presented without a linear digression are realer to the thought process. This organic methodology is a challenge to a mind constantly coersed into linear explinations since the incept of thought molding by education institutions. For me the most difficult aspect of hyper text is thinking about how the document itself thinks, as I believe the document has a mind of its own. It definetley holds an agenda, but the nature of how that agenda is communicated is idiosyncratic to the individual user. Revising a hypertext isnt a matter of communicating clarity, but rather improving fluidity. My first hypertext was an immense failure, coming off as more of a slide show one makes in 2nd grade computer classes. For the second hypertext i aim to spend a significant amount of time using my story to frame corporate policy as a means to understand how the low wage life is formed at the policy level as well as how it feels at the level of people working in sorting facilities or trucks. While sorting facilities are a little worse, i feel ast though truck hands are also faced with unpleasent jobs for low wages. To think critically on this i must consider how the environment is formed and what can be done to improve it.
::..Critical Thinking Through Reflection..::
Critial thinking is "reasonably and reflectively deciding what to do or believe." I feel that this definition is one that reflects how I have gone about writing this hypertext. I feel that I am successful when I put myself in someone's shoes and use emotional intelligence to understand what to say and what not to say. This is especially important when writing about the low wage life . I think that reflecting upon the issue and getting in touch with my feelings is very important. For example, several of the authors in the books that I have researched went undercover so that they could relate to their fellow workers or interviewees. This type of "hands-on" research provides us with information that cannot be understood unless one lived the life of the particular low wage worker.
Critical Thinking
"Critical thinking is deciding rationally what to or what not to believe"
"Crtitical thinking is careful and deliberate determination of whether to accept, reject, or suspend judgement"
Norris, Stephen P.
"Crtitical thinking is careful and deliberate determination of whether to accept, reject, or suspend judgement"
Moore and Parker
"Critical thinking skills: understanding the meaning of a statement, judging ambiguity, judging whether an inductive conclusion is warrented, and judging whether statements made by authorities are acceptable"
Smith
I think all these statements represent what I think critical thinking is because to me critical thinking is when you take what is put in front of you and evaluate the information for yourself and intorduce your views on the issue. This is what we did in hypertext #1 and what we will have to do in hypertext #2 and we have to learn not to take everything at face value.
Critical Thinking in Hypertext
"Critical thinking is deciding rationally what to or what not to believe."
When I look at others and my own hypertext I find myself immediately making a judgment on the topic. Am I fully convinced that strippers deserve a fair wage? Our hypertexts debate controversial issues and often the issue is still up in the air. It is our own critical thinking after reviewing the hypertext whether we believe it or not.
"Critical thinking is the development of cohesive and logical reasoning patterns."
The layout of the site is one of the most important aspects of a hypertext. When I'm trying to write an essay, I normally do an outline to give myself a plan for the future. As in a debate, you don't want to be making a point and then get lost in your own words and ramble on without ever saying anything at all. This strategy actually works in the reverse for the author as the reader loses trust in the work. There needs to be reason and logic behind your thinking or else it doesn't mean anything.\
"...open-mindedness..."
I don't believe that there can ever be success without compromise. An author that writes simply to state and restate their own opinions without ever touching on any other versions of the story is certainly not thinking critically. You need to take a step back and carefully review the situation. Readers like to come up with their own opinions rather than have their thoughts inserted into their minds by a one-sided argument. It is more effective to remain neutral because then you are considered an unbiased source and are more likely to be taken seriously.
When I look at others and my own hypertext I find myself immediately making a judgment on the topic. Am I fully convinced that strippers deserve a fair wage? Our hypertexts debate controversial issues and often the issue is still up in the air. It is our own critical thinking after reviewing the hypertext whether we believe it or not.
"Critical thinking is the development of cohesive and logical reasoning patterns."
The layout of the site is one of the most important aspects of a hypertext. When I'm trying to write an essay, I normally do an outline to give myself a plan for the future. As in a debate, you don't want to be making a point and then get lost in your own words and ramble on without ever saying anything at all. This strategy actually works in the reverse for the author as the reader loses trust in the work. There needs to be reason and logic behind your thinking or else it doesn't mean anything.\
"...open-mindedness..."
I don't believe that there can ever be success without compromise. An author that writes simply to state and restate their own opinions without ever touching on any other versions of the story is certainly not thinking critically. You need to take a step back and carefully review the situation. Readers like to come up with their own opinions rather than have their thoughts inserted into their minds by a one-sided argument. It is more effective to remain neutral because then you are considered an unbiased source and are more likely to be taken seriously.
what is critical thinking?
