Nickle and Dimed Argument essay Essays

Nickle and Dimed Argument essay Essays Nickle and Dimed Argument essay Essay Nickle and Dimed Argument essay Essay Every day, millions of low-wage working class Americans venture forth into a reality of unsubstantial living and work environments, plagued with uncertainty. In Barbara Ehrenreichs novel, Nickel and Dimed On (Not) Getting By In America, she experiences the low-wage working world first hand, writing upon her experiences about many of hardships she faced. She exposes the substandard ways in which these wage- earners work and live, touching on the topics of business practices with negative effects, lack of government aid and criminalization of poor, and middle to upper class isrepresentation of the situations of the poor, utilizing each in an argument stating the socioeconomic environment of America is not feasible in regards to millions upon millions of Americans and how they live. Practices of certain employers do not make it any less difficult for low-wage workers to live, as Ehrenreich shows clearly through her writings on Walmart and The Maids cleaning service, but these practices extend to many other businesses as well. First and foremost is the low-wage these workers are paid, which is incredibly disproportionate to the amount of physical labor low-wage workers are subjected to (Ehrenreich, 72). Ehrenreich also puts on display the pitiful incentives which employers attempt to use as a means to Justify the low-wages their workers are paid, these include continental breakfasts (coffee and donuts), employee discounts, or some other excuse to keep wages low. While working at Walmart, ehrenreich also experienced another practice of large corporations, spreading out right lies and demonizing unions as evil wage stealing monsters, who no longer have much to offer orkers. Here Ehrenreich paints a very clear picture of corporations, greedy, controlling entities that steal the life, energy, and labor of the people they employe. This lead into the idea that management, along with the corporation it supports, is truly more corporate than actually human. Barbara Ehrenreich discusses the managers at both the Hearthside and Jennys, who belittle employees and make them out to be little more than replaceable workhorses, illustrated by Ehrenreichs analysis of the want ads, which do not necessarily reflect open positions, but as she came to nderstand, they simply reflect which employers are looking for replacements and a constant stream of cheap labor. Barbara Ehrenreichs argument that certain practices of employers cause negative effects clearly has weight to it, and comes together with her larger argument concerning the socioeconomic environment of America. Along with touching upon her experiences with Employer practices, Barbara Ehrenreich also utilizes her experience with the lack of government aid she faced, and the criminalization of the poor she was exposed to, in her argument. While searching for inancial and food assistance in Maine, Ehrenreich encounters several hurdles, which many others have likely encountered in their search for aid. A common theme seems to be having to speak to the people on the phone lines who represent the organizations, until they finally relent and either offer another number or some type of assistance, of which Ehrenreich only was able to acquire after spending 70 minutes in driving and calling, along with $2. 80, for $7. 2 worth of food, which came to milk, cereal, a pound of chopped meat, and a can of kidney beans. Not the most utritionally Olverse T TTs, out tney get tne Joo done . DlsaalnTul attltuaes towards aid seekers, criminalization of the poor, anti-begging laws and similar ordinances being passed in large cities, which keep the destitute from sleeping or sitting in public places, though officials boast the ordinances are aimed at all, they are kidding themselves when they believe they do not discriminate. It only appears that the crackdown and criminalization on the poor has increased, a homeless man was arrested in a shelter for being homeless, Barbara states after a friend had told er. Laws against handing out food to those in need in public places have even been put in place. More evidence pointing towards a downward trend in the living statuses of the poor Barbara observed. This criminalization likely stems from another topic that Barbara Ehrenreich covers in her argument against the current environment the poor must face, which is middle to upper class misrepresentation of the poor. Many middle to upper class people have the notion that many of the poor are able to in fact do research about the types of employment available to them, also being ble to drive the long distances and locate charitable agencies which will of course help them very much, but the food assistance offered to the destitute by these organization provides empty calories, from candy, sugary cereals, fatty red meats, and other things that are not fruits, vegetables, or quality ingredients for balanced meals. Ehrenreich notes that though many middle and upper class people look down upon the poor for their assumed substandard diets, but when put in perspective what is there alternative? Those who have tried to supply the destitute with healthier eals have been criminalized as well. As with the case of Barbara Ehrenreichs co- workers, and many other low-wage workers across America, employment is not a magical spell, capable of curing all of lifes woes immediately. It does help by providing some financial support, but low-wage employment is incredibly unpredictable and difficult to live with. Also, Ehrenreich learned later as she experienced the low-wage work environment, that the poor do not have secret tips and tricks for surviving and making it much better for themselves, their life styles ruly are not glamorous in any sense of the word. Barbara Ehrenreichs argument presented in Nickel and Dimed On (Not) Getting By In America covers the current socioeconomic environment in America and how it continues to shape the lives of the low-wage working class, and how it is not feasible in its current state. Covering several topics while melding them together with her own personal experiences, Ehrenreich creates an effective argument calling for better treatment and conditions for low-wage workers in America, possibly all over the world.