The bubble thing is so true. We may someday get rid of the race and gender bubble but I don’t see the class one going anywhere. I do think the ones kicking and screaming the loudest about losing their privileges are quite aware of their mediocrity. They would have no reason to react if they truly believed they could compete on a level playing field.
I see my children struggling with this issue. I fully believe classism is alive and active. It saddens me that more people don’t see how ridding the country of DEI is a bad idea. At least Costco is fighting it (at least for now).
Age discrimination laws came into being when I was in my early 20s. At times I was told they’d like to hire me but they had to pick someone older. Then when I got older, I became “overqualified” and they were afraid I wouldn’t stay long so they always went with the younger person who didn’t know nearly as much. My only advantage was that I was married, which provided the bulk of our income and benefits.
Every decent job I had was from someone I knew. In the 80s and 90s there were no decent jobs in Montana. So we had to leave to find work. The main reasons is that in my field (underground hard rock mining) you needed to be comfortable and trust the people working around you. You wanted people you knew, not just their work history but their temperament because your life might depend on it. Many times I would see the same faces at different mines over and over all from my home state. Hispanics were hired mainly because they kicked ass, had a lot of experience because they really knew how to work. They would come with glowing compliments from other employers. For the most part in my experience for men it’s very much about who you knew. Most of the guys with the best jobs were also heavy duty brown nosers, they would have their head up the bosses ass so far they could see where he was going in the dark.
Just wanted to share three things that delighted me:
1. "non-newspaperly"
2. "So instead, I had to hire and train myself. I knew I was good."
3. Your husband's health insurance (my husband and I are both self-employed and rely on the ACA, which itself is a precarious way to live these days ... )
I'm happy to offer you that recognition! I'm (finally!) a (paid!) subscriber here after the universe kept throwing you my way -- your words were showing up in place after place, and they kept moving me, as someone who cares deeply about these issues and as someone without a ton of financial privilege, and eventually I was like WHO IS THIS PERSON and happily subscribed lol.
I've had three jobs since graduating college in 1967: One year as a journalism teacher at Richwoods High School in Peoria, Illinois; two years as front-page editor at the Kankakee (Illinois) Daily Journal: and 37 years on the copydesk of the Peoria (Illinois) Journal Star. I walked into all three jobs. I knew nobody. Maybe times were different back then.
The argument for meritocracy becomes even more bleak when you notice that areas that normally present themselves as meritocratic (sports, military) are also rigged due to favoritism or other factors (eg. inside sports gambling).
The bubble thing is so true. We may someday get rid of the race and gender bubble but I don’t see the class one going anywhere. I do think the ones kicking and screaming the loudest about losing their privileges are quite aware of their mediocrity. They would have no reason to react if they truly believed they could compete on a level playing field.
Meritocracy is a myth, and most people don't realize or want to admit how much of a role luck has played.
So true. The unpaid internship thing is especially egregious to me.
I see my children struggling with this issue. I fully believe classism is alive and active. It saddens me that more people don’t see how ridding the country of DEI is a bad idea. At least Costco is fighting it (at least for now).
Age discrimination laws came into being when I was in my early 20s. At times I was told they’d like to hire me but they had to pick someone older. Then when I got older, I became “overqualified” and they were afraid I wouldn’t stay long so they always went with the younger person who didn’t know nearly as much. My only advantage was that I was married, which provided the bulk of our income and benefits.
Every decent job I had was from someone I knew. In the 80s and 90s there were no decent jobs in Montana. So we had to leave to find work. The main reasons is that in my field (underground hard rock mining) you needed to be comfortable and trust the people working around you. You wanted people you knew, not just their work history but their temperament because your life might depend on it. Many times I would see the same faces at different mines over and over all from my home state. Hispanics were hired mainly because they kicked ass, had a lot of experience because they really knew how to work. They would come with glowing compliments from other employers. For the most part in my experience for men it’s very much about who you knew. Most of the guys with the best jobs were also heavy duty brown nosers, they would have their head up the bosses ass so far they could see where he was going in the dark.
Nepotism has always thrived in Hollywood....
It's VISIBLE there. I think if we only saw it, it thrives in insurance and real estate and law etc. too.
Just wanted to share three things that delighted me:
1. "non-newspaperly"
2. "So instead, I had to hire and train myself. I knew I was good."
3. Your husband's health insurance (my husband and I are both self-employed and rely on the ACA, which itself is a precarious way to live these days ... )
Thank you! It feels really good to be recognized.
And I definitely understand how fortunate I am to have health insurance through my husband.
I'm happy to offer you that recognition! I'm (finally!) a (paid!) subscriber here after the universe kept throwing you my way -- your words were showing up in place after place, and they kept moving me, as someone who cares deeply about these issues and as someone without a ton of financial privilege, and eventually I was like WHO IS THIS PERSON and happily subscribed lol.
Wow, thank you! I am a small fish in this rapidly growing pond and this means so much!
I've had three jobs since graduating college in 1967: One year as a journalism teacher at Richwoods High School in Peoria, Illinois; two years as front-page editor at the Kankakee (Illinois) Daily Journal: and 37 years on the copydesk of the Peoria (Illinois) Journal Star. I walked into all three jobs. I knew nobody. Maybe times were different back then.
I tried so hard to get hired at the PJS! Never happened.
I’m certain you would have been a valuable asset.
The argument for meritocracy becomes even more bleak when you notice that areas that normally present themselves as meritocratic (sports, military) are also rigged due to favoritism or other factors (eg. inside sports gambling).