Posted on 07/31/2006 8:08:04 AM PDT by redstates4ever
Alan Beggerow has stopped looking for work. Laid off as a steelworker at 48, he taught math for a while at a community college. But when that ended, he could not find a job that, in his view, was neither demeaning nor underpaid.
So instead of heading to work, Mr. Beggerow, now 53, fills his days with diversions: playing the piano, reading histories and biographies, writing unpublished Western potboilers in the Louis L’Amour style — all activities once relegated to spare time. He often stays up late and sleeps until 11 a.m.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Photo Caption: "Alan and Cathleen Beggerow have been scraping by since he lost his job in 2001, and he is not seeking work."
They'e obviously not scraping by *that* much, as their individual weights look to be around 300 lbs. Where is their sense of shame? A generation ago, men like this would have been scorned by their communities
Well,that's *two* votes for The Former Twelfth Lady in '08.
Good liberal voters!!!! A good sterotype.
Part of his daily routine does not appear to be pedicures. eek!
>>Where is their sense of shame? A generation ago, men like this would have been scorned by their communities<<
A person or a couple have a right to work less or not at all if they are living withing their means - its only if they want the government to pay for them that I have a problem.
Cut off the damn welfare! When he gets down to a svelt 250 he'll go back to work!
He can thank his (former?) union for artificially elevating his sense of self worth to the point of being unemployable. Simply put, he can't find a job because he thinks he's worth more than the market does.
If he can't find a job he likes, why doesn't he at least start a home business selling stuff on Ebay or something? If you work for yourself, you can't gripe about the boss.
I think that concept goes a bit further back in history.
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10
Ditto!!! I agree. The less stress, the man probably would live longer and have less health problems. As long as he is living within his means and not demanding the government for hand outs, I agree with you!!! I knew a guy who retired early, took his pension (half of his regular pay) and moved out to Idaho where the cost of living is low and life is quiet. He is living the life of leisure, pursuing hobbies, fan fiction writing and enjoying life in his late 50's.
They are also white, a statistical aberration, and the New York Times has once again shown us their visceral hatred for the average Joe.
I agree. If they are the government dole, shame on him, but if not more power to him. I don't think work for the sake of work is necessarily a virtue. Work is a way of supporting oneself for most people. He appears to be at least trying to improve his mind, unlike many people who actually do work.
I'm not sure this is the best example of what the Times story wants to illustrate. He isn't spending his entire day watching Oprah. Reading, learning, and writing aren't the worst things a man could be doing on what used to be called a sabbatical.
Who knows ? Those unpublished novels might reach a publisher yet. A new Louis L’Amour wouldn't be a bad thing.
I'm so lucky I didn't end up with a loser like this. 0.o
Sad! My husband said he would work at McDonald's if it meant work. Some jobs that may be temporarily "demeaning" can lead to better things. My husband worked as a temp driver for less than his previous job. He became a contractor and now makes more.
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