Blog 7

After reading the essays in Changing World of Work having to deal with the service class, it makes me reflect on my experience in that industry. My first job ever was at a pizza place called Marion's, where I was constantly under pressure of time, managers, and customers. It always had a busy rush and it was the same routine over and over again. Just like in "On the Front Lines of the Service Sector," I was very stressed from this job to the point that I eventually quit.

Looking back, I realize that this job and all the other related jobs out there, require more skills than given credit. The time management and customer skills needed to perform these jobs are not really taught anywhere in school. They are things that are learned, referred to as "local expertise" in the essay. Yes, these jobs are jobs that no one wants, but that is because of all the pressure involved with the low pay.

Reading "Scripted Talk" changes the way I feel about going to Starbuck's for coffee in the morning. The fact that they have a certain timed list that they have to follow to greet the customers seems very robotic to me. It makes conversing with them feel more artificial, because it is. I like the way at the end of the essay, the nonhierarchial organizations are run. The more democratic way seems idealistically better, but the final descisions and interests in the company would rely on who? There are many questions that I would like to ak the Seward Cafe and how their processes run.

Looking back again at my job at the pizza place, it was a learning experience. Though these jobs are highly "scripted" and low status, there are many learning opportunities in them. Just like all the essays seem to agree, these job are held by teenage kids who are more than likely holding their first job. Being new to the work force, these jobs can help teach supervisor respect, time management, working under stress, and other little things that can be translated to the real world after the "Mc-Job."

Blog 6

After reading the "Creative Class" essay, I think it takes many professions away from the other hierarchy made for social classes. Things like engineers, analysists, lawyers and higher paying jobs fit in more with the upper class sense of identity. While writers, opinion-makers, and artists, who are in the same "creative class" will not have the same economic and grouping as the others. Also, throughout his essay, he lists two different groupings of this class, I think it is way too broad of a category. Then, he talks about the non creative class, the "service class." Which, I think he talks about far too bitterly. He needs to have a conversation with the Dalai Lama because he completely makes some jobs look so unimportant. Maybe it is because I agree with the Dalai Lama about every job having a purpose, but he gives this group a sense of inferiority. It did not shock me after reading this, to go back and read his biography and see that he is a writer and professor.

In gig, I decided to read about Heidi Klum's job as a super model. The way she talks so nonchalantly about being famous is humbling. She downplays how big she is, and seems like it hasn't gone to her head. Florida would put her in the "super creative core", but Klum does nothing more than take pictures. Yes, fantastic beautiful pictures but she has not "created meaningful new forms." Then I read Wendy Day's job experience as an avcocate for rappers. Which would fall into "service class" because of the lack of creativeness. Though the job is about diversity and interpretation of music, I get the feeling this job wouldn't cut it for Florida's standards.

Blog 5

After reading the essay "Media Magic: Making Class Invisible", it made me think about mass media a lot differently. The statistics in the opening paragraph about how much TV Americans really watch is a poor reflection of our society. On top of that, the mass media control that is getting smaller is not going to improve in the future. There needs to be changes made and more informational media being broadcast that help the greater good of society.

One of the main points in this essay is about the poor. It clearly is a major issue in America. There needs to be more beneficial awareness about the forty million people that need help. There needs to be more broadcast on the real facts like the policies that are making people lose jobs, they are not all crack addicts, the poor affect society as a whole, and other things like that. I think it would make people realize the issue at hand and will be more willing to help if the poor are made to look like real people, just like them.

Another main topic in this essay is the wealthy. The perception of "if your not with us, your against us" that is broadcasted in the mass media, makes it harder to help the poor. There needs to be more light brought to the diversity of the class division and how the influence of the rich needs to be changed. A classic example of this is in Polyestra's essay, where her parents are so fascinated with the rich life that they become obsessed.

