Nickel & Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich (A Review) - Obnoxious Book Alert

[SamAdams76]

Anyway, I thought this review might provoke some interesting discussion. I understand that it is difficult, if not impossible, to make ends meet on a minimum wage and I do have empathy for the "working poor" because I used to be one of them.

But the working poor will stay the working poor no matter what we artificially set the minimum wage at because the prices of goods and services will quickly rise to a level where they are right back where they started.

I think I can speak on this subject with a lot more experience than the insufferable Barbara Ehrenreich because I worked these kinds of jobs and unlike Barbara, I didn't have much of a choice in the matter, nor did I have anything to fall back on.

My solution to the problem was simple. Instead of copping a "poor me" attitude that so plagues the working poor, due in large part to liberals like Ehrenreich, making them feel like they are being victimized by the nasty conservative capitalists, I simply busted my hump, developed my skills and moved on to better things.

These low-paying jobs are entry-level. They are not designed for people to make careers out of them. They exist to give people a foothold in the workplace so they can prove themselves and move on to positions of higher responsibility (and pay). The mentality that you can take a job as a supermarket bagger for $6 an hour and then expect the raises to come fast and furious has got to stop. A supermarket bagger is worth $6 an hour whether you've been doing it for fifteen years or for fifteen minutes. I was a supermarket bagger when I was 17 and I only did it for three months before I was promoted to the dairy department. And so on. If you take a job like this and you prove to be dependable and trustworthy, and able to take on additional responsibility, you will be promoted. Then, using that job as a reference, you can obtain a totally different job with a different company for even more responsibility and pay. This is what is called "building a resume." This country is full of people who went from stocking supermarket shelves to CEO. But you don't need to go all the way to CEO to be successful. You can make a very good living for yourself just by performing your job to the best of your ability and accepting new training, challenges and responsibility as the opportunities come along. Having the attitude "It ain't my job, man" or "I ain't doing nuttin' more than necessary" will ensure that you stay mired in these low paying jobs for life. But hey, I guess the world needs burger flippers and grocery baggers too.

[sauropod]

How the hell could u not know who Barbara Ehrenreich is???

G-d, A wastrel from He**

Deus Vult! 'Pod

[sauropod]

Been there, done that (working min wage). It is honorable work.

[SFmom]

Thank you for this valuable service of reviewing this book. I hope you will do the world a favor and post the review at Amazon.com!

[Dianna]

I read this book awhile back. Hated it too.

[SamAdams76]

I knew who she was. Like I said, I didn't even notice the author until I took it home. This time of year, I usually grab some cheap paperbacks to bring to the beach with me (so if they get ruined, it's not a big deal). The title caught my eye as I was checking out and I grabbed it because I like reading books that deal with the workplace, as I am a manager myself and I gain perspective by reading books of this nature. Had I noticed who wrote the book, it would have gone right back on the shelf, believe me! But my hands were full and I didn't take the time I should have.

[keithtoo]

Yup. I've read of this book without actually reading the book. What I understand the book says is that it is impossible to live in the US while working a minimum wage job, nothwistanding that there are millions of folks doing it. Of course the majority of those folks are kids maiking money to waste on obnoxiously loud bass speakers for their suped up Hondas or obnoxiously expensive rags from the GAP.

What this book does prove conclusively is that overeducated East Coast Liberals with graduate degrees from zillion dollar Universities cannont survive on the street but we already knew that!

[SamAdams76]

Already submitted to Amazon.com. You should see it there by the end of the week. That is, if the review doesn't get censored (hasn't happened to me yet).

[razorback-bert]

the "neoconservative" books (like John Grisham

John a any kinda conservative is far out.

[SamAdams76]

Barbara actually used John Grisham novels as an example in her book of "low-brow conservative literature." It surprised the heck out of me too because I never thought of Grisham as a conservative writer.

This lady is a genuine wack-job.

[APBaer]

"This time of year, I usually grab some cheap paperbacks to bring to the beach"

This should *learn* you to next time pick up some Playboys, for the articles, of course.

[Lee_Atwater]

I've heard of the book, but have never read the book. So, I won't comment. I'll take you word.