"Critical thinking is the formation of logical inferences"- Simon and Kapplan, 1989. I think this definition applies to hypertext because in designing a webpage, determining which links are the most important, and how to put them together, one is certainly forming logical inferences (what leads to what? how are they connected?). For example, in my own website, I was conflicted on how to arrange my pages-- should I include the physical abuse and the psychological abuse of workers on the same page? What about the psychological abuse and the effects of that abuse on the workers self esteem? In addition, when you read about cases of extraordinary abuse, you then are faced with the question, why aren't people responding better to help end these sweatshops? Once you think about that, you realize that it may be due to the fact that there is still a great deal of classism, racism, and anit immigrant sentiments in America. Stringing these connections together is my definition of critical thinking.
Another definition that strikes me is: "The purpose of critical thinking is, therefore, to achieve understanding, evaluate view points, and solve problems." In my own website making experience, I realized that the first task was to gain knowledge about whichever subject I was discussing. In the case of my hypertext essay 2, I am learning about garment workers, but also how global capitalism effects different groups of people so differently. Then, once you understand the situation, you can look at different perspectives, and see where people agree and disagree, and also which portion of the problem they chose to focus on. For example, some of my resources focused on the strides of the garment workers themselves, whereas others looked at the widening class and racial gaps within the Los Angeles garment industry. Only when you understand the problem and the view points can you even attempt to solve the problem. After you evaluate other people's viewpoints (some say that sweatshops are inevitable because of the high supply of immigrant labor) you make you own judgements (I would agrue that a large immigrant population is by no means a justification for treating people like dirt), and work on solving the problem.
Another definition that strikes me is: "The purpose of critical thinking is, therefore, to achieve understanding, evaluate view points, and solve problems." In my own website making experience, I realized that the first task was to gain knowledge about whichever subject I was discussing. In the case of my hypertext essay 2, I am learning about garment workers, but also how global capitalism effects different groups of people so differently. Then, once you understand the situation, you can look at different perspectives, and see where people agree and disagree, and also which portion of the problem they chose to focus on. For example, some of my resources focused on the strides of the garment workers themselves, whereas others looked at the widening class and racial gaps within the Los Angeles garment industry. Only when you understand the problem and the view points can you even attempt to solve the problem. After you evaluate other people's viewpoints (some say that sweatshops are inevitable because of the high supply of immigrant labor) you make you own judgements (I would agrue that a large immigrant population is by no means a justification for treating people like dirt), and work on solving the problem.
09 May 2007
2nd Hypertext Proposal
Low Wage Life as a Waitress
For my second hypertext I am going to do it on the life of a Low Wage Waitress. There are many who have either been a waitress, currently a waitress, or going to end up with a job as a waitress. For many it’s just a job so you can make some extra money so that your parents are not paying for everything. A lot of the time a person thinks of a teenager or some one in college who works as a waitress, but for may it’s a way of life. Their job as a waitress is their only source of money to live off of which they barely survive off it. A waitress paycheck is not all what its cracked up to be. Just because they get tips does not mean that they get paid the minimum plus tips. A waitress’s employer is “not required to pay a “tipped employee”. …more than $2.13 an hour in direct wages.’ As long as her tips and hourly wage add up to minimum wage then the employer does not have to make up the difference (Ehrenreich 16). The other problem is that not all the tips go directly to the waitress, but is split with the busboys and bartenders (Ehrenreich 28). When it comes to tips most customers base it on the waitress attitude and how good of a server they are. If they were really good customers are willing to leave a larger tip then the usual 10% of the bill, but if they feel the waitress performance was not so good they might give them only the 10% or maybe even less. The amount of tips also depends on what time of the day a waitress work. If the crowd is of customers is not very busy, then the tips for the day will be lower then a busier day.
Not only am I going to talk about the wage of a waitress, but also the conditions of their work and the life style they live. A lot of waitress are not only working to make money for herself, but are also for her family. It might be hard for a single person to survive off the money of a waitress job, but for a family especially a single mother seems impossible but they some how do it. Also there are single mother who not only work as a waitress, but have a second or third job. I am also going to talk about the women who not only are waitress, but also have another job and may also be attending school.