This essay was a real eye opener to the ways that the mass media, controlled by the rich of course, has brain washed the country. They teach the middle class to blame, fear, and idolize different types of people. All of this happening, while the rich accumulate massive amounts of wealth. If the mass media was run by a different social class, ie. the middle class, there issues would be presented in the public eye. Though all of this upper class control in the mass media is happening, there is not a lot that will change it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv4_YMl9k0w
((some kid's english project on youtube to John Mayer's "Waiting on the World to Change" song))

Blog 4

After reading the essay "The Just-Add-Water Kennedys and Barbecue Bread Violence" by Polyestra, I think her humor within it is quite amusing. She has a better attitude about the way her parents are trying to shape her and her sister than her sister's response. Instead of getting upset about not being accepted into the higher class standards, she jokes and is not upset when the boy says she will never marry into his class.

The American dream and "class jumping" are interrelated depending on how you interpret the American dream. Everyones measure of success is different, there fore achieving the american dream is more possible for some than others. If one's American dream is to be billionare when you are middle class, then that might be harder than the American dream of having a successful and happy life. "Class jumping" to Polyestra is starting out middle class and being raised to be upper class, just like her parents did. It is trying to make more money, marry into the higher class, and go to college.

I think the best word to describe Polyestra's situation is "status inconsistancy" according to sociology. This happens when your goals, ideas, and cultures are not consistent to each other according to class orders. In her case, she thought like a middle class person, but when her parents got rich, her materialistic world suddenly became upper class. The two clashed and it put her in a tough situation. For her parents, it was the opposite. They thought and dreamed like they were upper class, and in reality, they were still middle class. That is why it was easier for them to adjust to their sudden wealth from the reality business.

I have known a family who has "class jumped" from middle to upper class very recently. It became more evident of their instant wealth because they started accumulating nicer cars, remodeling their house, and eventually moving to a bigger house just like in Polyestra's case. I have also known families who have "class jumped" from upper class to middle class which also happened later on in the essay. There attitude was still of the rich and better off, though their material possessions and debt showed other wise.

Personally, my parents are middle class and proud. My dad is in the military and my mom is a pre-school teacher. Both are happy with what they have and where they are in life. They raised me to follow my dreams and aspirations on what I like and not what they want for me. I am content to stay in the class I was born, big houses and luxury items like boats do not interest me as it did Polyestra's family. I plan to become a high school teacher, live in a suburban area, and live a simple happy life. (It's kind of ironic I found this photo after posting the same one on my other blog. This couple portraying "American Dream" do not seem to be too happy either.)

Blog 3

After reading Judis's essay on the decline of mortality, I agree that the new capitalism is not to blame. Despite the fact that 78 percent of Americans believe that there is a moral decline in young Americans, there has been other better things that Judis points out that have come from this era.

The protestant work ethic sounds like a great idea on the surface to me, everyone working and saving up money to make it to the after life. It also encouraged self denial in order to save up the money that would get you into the after life. The goal of life on earth was getting to the after life and being successful in work would apparently get you there. Work was also viewed as something to keep you away from "idle hands" because those would lead to sinful ways. Everything was aiming to the future prospect of salvation, and not in the present time.

After the Industrial Revolution and the Great Depression had come and gone, a new America was left. There was new needs and new wants. All of which the Protestant work ethic did not encourage. These new things focused on happiness and the good life, not hard work and salvation. Leisure activities have been encouraged by everyone, which were previously viewed as leading to sinful ways.

From this new capitalism, Judis points out that feminism, sexual liberation, and environmental movements. All of their goals are aimed to achieving the good life whether it be equal opprotunity or healthier living styles. These things probably would never come from Protestant ethic era because they focus only on the afterlife.

In both views of work, the labor being done is still a means and not an end. From the Protestant work ethic view, labor is the means to which you get to salvation in the after life. You do it to get somewhere later after you are dead and gone. The present view on work is a means to get to happiness and leisure time that you can do what you love. You work to get money to "buy happiness" like traveling or golfing.

