Week of March 2, 2009

This chapter and the one which follows may be the two saddest chapters in Shipler’s book, yet even here, there are moments where people might dare to hope. As you read chapter 5, I’d like to have you think a little about how you felt when you first applied for a job? I’m going to ask people about this. I’m curious, for one thing, how many of you found your first employment by “networking”...working for a friend of parents, or perhaps for your parents themselves. I’m also wondering if that made a difference in the application process or in your first experiences on the worksite. I’m hoping volunteers will tell us a little about their experiences.

What happens when there is a gulf between classes? What kinds of misconceptions do employers and employees have about each other when they sit on opposite sides of the class divide? You’ll find a number of different narratives in this chapter. You’ll also encounter employers who approach the problem in very different ways. Which, in your estimation is the best, and has the best insight into how to work creatively with the working poor–not only for their benefit, but for the benefit of the business, as well. Which is most captive of his own stereotypes? Why can the workplace be an especially daunting (scary) place for those in poverty?

Bosses versus workers

When I take a long time, I am slow.

When my boss takes a long time, he is thorough.

When I don't do it, I am lazy.

When my boss doesn't do it, he's too busy.

When I do it without being told, I'm trying to be smart.

When my boss does the same, that is initiative.

When I please my boss, that's brown-nosing.

When my boss pleases his boss, that's co-operating.

When I do good, my boss never remembers.

When I do wrong, he never forgets.

LOOKING AHEAD:

At the end of this week we’ll be more than half way through The Working Poor. Before you know it, we’ll be moving on to Terkel, and the Anthology. I am completing the bookkeeping, sorting out which Terkel Characters inviduals will be investigating. We'll also continue our work in the Class Matters website provided by the New York Times.

Time to start talking about Samaritan. I will post the exercise on it early next week.

Chapter 6 isolates a problem which runs throughout American culture but has special ramifications in the lower economic classes. The problem is child abuse, and the particular focus is on ways that child abuse interacts with poverty to perpetuate it from generation to generation. I know that numbers of you are psychology majors and may have taken one or more courses which are pertinent...classes in child or adolescent psychology, or perhaps classes in abnormal psychology. IF so, you’re more expert than I am, and I’ll try to draw on you for comments about Shipler’s observations. Be ready to volunteer.

There are some rays of hope here, as was the case in the previous chapter. Pay special attention to programs which make an effort to

break the cycle of poverty. Note what motivated those who created the more successful programs, and what led to their particular insights. For further information, visit the Prevent Child Abuse America Website.

Well, March did come roaring in like a Lion. I hope it exits like a lamb as it is supposed to do. In the meantime, school is closed this day and I have made alterations to the schedule accordingly. Note on the Samaritan Page that I've also made some alterations to the dates there as well. Finally, I've updated this page to include some information about public housing (a.k.a. "the projects" in Jersey City the town fictionalized into Dempsey in Samaritan. Scroll way down to the bottom of the page.