In the American Societies Today
In the American societies today, the social, economic, and political needs emerge in every discourse that discusses the issue of employment. American citizens essentially work to improve their quality of life. Employers, on the other hand, require maximum productivity among their employees for increased profits to sustain, develop, and grow their businesses, firms, organizations, or companies in their respective sectors. The political leaders nonetheless are interested in creating and leading a country that is peaceful and economically stable. Based on such concerns, an individual's employability depends on the acquired skills and exposure to technology. This paper delves into the subject of employment in America with the aim of creating a complex view of work by highlighting the positive and the negative elements of work including the society's perception of work and offer a unique perspective on the subject of work life in America today.
The Need for Skills and Improved Throughput
The need for skills and improved throughput based on human capital has its origin in the early nineteenth century when Scientific Theory of Management was developed. According to Clark (18), workers became enlightened and informed of the significance of human resources. They stopped to view themselves as mere instruments to be used from dawn to dusk to produce goods. Employers began to pay more attention to the working conditions and lured workers with money. Such developments brought many advantages to the society. Comparatively, the American citizens today have advanced their skills and acquired the necessary expertise to match their professions and the targeted carrier field. The very highly regarded organizations hire employees on the basis of their qualifications and experience. Thus, not everyone has been absorbed in the job market. An individual has to show that he or she is capable of doing something productive if given the opportunity. However, as inferred from Krystal (2007) in his literary work "Who speaks for the lazy," an interpretation can be that a number of citizens in America are skilled but do not have the drive to look for jobs or start something new. The author simply grouped such people into either "being born lazy, having acquired laziness, or have laziness thrust upon them" (762).
The Job Market and Technology
Nonetheless, the job market is very competitive in relation to the use of technology. While technology in America has made work and production of goods and services easier, it has denied a majority of qualified personnel an opportunity to be employed. Under certain circumstances, it has promoted a reduction in the number that ought to have been employed by more than a half. The uses of computers that are programmed and customized by producing manufacturers mostly affect the potential and actual employers in the fast food industries. According, to Schlosser (788), a fast food industry is the most dangerous place to work. The author elaborates that such industries depend on cheap labor to maximize their throughput. It is hard and unbelievable that one can stand, move here and there over the counter for seven or more hours and eventually only get paid $4 an hour. The problem has been worsened by the industries targeting the under-skilled American youths who have mere responsibilities as well as the poor or the immigrants. Since no skills are required, the youths have no job security as they risk losing their jobs as soon as the automated machine can perform the task (Livingstone 56).
The Influence of Work on Life
Delving further into American employment status, it is exhibited as noted by Moore (32) that some employees consider themselves to be living the American dream. They can afford to pay expensive bills, access private Medicare through sponsored health insurance converges, put on designer clothes, and live in mansions. Unfortunately, they work longer hours forgetting the importance of socialization and their families. The characters employed in the mainstream media for instance, literally live in their offices. They are so glued and obsessed with results as they have to keep up with the work pressure in order to secure the jobs. Eventually, they end up not for their social-self. In a reflection exercise, such work condition is what Bell Hooks ironically describes and sums up as "Work Makes Life Sweet." The author illustrates using her own situation that "writing seemed sweet indeed, as evidenced by her publication of seventeen books in less than twenty years. Yet, she often remarks on the ways in which she needed to work for a living- accompanied by fears of poverty or joblessness- interfered with her ability to live for the work of her writing" (Hooks 641).
The Allure of Different Job Opportunities
The hustle in the American employment industry as depicted by increased competition, low salaries, and job pressures have conditioned some citizens to work two to three jobs to make ends meet. Others have channeled their energies into other sectors of the economy as shown in the entertainment industry which is growing very fast. Many American artists have realized that their talents can pay better. Gilb in his essay "Union Work" advises the youth that no work or job opportunity is better than the other. What matters most is that the work an individual does earn money that can raise a healthy family, pay medical bills, buy a home, and allow one to comfortably be with his family members. That the author refers to as being in a joy employment which he summarizes as "... there is only good in work, and that the very best people are those who work hard..." (Gilb 651).
The Balance Between Work and Social Life
The American society, on the other hand, is for the view that every individual must work for the prosperity of the economy. Despite the underemployment and unemployment challenges, every citizen desires an economy where everyone has a job. From the society's perception, a unique view of the work life in America would create a balance between work and the social life. Concurring with Brandt, there should be shorter hours of work to increase the productivity that is desired of human resources (166). Moreover, working for shorter hours in a twenty-four-hour economy would ensure that more people are absorbed in the job market to solve the issue of unemployment. It would also facilitate the creation of an equivalent free time for social life. As such, people would have adequate time to pursue other activities of interest, build, and give back to the community.
Conclusion
In summary, the subject of employment in America is worth the discussion it invokes. People are able to develop a better understanding of the work status in the country. There are high levels of competition among the citizens seeking job opportunities, to underemployment, and to unemployment that needs to be resolved for the Citizens to live a normal balanced life that regards both work life and the social needs of every individual.
Work Cited
Clark, Terry Nichols. Citizen politics in post-industrial societies. Routledge, 2018.
Brandt, Barbara. "Less Is More: A Call for Shorter Work Hours." Utne Reader 3.4 (1991).
Gilb, Dagoberto. Gritos: Essays. Grove Press, 2004.
Hooks, Bell. Sisters of the yam: Black women and self-recovery. Boston, MA: South End Press, 1993.
Krystal, Arthur. The Half-life of an American Essayist. David R. Godine Publisher, 2007.
Livingstone, David W. The Education-Jobs Gap: Underemployment or Economic Democracy?. Routledge, 2018.
Moore, Thomas. The disposable work force: Worker displacement and employment instability in America. Routledge, 2018.
Schlosser, Eric. "The Most Dangerous Job in America." Mother Jones (2001): 39-47.
