Nickel and Dimed Argumentative Essay
Essay
In Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, Ehrenreich goes undercover as a low-wage worker, when she is really a reporter for New York Times. In Barbara’s journey, it explains all of the hardships workers have with low-wage jobs and makes your think: Does the accumulation of money and power inevitably lead to a loss of spirituality? Ehrenreich states that workers work long and stressful hours for almost no pay whatsoever but many people believe that these certain jobs are too easy and SHOULD receive the low wages that they’re currently receiving. Do companies that give their workers low wages for the accumulation of money and power inevitably lead to a loss of their ethics and do it also lead to a loss of workers? I believe this is true as I completely agree with Ehrenreich that those certain workers’ wages should be raised and companies are able to do it.
First off, employees that work these low-wage jobs donate all of their time, energy, and personal life to these jobs that consume all of their energy. “In every job, in every place I lived, the work absorbed all of my energy and much of my intellect.” (Ehrenreich 9) This quote illustrates the how difficult low-wage work really is and that it shouldn’t be looked down upon. Secondly, the money that they do earn is barely enough to support one person, imagine trying to support a whole family on $7.25 an hour… Not going to happen! Now a days, necessities in life cost entirely too much for these low-wage workers too afford, and everybody has to spend money on themselves some time or another but their extra money is either going to doctor appointments or anything else unexpected life throws at you. What about benefits? Oh yeah, these workers don’t get any benefits at all. Low-wage workers are by far the support system of our country, without them, our country would be nowhere.
Not everyone agrees with this position, however. Some argue that these workers deserve the low wages they receive due to the fact
In Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, Ehrenreich goes undercover as a low-wage worker, when she is really a reporter for New York Times. In Barbara’s journey, it explains all of the hardships workers have with low-wage jobs and makes your think: Does the accumulation of money and power inevitably lead to a loss of spirituality? Ehrenreich states that workers work long and stressful hours for almost no pay whatsoever but many people believe that these certain jobs are too easy and SHOULD receive the low wages that they’re currently receiving. Do companies that give their workers low wages for the accumulation of money and power inevitably lead to a loss of their ethics and do it also lead to a loss of workers? I believe this is true as I completely agree with Ehrenreich that those certain workers’ wages should be raised and companies are able to do it.
First off, employees that work these low-wage jobs donate all of their time, energy, and personal life to these jobs that consume all of their energy. “In every job, in every place I lived, the work absorbed all of my energy and much of my intellect.” (Ehrenreich 9) This quote illustrates the how difficult low-wage work really is and that it shouldn’t be looked down upon. Secondly, the money that they do earn is barely enough to support one person, imagine trying to support a whole family on $7.25 an hour… Not going to happen! Now a days, necessities in life cost entirely too much for these low-wage workers too afford, and everybody has to spend money on themselves some time or another but their extra money is either going to doctor appointments or anything else unexpected life throws at you. What about benefits? Oh yeah, these workers don’t get any benefits at all. Low-wage workers are by far the support system of our country, without them, our country would be nowhere.
Not everyone agrees with this position, however. Some argue that these workers deserve the low wages they receive due to the fact