What jobs do you consider to be dehumanizing?
Most of them felt that it would not be a sign of progress to get off of welfare and work low paying jobs in situations that could be stressful is not a sign of progress. What do you think about people who survive on welfare?
What about college kids on welfare? Who should qualify
Natalie Hodges AML2600
ReplyDeleteWelfare to me, like many socioeconomic topics, leave a lot of room for grey area of opinion. I honestly do believe that the Welfare system has become extremely lacks and has been far removed from it's original purpose. Many 'families' that do require it use it up to a certain point and then no longer choose to rely on it which is the ideal basis for using government assistance, but as you all pointed out its easier for many people to just take the hand out and live a lazy low level life. As seen in Precious, Monique who played Precious's mother was more than happy to be living off of government assistance. As a matter of fact she relied heavily on it even putting up the front of "extra" struggle in order to maintain her government assistance level. She expected her daughter to follow directly in her footsteps and believed that she shouldn't expect or even try to do better for herself because getting money out of the government was so easy. That is where the problem lies. I don't necessarily think the government should maintain government assistance as long or even for certain people. Students don't technically need Welfare available to them unless they have a dependent or something of the sort that is a heavy financial burden. As soon as the student graduates it should be a find a job cut you loose from government assistance process as it should be with all others who use this aid from the government. People in general can be so lazy, and the grey area will always leave room to excuse things and abuse of power such as is done in the case of welfare. As far as black women not wanting certain jobs because they are "beneath them" or whatever the case is i think that is some bull. You take what ever type of employment will help YOU feed your family; hell immigrants do it without shame and Americans complain that "they are taking our jobs." Child please :)
Alexa MacKenzie AML 2600
ReplyDeleteWelfare makes a lot of people angry because legally you have to pay taxes, so even if you don’t believe people need welfare, you still have to pay for it. When I think of welfare personally I think of it as charity by all Americans. Through paying taxes we indirectly give to our fellow Americans in need. I don’t see why charity is so hard for some people. Even if there are those people out there who abuse the system, those who sit around and watch TV all day instead of looking for a job for example, there are also those who are working really hard to get by and sometimes the situation they find themselves in is at no fault of their own. Recently a lot of people have been losing their jobs and it’s harder than ever to find a new one. Hard working people who would love the opportunity to support themselves just can’t and why should they get punished for the greediness of others? Of course this system isn’t perfect but I just don’t see why people waste so much time complaining about issues like this instead of more pressing ones.
As for those who are on welfare and believe taking a “dehumanizing job” isn’t worth getting off welfare for, I would have to agree with them. I wouldn’t do it so why should I expect anyone else to? That’s why I also can see how welfare should help students, because the only way these people will get better jobs is to get educated and thus create the opportunity for them to get off welfare. It’s kind of like a cycle and you have to meet certain requirements to get off of the cycle you know? If you want to be on welfare you have to have the need for it, if you don’t want a “dehumanizing job” you have to get educated, and sometimes if you want an education you have to have financial help.
Cameron Leonard AML 2600
ReplyDeleteWelfare to some people is the best thing since sliced bread. They live for it and don't see anything wrong with lying to the government about what they have and don't have to get more money. But my thoughts are if someone has little education and have a job that pays minimum wage what are they really suppose to do? My opinion is that if you hate your job or its stressful its dehumanizing especially when you have the education and emotional support to help you better yourself. That's why before you go to college people tell you to make sure that you want to do. Work isn't suppose to be stressful its something that is a reward for all the hard work you put in to get where you want to go. Yes some people are lazy that's just life everybody knows someone who is lazy and just getting by especially black people but we help them with are taxes and there's pretty much nothing we can do personally so I see it as giving back and let God deal with the person. College students who need financial help if they choose to should definitely be able to get welfare. How this economy is going us college students could definitely could use the help. I guess a way to know who should get welfare could be based off your financial aid I really don't know how they would work that out but it's my thoughts.
Kandis Hankerson AML2600
ReplyDeleteIf you were to ask me welfare should just be taken away. No one in America uses it effectively, even those that are actually struggling. I just feel that the hard working Americans should not have to pay for those that aren’t in need, because the welfare money is coming right out of our taxes. Everyone in America has the opportunity to do better, though instead they take the bare minimum. Some don’t even complete high school. I feel that if someone needs welfare assistance then they should have to show in some port of way that they are trying to get off of it. if that person does not then it should be taken away. A job is a job and they really are not that hard to find, most people just think that they are too good to work at certain places. Personally I do not think that any job is dehumanizing, it is just how people act. To some people a dehumanizing job would be a garbage man or working at a fast food restaurant. That is only because garbage men work in filth and fast food restaurants work and pay you like a slave. So when a women thinks that she is too good to work at a certain place I would advise her to better her education then, because that is the only way she will be able to get her dream job. In the situation with college students I feel that many abuse the system as well when in comes to food stamps. There has been cases where kids would lie and say that they are homeless just so that they can get at least $200 a month, which is said especially because half of the kids that do that get the most in financial aid. Now in a situation where there is a college student that is working hard and having to pay for their schooling out of pocket, I would not mind helping them with government assistance because at least they are trying to live a better life.
