GREAT points about how much the working poor (and the middle classes!!) subsidize the wealthy in the United States.
I suppose there should be a small qualification: Adam Smith only attributed money as a motivator to market actors. And we are not all market actors. There’s no price mechanism regulating the value of domestic work. But there really should be, in my opinion, because domestic work should be paid even when you’re married to the person doing it.
In keeping with the origins of capitalism, the actual purposes of wealth was to free us from labour so that we might pursue other, more meaningful tasks, including civic duties and democratic participation. There’s a tension between capitalism and democracy. They definitely do not to hand-in-hand.
Yes- what we have today is, at best, a corruption of capitalism, crony capitalism. The nations with the strongest safety nets in the world are also capitalist. Northern Europe - vs the suffering and struggle of the poor in places like Venezuela. I think it’s difficult to model the US on those smaller more homogeneous countries? We have a much larger diversity of religion, ethnicity, race. And we see in survey data…the folks that grew and built those systems in Northern Europe…also only want to share them with their “in group”. There are movements to exclude immigrant populations from the systems benefits until they have paid in enough. In group/ out group issues are at the core of why we do not have a better social safety net. It has less to do with inequality (though classism and racism are so untwined it is often impossible to separate), than racism. Listen to the very voters that support candidates that vote for wealth redistribution UP. Never down. And they will say things like- of course we should have social program X! I want us all to have X! Except for immigrants/POC/those undeserving based on their bias. One I heard recently? -paraphrasing
here “I want single payer, but only for those that deserve it, like me. Not those (racial epithet)s and illegal immigrants! I’d rather die, suffer myself in need, then support a program that helps those people”. The politicians don’t say this- but their supporters do.
Until we can break through in education with re-integration/re-de-segregation, until we fully fund all public schools, in ways that do not perpetuate inequality…we won’t change enough minds to change this. And that is why anti-desegregation movements were so violent, and why subtle re-segregation was pursued in the 1980s. They KNOW that this would lead to a more equitable system with stronger social safety nets. And they want none of that- even after they are dead. So idk how to change it, unless/until we have a re-organization toward an exterior threat to align America into a more consistent in group in our collective minds- like Pearl Harbor did in 1941. (Based on how POC were treated back home it is not a perfect realignment, obviously). I can’t see anything that would do this now, short of maybe aliens. A Pandemic did not. It made the in group out group lines stronger. Russia invading in a manner identical to hitler’s invasion of Europe in the 1930s…and yet again, just made the separation deeper.
But what gives me hope? Those of us that care? That want universal healthcare for people we don’t like? We are a majority. Almost everywhere. But we don’t vote. If you look at all the data, it sure looks like left leaning folks outnumber right leaning in most places (not all). But in my life- since 1970s at least, the turnout on the left swings WILDLY. But the turnout on right is consistent. So whether the left won or lost really had little to do with the right. It had to do with showing up. So I hope we all show up. And keep showing up, keep voting for the best option, and keep helping move the faraday window back to the center…and then left.
I agree wholeheartedly that money as the measure of all value misses the mark by miles. But a healthy and vibrant society must build an economy where values and monetary compensation correlate more effectively.
What matters more to society than teaching the young or supporting young parents to raise an empowered generation that can advance toward greater achievement than previous generations? Small efforts add up. People struggling to make ends meet perform miracles every week.
We the people can do a much better job aligning values and salaries. It will not be easy and I may not see it, but I sincerely believe that if Americans vote their actual interests, we can improve this.
We need to pick the better over the worse candidates. Perfection will not be one of the choices. Every eligible voter must register and vote. We simply cannot give up, I think.
It might also explain the burnouts some highly paid executives face at top companies, where they don't get time at all for their mental and physical health.
Money is not and should not be the sole aim. We are multi-dimensional creatures, and we obtain satisfaction by doing good. Greed never led to any contentment.
I am sure some highly paid executives do get burnout -- but I think it's even more common amongst poorly paid, overworked folks toward the bottom of the heap, who get no breaks and who can't afford any little perks like being able to pay for others to cook or clean for them. Stress is killing us all, and it feels selfish to take a few hours to do something nonproductive -- but I think we all need that.
Great article. I’m with your son, even as I agree with Dr Devon Price that laziness does not exist.) How quickly those who were furloughed during the pandemic lockdowns forget... I remember lots of social media posts saying how desperate people were to go back to work after a week (or a fortnight or a month if they were very depleted). In a meritocracy you can only enjoy a luxury vacation if you feel you’ve earned it.
There is SO much to unpack in this article that it seems almost futile to even try. I agree with everything you've said here, except that I'm Canadian and we do have incredible maternity/paternity leave benefits compared to America.
But you're so right about meaningful work that pays shit. I think way more than half of society would do more meaningful work if they could afford to pay their bills with it. I've ALWAYS wanted to work in our local animal shelters but as non-profits, what single bill-paying person can afford to?
Anyway, this was very well-written Michelle. Thanks for putting it out there.
I would LOVE to shift some of my time into worthwhile but unpaid activities. I did help feed unhoused folks last weekend but I was worried about being able to complete work project that was about to come due. Feeding people is far more important than the work I was so worried about!
Yes, time is another commodity that is difficult to trade when you need to earn money. I do a bit of volunteer work at a dog shelter in a nearby town but when gas jumps to what it is now, it makes the commute almost not feasible.
GREAT points about how much the working poor (and the middle classes!!) subsidize the wealthy in the United States.
