I’m sorry but I have to get this outta my system
I dunno if I can articulate this well or not but I am at the end of my rope with the trope about how employers are crying out for employees and no one is applying because they would rather sit on their ass collecting unemployment benefits / stimulus money because its MORE than what they might earn working.
Yes, there are people out there who always choose to live on the dole instead of working for a living. I have known some in my time.
I don’t think what’s going on now is as simple as that. We are living through a pandemic and yes, it’s still going on, vaccines or not. If I were unemployed during this debacle, I wonder if I would be looking for a job. On the one hand, people need to feed themselves and their kids. But what if the jobs they are qualified for involve dealing with the public? What is the risk? Is it worth it? Plus, what if taking the stimulus allows someone to exist via a side business? I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
Yes we have vaccines now but we are still getting conflicting information about the “rules” because *science* is still trying to figure them out. I can parse some of that information because my somehow naturally analytical mind (and my education) have given me a few random tools to do that. What the f*ck is up with the folks on facebook who randomly share memes and articles that they haven’t read about this subject. Sorry but f*ck those folks. Please please please please READ whatever articles you are posting before you post or share them.
Also, I think most people want to work for a living. They also want to be paid a wage that provides them a safe home, food, and a reliable vee-hickle, y’know to get them to work. If you are complaining about not finding employees in this ongoing pandemic, ask yourself if you are PAYING THEM ENOUGH TO LIVE.
A book I just started is “A Garden of Earthly Delights” by Joyce Carol Oates. She’s an author I’ve had to warm up to but this book starts with a family in extreme poverty traveling around the USA picking fruit. Not immigrants. We have to take care of our own, not that we shouldn’t also welcome immigrants. We don’t have to turn into “socialists” to do any of this. We simply have to be kind to others and help them out if we can.
Good night. KW
May 4th, 2021 at 7:27 pm
I agree. It’s a complex human and economic situation, and those who resort to simplistic memes (about many things, not just this) are too often ignorant and judgmental. The banes of my existence are having to constantly fact check, not have my fact checks believed because they didn’t come from one of their limited intelligence sources, or those who don’t bother to read articles or do any research before commenting.
May 4th, 2021 at 7:44 pm
The thing I find most curious is that the level of $1600/2 weeks seems to have been set as the amount the average American needs to make ends meet. In most places that’s more than twice the minimum wage. Not sure why more people aren’t talking about that.
May 5th, 2021 at 5:58 pm
People also seem to be willfully ignoring the fact that a) employees pay into unemployment before they receive it, and b) unemployment is a stop gap which runs out after a matter of time. Increased unemployment will not continue indefinitely. I’m 100% sure it will be rolled back the moment things are actually “back to normal.” I don’t see any evidence so far that our governing bodies believe people shouldn’t have to work for most of their lives, nor that they should be guaranteed jobs/wages that provide a minimum standard of living. Anything that’s been implied to that effect hasn’t been put into practice and I’m personally doubtful that it will be anytime soon. And what about people (women, mostly) who are unable to return to work because they have care responsibilities (elders, disabled, children) they are not paid for, and that are not compatible with working or hiring outside help right now? Let the people have a few more months of scraping by on unemployment, I just don’t think I can be convinced it’s really going to hurt anything in the long run. God forbid people have an iota of breathing room during a global humanitarian disaster.
May 5th, 2021 at 6:07 pm
All of my commenters have said and expanded on what I tried to say so much more eloquently. To Isa (my daughter), I have to remember the year my mother (her grandmother) declined and died. I was her only living child and I will NEVER FORGET how well my boss and colleagues supported me when I was stuck for long periods of time in the yooperland (5 hours away from my home). When I finally returned to my office and saw a LADDER in my cube festooned with crepe paper and other decorations, I knew I still had a job. So sad for those who lose their jobs because they are struggling to support ill family members. Love y’all, KW.