As far as your comments, you are not alone. I worked at age 16 till I graduated college at a grocery store (a large chain - 80 stores - that was part of a grocery store firm based in Europe). I worked as a bagger for 3 days then got sent to the stock room to sort shipments into aisles for the 3rd shift stock crew. From there I did stock work in dairy, frozen, and dry grocery. I could have had a job in the corporate office after graduation, but decided to take a job I was offered through campus recruiting. By the time I left the grocery store I was making $8.50 (plus differential for working 3rd shift),paid vacation/personal time and the opportunity to get benefits ... not bad for part time work! And the work was not that physically taxing.

Hard work pays off!

[speekinout]

There's a lot to be said for min wage jobs. I had many of them during hs and college. None of them challenged my mind, and I had this constant refrain - "study, and I ain't gonna have to keep this job"!
These jobs were great motivation. And I'm glad they were available. No one would have hired me for a "living wage" in those days.

And I'm far from the only one who took what I learned from min wage jobs to go on to much better circumstances. That first rung on the ladder can be the hardest one to climb.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

I recall seeing this moron on some sort of panel right after this book came out (I think it was on C-SPAN 2). She was really an irritating Marxist hag- I remember turning her off in the middle of one of her rants about the poor, suffering workers and the greedy capitalist pigs!

I have also worked for minimum wage- but I didn't make it my life's work to continue doing so!

[mikeb704]

For this book, Barbara Ehrenreich, a nationally known left-wing feminist with socialist leanings. . .

Fortunately, there aren't too many right-wing feminists with socialist leanings.

Regards. Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

[Fracas]

I think it's a good idea to read books by authors with opposing points of view. I want to know what they think - if only for the challenge to make cogent rebuttals (which you did).

You might get a response from her after she reads your Amazon review. I posted a review of a book and received a very long, detailed Email from the author, and we have been corresponding for more than 3 years. Another author sent me an Email to thank me for helping boost sales. LOL.

[jimtorr]

**I never thought of Grisham as a conservative writer. **

I think there are two reasons why Grisham may be considered a conservative writer.

One, his characters are generally conservative, and two, his books are popular. Therefore, to the liberal elite, he is looked down on as a conservative writer. Just being wildly popular without graphic sex I think is enough for the liberal elite to treat a writer with disdain.

[SamAdams76]

In the book, Barbara tries to make her "co-workers" in these low-skill jobs out to be victims of tyrannical bosses and who are "enslaved" by the corporations they work for. If you read between the lines however, it is apparent that many of these workers "had issues" that prevented them from climbing the ladder to something better.

The vast majority of people who take these kind of jobs move on to better things. That is why we have such a huge and prosperous middle class in this country. There are millions of working-class people making decent livings in this country and they have the houses, cars and other trappings to prove it.

But there will always be a bottom rung on the ladder no matter how much the guilt-ridden liberals try to legislate or tax it away. We need people to do the "scut work" in this country too. Not everybody can be a prosperous white-collar worker with a big house in some leafy suburb - not all at the same time, anyhow. We will always need people to pick up the garbage or bag the groceries or wait on tables in restaurants, etc. Now people can work those kind of jobs all their lives or they can develop the skills necessary to move up to the next rung on the ladder so some young kid can take their place behind them for a while. The choice is up to them.

[SamAdams76]

I get responses from authors as well. Pro and con. I think it's pretty cool. One author just sent me a copy of his new book so that I could be one of the first to review it! I can't reveal his name however because he told me not to. Is soliciting reviews for a book considered unethical or is it that he is sending me a free book that is the issue? I don't think I'll be getting a reply from Ms. Marxist Feminazi however.

[Fracas]

I wouldn't worry about the ethics; Amazon doesn't pay for reviews, and you're not selling your review to the NYT (unfortunately - you could do a MUCH better job!).

Isn't it neat to get those replies? I haven't received any replies to my negative reviews, but I know a few who have. I haven't received any books - free or otherwise - but I have served as a sounding board for plot development.

I've been at Amazon tonight reading the reviews of Wolfram's book; I think giving the book away might not improve the negative reviews.