For my second hypertext I am going to do it on the life of a Low Wage Waitress. There are many who have either been a waitress, currently a waitress, or going to end up with a job as a waitress. For many it’s just a job so you can make some extra money so that your parents are not paying for everything. A lot of the time a person thinks of a teenager or some one in college who works as a waitress, but for may it’s a way of life. Their job as a waitress is their only source of money to live off of which they barely survive off it. A waitress paycheck is not all what its cracked up to be. Just because they get tips does not mean that they get paid the minimum plus tips. A waitress’s employer is “not required to pay a “tipped employee”. …more than $2.13 an hour in direct wages.’ As long as her tips and hourly wage add up to minimum wage then the employer does not have to make up the difference (Ehrenreich 16). The other problem is that not all the tips go directly to the waitress, but is split with the busboys and bartenders (Ehrenreich 28). When it comes to tips most customers base it on the waitress attitude and how good of a server they are. If they were really good customers are willing to leave a larger tip then the usual 10% of the bill, but if they feel the waitress performance was not so good they might give them only the 10% or maybe even less. The amount of tips also depends on what time of the day a waitress work. If the crowd is of customers is not very busy, then the tips for the day will be lower then a busier day.
Not only am I going to talk about the wage of a waitress, but also the conditions of their work and the life style they live. A lot of waitress are not only working to make money for herself, but are also for her family. It might be hard for a single person to survive off the money of a waitress job, but for a family especially a single mother seems impossible but they some how do it. Also there are single mother who not only work as a waitress, but have a second or third job. I am also going to talk about the women who not only are waitress, but also have another job and may also be attending school.
Hypertext #2 Proposal
A couple of years ago when I was in high school, I set up a service trip to the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. It is a reservation in which the Lakota Indians inhabit, scratching for survival each and every day. Young children are brought to the local Main, a place for them to spend there days before they enter schooling. Their parents, can barely afford to provide ends meat, as they both struggle by with low-wage jobs they hold.
For my hypertext essay two, I would like to delve into and expose the low-wage lifestyle that so many endure, especially on the Indian reservations in the United States. After visiting that reservation in South Dakota two years ago, I was struck dumb by the low wages that workers received as compensation. While few Native American families make the money necessary for a family to live, I found that the driving trend on the reservation is either unemployment or the fragmented low-wage jobs on which the people can barely survive. One of the only forms of employment on the reservation is construction work, and this is only seasonal. Not unlike the marble in a women’s house that Ehrenreich refers too, the street’s decay is the “bleeding… [of] the world-wide working class – the people show quarried the marble, wove your Persian rugs…” (90). And who is sent to fix these streets; the seasonal construction workers who live low-wage job to low-wage job. These construction workers live in “a world of pain – managed by Excedrin and Advil, compensated for with cigarettes and, in one or two cases and then only on weekends, with booze” (89).
The reservation only perpetuates the problem that these seasonal low-wage workers have to overcome. In the meat packing industry, workers are paid absolutely nothing and are worth absolutely nothing, as their death only amounts to a $480 fine to the company (Schlosser 178). This meager amount reflects the status and conditions in which these workers are placed. It is not hard to believe then that these low-wage workers must fend for themselves in order to break through, however until that break through their value is nothing as they are deemed indispensable.
It is my hope, that through my research I can show the mountains that low-wage construction workers face on the reservation everyday.
For my hypertext essay two, I would like to delve into and expose the low-wage lifestyle that so many endure, especially on the Indian reservations in the United States. After visiting that reservation in South Dakota two years ago, I was struck dumb by the low wages that workers received as compensation. While few Native American families make the money necessary for a family to live, I found that the driving trend on the reservation is either unemployment or the fragmented low-wage jobs on which the people can barely survive. One of the only forms of employment on the reservation is construction work, and this is only seasonal. Not unlike the marble in a women’s house that Ehrenreich refers too, the street’s decay is the “bleeding… [of] the world-wide working class – the people show quarried the marble, wove your Persian rugs…” (90). And who is sent to fix these streets; the seasonal construction workers who live low-wage job to low-wage job. These construction workers live in “a world of pain – managed by Excedrin and Advil, compensated for with cigarettes and, in one or two cases and then only on weekends, with booze” (89).
The reservation only perpetuates the problem that these seasonal low-wage workers have to overcome. In the meat packing industry, workers are paid absolutely nothing and are worth absolutely nothing, as their death only amounts to a $480 fine to the company (Schlosser 178). This meager amount reflects the status and conditions in which these workers are placed. It is not hard to believe then that these low-wage workers must fend for themselves in order to break through, however until that break through their value is nothing as they are deemed indispensable.
It is my hope, that through my research I can show the mountains that low-wage construction workers face on the reservation everyday.
Hypertext Essay 2.
The brainstorm topic that stood out to me the most last class period was “I feel so bad for you.” After the following week I realized that the low-wage job that I would like to expose involves the hardship and treatment of Mexican-American workers. After doing some research, the part that affects me the most about this particular group of low wage workers is how much America needs them, yet how badly we will pay them. The majority of Mexican-American workers are day workers with jobs ranging from field work, street vendors, maids, and other under-the-table jobs. There have been several studies recently about the Mexican immigrant population in Benfield, close to us in the Santa Clara Valley.