Personally, I would rather live in today's society than the Protestant work ethic era. Despite the "moral decline" being debated because of physical pleasure, leisure, and different goals of life. Back then, it seems everyone worked, and when you weren't working you worked some more so you wouldn't commit sin. Not only that, but you inherited your job from your parents. There seemed no time to do things you loved. Now, happiness is encouraged, despite more conservative people look at it as sin. Getting a job you love, not one that is a means, is encouraged though Judis does not discuss this in his essay. Finding an end in the present life is more possible now, than it was back then. (They look excited to be working)

Blog 2

After reading the multiple outlooks on work in the GIG book, all of them have very unique outlooks on what they do.

When it came to the Walmart welcome guy, his attitude toward his work is the best. He enjoyed his job very much and made sure the small things for his customers, like carts stacked, were in order. He enjoyed his bosses and even set up his own hours to be with his wife more. His job would be more of a calling because he doesn't look at it as just a greeting job but as helping people find their happiness. He sees the broader aspect of it and the Dalai Lama would be very proud. He enjoys what he is doing, gives him a feeling of self worth, and even says he has "a bit of an edge in this" when it comes to his positive outlook.

The UPS driver had a very rough first job. He was yelled at everyday and never positively reinforced. He hates some of his clients that he delivers for and even calls them shit. His job is definintally not a calling because he gets no joy out of it besides porn in some client's bathrooms. He fakes sick and even says he cannot trust his bosses. His job has the potential to be a calling because he loves to drive, but his work atmosphere makes it very hard to do so. At the very end of his story, he even admits that he should be able to find meaning in his job, but can't. If he had worked for an different truck company, maybe just driving a truck full time, he could call it a calling.

The mom's attitude about being a mother is viewing it as hard work. She begins by explaining all the manual labor and lack of sleep she gets. She compares herself to a pack animal when it comes to taking them to the park and the only part she enjoys while there is the other moms. She realizes she doesn't view it as a calling at the beginning of her story and even blames society for this saying today there isn't enough support for a family. Towards the end, she admits to not regretting giving up her other career and loving her children. If the Dalai Lama was concerned, this would be her calling because she does it for her kid's well being.

The second grade teacher attitude toward her work is very positive. She loves what she does, despite some of her problem kids. She had a rough start to her teaching career, but talking about it she has the heart to laugh it off and see some of the things she obsessed about as silly. She had no idea what she wanted to do at the beginning of college, but she never shows any doubt or regret for teaching. I can relate to the second grade teacher the most, despite both of us wanting to be teachers. She was petrified at the beginning of her career and thats the way I feel right now. She also feels like she is a person that should be a teacher, and I couldn't have said it better. She realizes the financial hardships that come with her job, but according to Hooks she has found the "right livelihood."

blog

After reading about the opinions of Dalai Lama and Bell Hooks and happiness at work, an individual can make their work more rewarding by following their calling and teaching others to do the same. It should not be about the money, but the joy in the work being done. Now, it is easy to distinguish between a way to make money and a calling in my own life.

The Dalai Lama discusses the differences between a job, a career, and a calling when it comes to work. While a calling can have many reasons related to the view of the work being done. In my life, I have had a job and a calling. My job was working at a pizza place when I was a teenager. The only reason I had this job was to make money that I could spend else where. I did not enjoy my job when I was there, and often complained when i was leaving. I felt no happiness from this job nor desire to return after i quit. In contrast, a calling I have experienced was when I was a Student Orientation Leader over the summer for UC. Not only was I impacting 30 new students on a daily basis, I was working for the sole purpose of taking pride in what I was doing. I was extremely happy going to work and enjoyed even overtime hours (yes crazy). Though it is not a permanent job, it helped me realize my calling was to educate others which lead me to changing my major to secondary education. Even the Dalai Lama comments that teaching high school is one of the careers that is easier to call a calling than others.

Bell Hooks talks about education and "right livelihood" where a enjoyment in work is from a calling. To achieve this, one must follow their career dreams. I have found work that "makes your life sweet" as Bell would say. Though I am still pursuing it, as I said before, education and teaching others is my passion. It makes my life more enjoyable, and with that I think Hooks and the Dalai Lama would be proud.