I suppose there should be a small qualification: Adam Smith only attributed money as a motivator to market actors. And we are not all market actors. There’s no price mechanism regulating the value of domestic work. But there really should be, in my opinion, because domestic work should be paid even when you’re married to the person doing it.
In keeping with the origins of capitalism, the actual purposes of wealth was to free us from labour so that we might pursue other, more meaningful tasks, including civic duties and democratic participation. There’s a tension between capitalism and democracy. They definitely do not to hand-in-hand.
Yes- what we have today is, at best, a corruption of capitalism, crony capitalism. The nations with the strongest safety nets in the world are also capitalist. Northern Europe - vs the suffering and struggle of the poor in places like Venezuela. I think it’s difficult to model the US on those smaller more homogeneous countries? We have a much larger diversity of religion, ethnicity, race. And we see in survey data…the folks that grew and built those systems in Northern Europe…also only want to share them with their “in group”. There are movements to exclude immigrant populations from the systems benefits until they have paid in enough. In group/ out group issues are at the core of why we do not have a better social safety net. It has less to do with inequality (though classism and racism are so untwined it is often impossible to separate), than racism. Listen to the very voters that support candidates that vote for wealth redistribution UP. Never down. And they will say things like- of course we should have social program X! I want us all to have X! Except for immigrants/POC/those undeserving based on their bias. One I heard recently? -paraphrasing
here “I want single payer, but only for those that deserve it, like me. Not those (racial epithet)s and illegal immigrants! I’d rather die, suffer myself in need, then support a program that helps those people”. The politicians don’t say this- but their supporters do.
Until we can break through in education with re-integration/re-de-segregation, until we fully fund all public schools, in ways that do not perpetuate inequality…we won’t change enough minds to change this. And that is why anti-desegregation movements were so violent, and why subtle re-segregation was pursued in the 1980s. They KNOW that this would lead to a more equitable system with stronger social safety nets. And they want none of that- even after they are dead. So idk how to change it, unless/until we have a re-organization toward an exterior threat to align America into a more consistent in group in our collective minds- like Pearl Harbor did in 1941. (Based on how POC were treated back home it is not a perfect realignment, obviously). I can’t see anything that would do this now, short of maybe aliens. A Pandemic did not. It made the in group out group lines stronger. Russia invading in a manner identical to hitler’s invasion of Europe in the 1930s…and yet again, just made the separation deeper.
But what gives me hope? Those of us that care? That want universal healthcare for people we don’t like? We are a majority. Almost everywhere. But we don’t vote. If you look at all the data, it sure looks like left leaning folks outnumber right leaning in most places (not all). But in my life- since 1970s at least, the turnout on the left swings WILDLY. But the turnout on right is consistent. So whether the left won or lost really had little to do with the right. It had to do with showing up. So I hope we all show up. And keep showing up, keep voting for the best option, and keep helping move the faraday window back to the center…and then left.
Those are some good thoughts
The BILLIONS of unpaid work women do around the world is taken for granted and should not be.
I agree wholeheartedly that money as the measure of all value misses the mark by miles. But a healthy and vibrant society must build an economy where values and monetary compensation correlate more effectively.
What matters more to society than teaching the young or supporting young parents to raise an empowered generation that can advance toward greater achievement than previous generations? Small efforts add up. People struggling to make ends meet perform miracles every week.
We the people can do a much better job aligning values and salaries. It will not be easy and I may not see it, but I sincerely believe that if Americans vote their actual interests, we can improve this.
We need to pick the better over the worse candidates. Perfection will not be one of the choices. Every eligible voter must register and vote. We simply cannot give up, I think.
Excellent points shared here!
It might also explain the burnouts some highly paid executives face at top companies, where they don't get time at all for their mental and physical health.
Money is not and should not be the sole aim. We are multi-dimensional creatures, and we obtain satisfaction by doing good. Greed never led to any contentment.
I am sure some highly paid executives do get burnout -- but I think it's even more common amongst poorly paid, overworked folks toward the bottom of the heap, who get no breaks and who can't afford any little perks like being able to pay for others to cook or clean for them. Stress is killing us all, and it feels selfish to take a few hours to do something nonproductive -- but I think we all need that.
Great article. I’m with your son, even as I agree with Dr Devon Price that laziness does not exist.) How quickly those who were furloughed during the pandemic lockdowns forget... I remember lots of social media posts saying how desperate people were to go back to work after a week (or a fortnight or a month if they were very depleted). In a meritocracy you can only enjoy a luxury vacation if you feel you’ve earned it.
There is SO much to unpack in this article that it seems almost futile to even try. I agree with everything you've said here, except that I'm Canadian and we do have incredible maternity/paternity leave benefits compared to America.
But you're so right about meaningful work that pays shit. I think way more than half of society would do more meaningful work if they could afford to pay their bills with it. I've ALWAYS wanted to work in our local animal shelters but as non-profits, what single bill-paying person can afford to?
Anyway, this was very well-written Michelle. Thanks for putting it out there.
I would LOVE to shift some of my time into worthwhile but unpaid activities. I did help feed unhoused folks last weekend but I was worried about being able to complete work project that was about to come due. Feeding people is far more important than the work I was so worried about!
Yes, time is another commodity that is difficult to trade when you need to earn money. I do a bit of volunteer work at a dog shelter in a nearby town but when gas jumps to what it is now, it makes the commute almost not feasible.