Ehrenreich touches on the views of being an immigrant worker in her book. The part that stood out the most for me through her experience was the fact that immigrant workers cannot defend themselves against abusive management. They often live in fear of being discovered and will work shifts last at night. She also writes about life working multiple jobs and how one handles issues with health, safety, and lack of training. Shipler’s chapter devoted to Third World countries emphasizes the idea that these kinds of low wage jobs done by immigrants pay little, have no benefits, and lead nowhere. This shatters the conventional idea of moving up in America.
For my hypertext, I would like to talk about the culture of the Mexican family. Are Mexican workers coming here alone and sending money to their families? Are their families coming with them? I will discuss the most common jobs of Mexican day workers and how they are treated by those that hire them. The Silicon Valley has experienced such an economic boom that we need more workers to aid in the growth of the Valley. I would like to explore how this affects the number of immigrants living here and what type of work they will be doing. I plan to explore ‘a day in the life’ and discover what costs families encounter when working minimum wage.
I think that as I research my topic will not appear to be so broad. Right now I need some help deciding which direction I want this to go or which job(s) I would be focusing on.
Ehrenreich touches on the views of being an immigrant worker in her book. The part that stood out the most for me through her experience was the fact that immigrant workers cannot defend themselves against abusive management. They often live in fear of being discovered and will work shifts last at night. She also writes about life working multiple jobs and how one handles issues with health, safety, and lack of training. Shipler’s chapter devoted to Third World countries emphasizes the idea that these kinds of low wage jobs done by immigrants pay little, have no benefits, and lead nowhere. This shatters the conventional idea of moving up in America.
For my hypertext, I would like to talk about the culture of the Mexican family. Are Mexican workers coming here alone and sending money to their families? Are their families coming with them? I will discuss the most common jobs of Mexican day workers and how they are treated by those that hire them. The Silicon Valley has experienced such an economic boom that we need more workers to aid in the growth of the Valley. I would like to explore how this affects the number of immigrants living here and what type of work they will be doing. I plan to explore ‘a day in the life’ and discover what costs families encounter when working minimum wage.
I think that as I research my topic will not appear to be so broad. Right now I need some help deciding which direction I want this to go or which job(s) I would be focusing on.
The Most Annoying Job
“Ring. Ring” You leave your seat at the dinner table and enter the kitchen. Walking towards the counter on which the telephone rests you wonder who would be calling at dinnertime. You answer nicely and are immediately greeted with a mispronunciation of your name. It’s a telemarketer trying to sell you some useless product you don’t need. Is there anything more frustrating than being interrupted in the middle of something important to be bothered by a complete stranger for a useless purpose? Now, as I see it, you have three options: 1. You could respond with a witty comment that you could tell you friends about later. “I’m sorry; could I get your number so that I can call you in the middle of dinner with your family?” 2. You could kindly say no thank you and ask them to remove you from their list. Or 3. you could actually need a new insurance policy or want to enter a drawing for a new car and choose to stay on the line and talk to them. The majority of people do not choose the third option and, in fact, most would say that telemarketers are one of the biggest annoyances. But have you ever wondered what it was like to be a telemarketer? Who is that voice on the end of the line? Have to deal with grouchy people all day and talking about something you probably don’t care much about- it doesn’t seem like a glamorous job, to say the least. I want to explore the telemarketing career and show a new side to a topic I think people are only too familiar with.
Hypertext 2 Topic Proposal
When I was in high school I went to a party at someone’s house and there was a stripper there. I was about 17 at the time and I think the girl was pretty similar to me in age. She was wearing nothing but a thong and high heels. I was totally disgusted. The boys were all standing around ogling at her naked body, and I remember one of them saying to another as they walked upstairs away from her, “Make sure you take a shower. I am sure she is really dirty.” It was so degrading, and I was so angry because I felt like she was betraying female kind by letting such stupid boys say things about her like that.
I want to discover why women do this, and how they think of themselves when they are doing it. I have heard that many women advocate it as liberating, and yet others are sucked into it through drug addictions at a young age. Are many women who decide to become strippers, immigrants who are trying to earn more money, or are they simply bored middle class females who want to try something fun and new? I want to be able to understand why many of these women choose a career that is so repulsive to me.
