Anyone read Nickeled and Dimed...

[Reverend_Smitty]

by Barbara Erenreich? I had to read it my first year in college. The book angered me, saddened me and frightened me all at the same time.

What are your thoughts on the book?

[eyesroll]

1. Pretty much the same

I edit a magazine for the cleaning industry, and although I work primarily on the commerical side, I've interviewed residential cleaners (including the guy in charge of The Maids, who was cited in the book). Things like this make me loathe some of my readers, really...

I also haven't been in Wal-Mart in a very long time.

[solinvictus]

2. My thoughts...

Ehrenreich took a realistic concept: that the working poor in this country are largely incapable of earning enough money to survive, and completely screwed it up with her own patrician liberal attitude. In her experience, Ehrenreich is shows some obvious contempt for those she considers her intellectual inferiors. I remember a particular point at which she's working for a maid service crew and she berates a young woman who stated that the workers had to take an aptitude test for the position. Now, keep in mind that this young woman was the sole support for her husband and another relative. If I remember correctly, the girl was so poor that a Doritos Big Grab pack of chips and a 20oz. soda had to last her for lunch over the course of two days.
Ehrenreich's attitude poisons the book for me because despite her professed sympathies, she seems to carry classist views of those around her.

On edit: There's a similar book titled "The Betrayal of Work" that explores a broad base of the working poor and offers concrete solutions to the problems. Much better, in my view, than Ehrenreich.

[ALago1]

3. I loved it

What fascinated me was how the working poor that she worked beside had an overall sense of disempowerment and felt there was literally nothing they could do to better their situation.

For example, her co-workers at Wal-Mart just kinda looked at her funny when she suggested the possibility of unionization - as did the maids when she suggested that they demand more money from the boss and some decent benefits. They seemed content to be trampled upon because they have ingrained in their mind that they are inferior and lucky to have the job in question in the first place.

Also, she made me realize just how grueling jobs such as waitressing are - something I've taken for granted.

[Reverend_Smitty]

4. My mom worked as a waitress for years...

and she worked like a dog to put food on the table and clothes on my back. Because of that I've always given waiters/waitresses the benefit of the doubt. I try to be as polite as possible to them and I always leave 20%.

[solinvictus]

5. Yep

20% is my starting point, usually higher. Additionally, if something's wrong with my food, I sure as hell let the wait staff know I don't blame them and it will not affect my view of their efforts. I hate to see people treat wait staff, fast food workers, retail, etc. like shit. It makes me want to react with swift and terrible violence against them.

[ALago1]

6. Me too

Dealing with already overfed customers who whine because they don't get their food in 10 minutes would eventually put me over the edge - not to mention the fact that servers are constantly in motion and having to multi-task on their feet for their whole shift.

I give your mom and others like her all the respect and credit they deserve!

[LSU_Subversive]

7. I read it a few years ago and found it to be rather simplistic.

But easy reading for people who aren't used to reading non-fiction. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for more information on welfare and employment.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. I've read it and lived it at times. My experience left me humbled and

allied with workers of all levels, but especially those who have to break their asses for not enough money. Not many people have an opportunity to understand that money is work saved up, and work is hard, laborous toil.

[Sabriel]

9. Although I've waitressed for a living,

I never had to scrounge for a place to live, and the book made me realize how incredibly lucky I've been, to generally be able to find affordable housing.

My only gripe is that although she does look at class issues, she doesn't go into how race and class interact for the working poor.

She also seems to have some issues with fat people, which I found a bit anti-intellectual.

[politicat]

10. Read it when it came out....

Erhenreich is in my union. It's just one of those things that I tend to read books by fellow union members if I can get my hands on them and they have any interest for me at all.

I remember being appalled by the lack of sympathy that others have for workers - like the Walmart shopper who leaves a disaster behind her, even though she's just as likely to work some scut job that makes her miserable, too. It reminded me of my own misguided days as a walmart employee.

I think in a lot of ways she didn't go far enough on the class issues. We americans are so unwilling to talk about class, and there she was, right in the middle of a great place to talk about it... and nothing.

I did like the fact that she emphasized the problems of diet - how the poor are handed a box full of empty calories at the emergency food aid center...

Pcat

[solinvictus]

12. Class

I agree, she ignored the emerging (or sustained) class structure in the US. Ehrenreich really seemed to take that baggage with her while doing her research as well, so it's no surprise she didn't use it as a major issue.

[NightTrain]

11. I read the book when it first came out.

As one who has spent his entire adult life working menial jobs for shit wages, Ehrenreich didn't tell me too much that I hadn't already known. However, I'm still glad that she 1) wrote the book and 2) kept it simple so that it could appeal to more than "the choir."

By the way, next Monday I'm starting a new job that pays $12 an hour. This'll be the first time that I've worked for an actual living wage! :bounce:

[Sahjhan]

13. I enjoyed the book.

Although, it's really sad that Wal-Mart treats their employees like s***, especially since the employees are the ones who help Wal-Mart earn billions of dollars in profits every year.

It's also sad that people cannot afford to feed themselves, their families, and pay their bills with one job. They have to work two or three jobs just to get by (like Erenreich did).

I hope all this changes someday. People should be able to support themselves with only one job on a decent wage.