Do the women in the strip clubs remain overly loyal to their employers like the merry maids, or Kenny in the slaughter house? As Schlosser states, “While Kenny Dobbins was recuperating, Monfort fired him. Despite the fact that Kenny had been with the company for almost sixteen years, despite the fact that he was first in seniority at the Greeley plant, that he’d cleaned blood tanks with his bare hands, fought the union, done whatever the company had asked” (Schlosser, 190). Do they care about the men who watch them and pay for lap dances? Many employees seem to stay blindly loyal to abusive employers, and strippers seem like a prime candidate for abuse.
Do these women feel discriminated against or labeled as whores by society? Many of the strippers must feel unease when someone asks what they do for a living. Do they feel they cannot reveal to their friends and family what they do with their time? Low wage workers in many situations feel inadequate and discriminated against. For example the Merry Maids are not even allowed to ask the people whose house they are cleaning for a glass of water. It is as if the company wants the homeowners to feel that the maids are not on an equal footing to them. For example Ehrenreich says, “Maddy assigns me to do the kitchen floor. OK, except that Mrs. W is in the kitchen, so I have to go down on my hands and knees practically at her feet” (Ehrenreich, 83). Do strippers feel the same way as a merry maid when they have to squat down for the men in bars or give them lap dances in private rooms, or is it somehow empowering?
Are strippers able to unionize or are they prevented from unionizing like fast food workers. Schlosser gives an important example proving this when he states, “Tom and Mike Cappelli closed the St. Hubert McDonald’s on February 12, just weeks before the union was certified…Local union official were outraged” (Schlosser, 77). Strippers are, no matter how strange it seems, working, and as workers they face economic issues just like everyone else. It is important that they are paid a minimum wage and have the rights to unionize just like everyone else.
Do employers in the strip club industry value their employee’s bodies? Places like slaughter houses and restaurants definitely don’t based on the information from Ehrenreich, Shipler and Schlosser. Ehrenreich says, “I start tossing back drugstore-brand ibuprofens as if they were vitamin C, four before each shift, because an old mouse-related repetitive-stress injury in my upper back has come back…thanks to the tray carrying” (Ehrenreich, 33). Is it a better situation for women’s bodies in strip clubs or worse? It could be worse let’s say in terms of diseases that may be passed between employees and customers, but better in terms immediate violent dangers like back injuries or getting cut by a knife in a slaughter house. For example Schlosser says, “again and again workers told me that they are under tremendous pressure not to report injuries” (Schlosser, 175). Do they hire based on how a women looks like the women from Shipler’s book who did not get promotions because as Shipler puts it, “The people who got promotions tended to have something that Caroline did not. They had teeth” (Shipler, 52).
What age are most strippers? As Schlosser states, “The labor structure of the fast food industry demands a steady supply of young and unskilled workers” (Schlosser, 78). Are strippers teenagers, like the fast food workers? They should be over 18, but that does not necessarily mean they are. Does the strip club industry target a certain age group with drugs, or other ploys to attract a certain kind of low wage worker?
Some strippers do make above minimum wage, but a large percentage struggle to survive. These are the strippers that I will focus my paper on. I am really interested in this topic because I feel a connection to these women. I could just as easily be in the same situation as them, and I want to illustrate that strippers, as low wage workers, are taken advantage of, and should have more respect in society.
Low Wage Lifestyle of Single Mothers
I plan to look into the lives of single mother’s and the low wages that themselves, and their kids, have to live off of. Luckily, my parents are not divorced but I feel like more marriages are ending, leaving mothers in a bind. In Shipler’s The Working Poor, Caroline had a “marriage that produced three children, lasted fourteen years, and finally sank into a swamp of suspicion created by her husband’s infidelity… the relationship was then corroded by distrust” (Shipler 55). She, like most divorced women, got no share in the house, could not afford the taxes, and was only given $400 a month for the child support. The decline of employment these days is making it even harder for single mothers to find jobs when number of them went from being a stay at home mom (making them have little to no past experience). Ehrenreich wrote of a similar situation, “I drop off my application and am about to start hitting the Targets and Kmarts when I get an idea: no one is going to hire me based on an application showing no job experience—I have written, as usual, that I am a divorced housemaker reentering the workforce” (Ehrenreich 123). I want to explore this topic not just because unexpected divorces, but for other reasons too that women can become single parents; such as the passing of their husband, young teenage pregnancy, legal issues, etc. Overall I felt like this is a low wage lifestyle that I hope I never experience or my friends, but it is bound to happen later in my life to anyone from my mom, sisters, friends, or myself.
Single Mother’s: Working, but Still Poor http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/socialservices/20060810/15/1931
^ one link that I have Already found that could be relevant
Single Mother’s: Working, but Still Poor http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/socialservices/20060810/15/1931
^ one link that I have Already found that could be relevant
low wage topic proposal
When we think of
The fishing industry in particular is a very difficult life for the lobstermen to live by. Most of the industry is passed down from generation to generation and it is a family operated business, but it is still trying on the bank account, and body. The early hours, bitter cold, and fluctuation of the market do not help any of these factors as well.
For my “living the low wage life” project I hope to explore the lives and work of fishermen in
I look forward to exploring this topic as my grandmother, hailing from back-country
08 May 2007
Nick’s Hypertext Essay #2 Proposal - Emergency Medicine
Next time you have an emergency, be it from alcohol poisoning, stroke, a car-wreck, or maybe even something more serious, stop for a minute and contemplate the fact that the EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) or Paramedic serving you could easily be making less than the living-wage. Although many do manage to make ends meet in the emergency medical care professions, and unions are becoming more prominent, the truth is many of the people you might admire for devoting their lives to helping others are barely helping themselves at home.
Although long hours are deemed an ordinary part of the EMT or Paramedic’s job description, I think the extent to which some of these underpaid workers clock-in is dangerous both to themselves and to patients. It is difficult enough to make a potentially life-altering decision for a patient, now imagine doing it at the end of a 48 hour shift in an attempt to clock-in some overtime to pay the bills.
I think the best connection between the emergency medical field and our class reading has been Shipler’s analysis of the hidden fees. EMTs and Paramedics not only deal with confusing tax procedures, leases, and interest rates, but are in fact subject to horrendous hidden governmental fees for obtaining and maintaining their certificates to work in the medical field. If not making credit card payments and filing for bankruptcy seems bad, imagine not being able to afford your recertification fee; you would lose your job and potential to work with no ability to recover without starting over from square-one, a several-thousand dollar prospect.
Furthermore the emotional stress of these jobs are not taken into consideration; while it is certainly gross to work in a meatpacking plant full of dead cattle and bovine blood, imagine what it would be like to spend every day dealing with real people suffering. It is an emotional baggage that few can leave completely at the door.
For all these reasons, I believe it is time the emergency medical community had someone stand up and point out that struggling in
Reyn's Hypertext 2 Proposal: The Low Wage Life of a Waitress
I’ve chosen to do my hypertext 2 on the low-wage-life of a waitress. What inspired me to choose this topic was the “Serving in
The wage of a waitress, however, is very different from that of any other low-wage job. The difference is that the wage of a waitress is not consistent, as the majority of the wage comes from tips. In fact the base wage is usually about half of the minimum wage. Thus, if business is slow, or the customers decide not to leave tip, the average wage of a waitress can come out to the legal minimum wage, if not lower, as they have to pay a certain percentage of their tips to the busboys and bartenders (Ehrenreich 28). This uncertainty of the wage is what I’ll be focusing on in the hypertext.
I’ll also focus on the fact that sometimes this uncertain wage isn’t enough to live a decent life. In fact, for one adult with three children, an hourly wage of $9.24 or less in 2004 is considered as poverty, assuming that the person works forty hours a week (Shipler 9). This estimate, however, “cuts far below the amount needed for a decent living” (Shipler 9). Also, considering that this was three years ago, and the price of living has increased since then, the hourly wage which is considered poverty level is much higher than $9.24. Thus, I will also focus on how one waitressing job does not provide sufficient funds for a decent life, as on average the hourly wage is slightly above the minimum wage according to Ehrenreich.
The lifestyle which the low wage allows for will also be covered in my hypertext. I will comment on how many of the waitresses must share one person apartments or trailers to simply be able to pay the monthly rent (Ehrenreich 25-27).
Another thing I will focus on will be the way many waitresses are taken advantage of in terms of benefits such as health insurance, similarly to the way fast food employees are taken advantage of (Schlosser 73-74).
Workin in the Fields - A Proposal
My proposal for my second hypertext essay is the following.
Shipler Reading Response
Shipler’s commentary on the working poor in
07 May 2007
topic proposal for My Low Wage Life
I still need to develop my own "angle" a little more, but here is the idea:
For my Low Wage Life project, I am going to investigate sweatshops in the United States, focusing mainly on immigrant workers (legal and undocumented), and the ways in which they are exploited within the garment industry. I was inspired to write about this topic after reading “Importing the Third World,” Chapter Three of Shipler’s The Working Poor. Also, I noticed many parallels between the exploitation of sweatshop workers and that of slaughterhouse workers, as described by Schlosser, in Fast Food Nation. In both of these industries, time equals money, and there is enormous pressure on production speed: workers are fired if they cannot keep up with the extremely fast pace of the assembly line. In sweatshops, employers “expect workers to produce enough to reach the minimum wage,” and “fire anyone who consistently falls short. When the state raises the minimum wage, the employer usually raises the required speed of production and leaves the rate per piece unchanged” (Shipler, 79).
This emphasis on speed must have negative physical consequences, and surely injured workers in the garment industry face a similar fate as those in the meat processing industry: “From a purely economic point of view, injured workers are a drag on profits. They are less productive. Getting rid of them makes a good deal of financial sense, especially when new workers are readily available to train” (Schlosser, 175). Furthermore, the physical conditions of both the meat processing and sweatshops are extremely poor and hazardous. I also plan to find out what the rest of the work conditions are like. I image they are much like the productivity based professions described by Ehrenreich, in which there are no breaks (p 30), no lunch hour (p 77), and drinking water on the job is prohibited (p 84).
Those without legal documentation are completely at the mercy of their employers, having no job protections and constantly fearing deportation. I will find out the number of union members among garment seamstresses, but I bet it is very low. According to Schlosser, illegal immigrants are employed “at will,” meaning “they can be fired without warning, for just about any reason.” Equally disheartening is the fact that, as Shipler explains, “It is a sad truth now that a young person with limited skills and education arriving on these shores— or entering the workforce from a background of poverty— will start on the bottom rung only to discover that the higher rungs are beyond his grasp” (Shipler, 91). The inability to move upward from the lowest stratum of jobs was also echoed by Carol Stack in the second lecture, “Coming of Age at Minimum Wage.” Young people who do not have educational opportunities, and instead enter the garment industry, are probably stuck in that position for the rest of their life. I also plan to see what the prospects of their children look like.
I also want to look into the lives of the workers outside the factory— where do they live, how do they eat? How do they survive on such a low income? Do they get any kind of financial help? According to Shipler, illegal immigrants get “virtually no government benefits” (p 93) and don’t receive an Earned Income Tax Credit because most are “paid under the table in cash and think they’re better off avoiding the IRS” (p 14). Ehrenreich states, “Is there help for the hardworking poor? Yes, but it takes a determined and not too terribly poor person to find it” (p 101). With such long hours at less than minimum wage pay, what do they do with their children?
I also want to find out about the psychological impact of working in a factory: do garment workers have the same kind of desire to please their supervisors like the Merry Maids did in Nickel and Dimed (113)? Do the garment workers feel resentment at the fact that they are sewing gowns that will eventually be sold for hundreds (maybe thousands) of dollars to wealthy women, or do they share the position of the Merry Maids cleaning the houses of the rich: “All I can think of is like, wow, I’d like to have this stuff someday. It motivates me and I don’t feel the slightest resentment because, you know, it’s my goal to get where they are” (p 118).
I also plan to look at how global competition drives prices down and results in horrible working standards. As Shipler explains, “Global manufacturing has put the five thousand sewing factories in Los Angeles in cruel competition with those in Honduras, Cambodia, and other Third World countries where living standards and labor costs are exceedingly low” (page 79). Other perspectives that I want to look at are those of the manufacturers, designers, clothing companies like Guess? or Jessica McClintock, and large corporations who sell these products who manage to dodge responsibility for the maltreatment of workers by blaming the contractors who oversee the production of the clothing. Finally, I want to investigate possible solutions to bringing about more fair work conditions, whether it is boycotting certain brands, demanding more government protections, or even stopping the competition with Third World countries
For my Low Wage Life project, I am going to investigate sweatshops in the United States, focusing mainly on immigrant workers (legal and undocumented), and the ways in which they are exploited within the garment industry. I was inspired to write about this topic after reading “Importing the Third World,” Chapter Three of Shipler’s The Working Poor. Also, I noticed many parallels between the exploitation of sweatshop workers and that of slaughterhouse workers, as described by Schlosser, in Fast Food Nation. In both of these industries, time equals money, and there is enormous pressure on production speed: workers are fired if they cannot keep up with the extremely fast pace of the assembly line. In sweatshops, employers “expect workers to produce enough to reach the minimum wage,” and “fire anyone who consistently falls short. When the state raises the minimum wage, the employer usually raises the required speed of production and leaves the rate per piece unchanged” (Shipler, 79).
This emphasis on speed must have negative physical consequences, and surely injured workers in the garment industry face a similar fate as those in the meat processing industry: “From a purely economic point of view, injured workers are a drag on profits. They are less productive. Getting rid of them makes a good deal of financial sense, especially when new workers are readily available to train” (Schlosser, 175). Furthermore, the physical conditions of both the meat processing and sweatshops are extremely poor and hazardous. I also plan to find out what the rest of the work conditions are like. I image they are much like the productivity based professions described by Ehrenreich, in which there are no breaks (p 30), no lunch hour (p 77), and drinking water on the job is prohibited (p 84).
Those without legal documentation are completely at the mercy of their employers, having no job protections and constantly fearing deportation. I will find out the number of union members among garment seamstresses, but I bet it is very low. According to Schlosser, illegal immigrants are employed “at will,” meaning “they can be fired without warning, for just about any reason.” Equally disheartening is the fact that, as Shipler explains, “It is a sad truth now that a young person with limited skills and education arriving on these shores— or entering the workforce from a background of poverty— will start on the bottom rung only to discover that the higher rungs are beyond his grasp” (Shipler, 91). The inability to move upward from the lowest stratum of jobs was also echoed by Carol Stack in the second lecture, “Coming of Age at Minimum Wage.” Young people who do not have educational opportunities, and instead enter the garment industry, are probably stuck in that position for the rest of their life. I also plan to see what the prospects of their children look like.
I also want to look into the lives of the workers outside the factory— where do they live, how do they eat? How do they survive on such a low income? Do they get any kind of financial help? According to Shipler, illegal immigrants get “virtually no government benefits” (p 93) and don’t receive an Earned Income Tax Credit because most are “paid under the table in cash and think they’re better off avoiding the IRS” (p 14). Ehrenreich states, “Is there help for the hardworking poor? Yes, but it takes a determined and not too terribly poor person to find it” (p 101). With such long hours at less than minimum wage pay, what do they do with their children?
I also want to find out about the psychological impact of working in a factory: do garment workers have the same kind of desire to please their supervisors like the Merry Maids did in Nickel and Dimed (113)? Do the garment workers feel resentment at the fact that they are sewing gowns that will eventually be sold for hundreds (maybe thousands) of dollars to wealthy women, or do they share the position of the Merry Maids cleaning the houses of the rich: “All I can think of is like, wow, I’d like to have this stuff someday. It motivates me and I don’t feel the slightest resentment because, you know, it’s my goal to get where they are” (p 118).
I also plan to look at how global competition drives prices down and results in horrible working standards. As Shipler explains, “Global manufacturing has put the five thousand sewing factories in Los Angeles in cruel competition with those in Honduras, Cambodia, and other Third World countries where living standards and labor costs are exceedingly low” (page 79). Other perspectives that I want to look at are those of the manufacturers, designers, clothing companies like Guess? or Jessica McClintock, and large corporations who sell these products who manage to dodge responsibility for the maltreatment of workers by blaming the contractors who oversee the production of the clothing. Finally, I want to investigate possible solutions to bringing about more fair work conditions, whether it is boycotting certain brands, demanding more government protections, or even stopping the competition with Third World countries
05 May 2007
The Working Poor Response
The first thing that struck me was the way cleaning companies take advantage of immigrants. I could not believe that they work for free for a couple of months because that is supposedly part of the deal and then they are fired because of “Too many complaints.” I just don’t understand how people in these companies who are hiring the immigrants and basically using them for slave labor can live with themselves. I think that there should be organizations that help low wage workers get set up with companies who will not take advantage of them.
I think the fear that these people must experience all the time seems so unfair. I think everyone in
The section on credit card companies also scared me because they are targeting people who don’t have a lot of money and charging them ridiculous fines. It is so sad. Then there is the problem of taxes. I have already filled out tax forms for the work, and they are so confusing! Then people have to pay absurd prices like 100 dollars to get someone else to do their taxes for them. As Shipler says, ““Easy- money lenders point fingers at the subprime class they helped create, then punish the borrowers with significantly higher interest rates and fees” College students are now new target”(23).
Then there is the problem of the advertising culture of the
The most devastating example for me was Caroline. She could not afford healthcare, so her teeth rotted and fell out. So, then when she interviewed for a job she was not hired because of her appearance. She worked so hard and she seemed like such a good person. It was so disgusting that her ex was sexually abusing her daughter, and it is so sad that her daughter was mentally disabled because it guarantees that she also will not be able to make any money. It’s this vicious circle that I never knew existed. Then her mentality was kind of shocking. I can’t believe she said, “I want to be average, I think rich people have a lot of problems” (72).
The Korean people were also very sad because they came to the states expecting they could get and education and move up in the world. Yet the price of living is so absurd that they ended up working in a Korean restaurant, which pays them next to nothing.
All, these examples make me realize that these people are really not much different from me. They have been sucked in by the advertising culture of the
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