Vanessa White
ReplyDeleteOne job that has the negative stigma to it as dehumanizing would be in my opinion janitorial work. I t seems to me that whenever someone thinks of a janitor it’s never in a positive view it’s usually downgraded. For instance, when one thinks of a janitor what comes to mind is someone who wasn’t able to get a better job, maybe didn’t have the right education, and has to clean up after people all day long; including scrubbing toilets and cleaning up throw up. I don’t want to necessarily say that I classify it as dehumanizing but I will say it would be one of those jobs that people don’t favor. In a way yes I do feel that these women act as if they are too good for those kinds of jobs, because they know the kind of stigma attached to it. I feel that if you’re on welfare and you’re trying really hard to find a job and the only job that you’re able to find would be one on the dehumanizing list that you shouldn’t complain and just take it. Especially if you’re in desperate need. If people have to rely on welfare for survival it says that they obviously don’t make enough money to support themselves and need help, which is fine to say. If its someone who just uses welfare to live on and never try to better themselves, then that’s just plain laziness. I personally haven’t heard on college students on welfare but I think in certain situation that’s fine. I don’t look down on it. I think students who are in desperate need for money should be able to go on welfare. If it’s a student who can provide for them self and or their family members help them survive then they shouldn’t be able to get welfare.
IV Eligio AML2600
ReplyDeleteI recall someone relaying to me a comedic, little anecdote about a homeless man with a sign that read, "Homeless. Need money." Next to this man was a young man, about college-aged with a sign that read, "I'm a college student, I need the money more than he does."
There is plenty of aid out there for college kids already: scholarships, sponsorships, financial aid, work-study, etc. I mean, if you've got the drive - if you've got the brains - help isn't too difficult to find. After all, it's what we go to college for, no? To better ourselves? To get out of that "I can't do it, it's too damn hard" phase? There are scholarships for everything, I know, I looked. Unless that student can provide documentation of homelessness and situations of a severely difficult proportion, Welfare was intended only aid those without the means to provide a life-sustaining life for themselves and their dependents. Do I like the idea of free Welfare money for college? Yes. Would it be fair for me to get it, even after all my hard work? No.
I grew up in a rented house, with two rooms living with eleven men and my mother. Sometimes all we had to eat were tomatoes for the week. I am not Black, I'm Hispanic, and Lord did I see some lazy people in my youth. My aunt quit every job she had because she didn't like being told what to do. My dad only worked five days a week, with the excuse that weekends were for relaxing. I think the strongest person I know is my mother. She worked two jobs, took care of eleven men (including her two sons) and her daughter. She also attended school at night. She never applied for Welfare. Why? Because she had the drive to go out and get two jobs WHILE bettering her education. Can people get out of bad situations? Definitely.
Now, granted, we had it easy. No one had a disability, no one was dying, we were all strong and healthy people. When it comes to Welfare, it's only fair that people who care for others (children, the sick, the elderly, the disabled) and have documentation to prove it (this includes letters from witnesses) should have the advantage of Welfare. Should you be fired or have to quit a job, a time frame should be set in which you will receive a reasonable amount of money to keep you afloat while you find another job. Of course, this time slot should be derived from a well-calculated average of the time it takes men and women, of certain age-groups, living below the poverty line, to find jobs. This would eliminate a person from doing what Natalie was talking about: "... just take the hand out and live a lazy low level life."
This of course, is only possible of the person(s) is willing to ask for help. bell hooks talks about Black women finding certain jobs to be "dehumanizing", well, my family found dehumanizing to ask for help from Welfare. My uncles and aunts would rather clean houses (bathrooms, rooms, floors, windows, kitchens, etc.) inside and outside (landscaping, gardening, construction, etc.). They would rather have worked at a laundry mat, as maids, as handy-men, as custodians, as clothes washers. A lot of these are low-paying jobs that, as bad as it might sound, white people would gag at. My mom worked at McDonald's for twenty years on and off. In between she's worked as a maid, a lunch lady, a tomato factory worker, and was an employee of a company that sold designed trees to other companies. She would cut the trees into designs all day, whether it be in the sun, the rain, the cold, what have you. I assure you, many people thought these jobs were dehumanizing. For a while, I was embarrassed that my mom wasn't a receptionist, or a teacher, or even a delivery driver for a food joint. I used to think these jobs were dehumanizing, but really, all they are is the left overs that other people don't want because they're "too good" to work like this. They would have to take these jobs if the "free money" idea that Welfare provides was gone.
Travis S. Baten AML2600
ReplyDelete"There is nothing like having something of your own, even if it is a chicken coop."
Shit happens in life. There are times where we, people, need assistance. Welfare was intended as a program to assist. It was not intended to provide. There is a clear difference between the two. Struggling implies that you are trying, thus you require assistance. If you are not trying, then the government is providing for you, requiring you to do nothing but maintain your perceived low quality of life.
The only dehumanizing job is the lack of one. There are jobs that I would prefer not to have, but that does not make it dehumanizing. It simply means that I do not want to spend my time and energy doing certain things. That is why I put myself in a position to avoid these jobs by having one more tailored to my desires. If these jobs were my only option I would rather work and break my back than depend on the government to survive. I may take assistance, but it will not be my only means of income or my greatest means of income.
The sad part is that individuals have been programmed to think this way and the way welfare is run does not help the situation. As an opportunist, I cannot be upset with people for taking advantage of an opportunity. As a human, I get really angered when people abuse things, whether it is drugs, other people, animals, themselves, or welfare. A sense of responsibility has been lost on the lower ends of society. I do not mean Blacks only, as they are not the only ones on the lower ends of society. People are creatures of habit, until they are forced to break their habit, can you expect them to break it? No, you can't. We must be done is giving them a reason to break their habit.
As I stated before, welfare is a program of assistance. If you need assistance or would like it and you actually qualify, then you ought to have it, whether you are college student, single mother of three, or an unemployed homeless individual. As an American, I have no issue with paying taxes that help my fellow Americans, not that I could change it. No one in America should die of malnutrition or starvation.
Welfare is intended for those who meet certain criteria. Income, family size, expenses and special circumstances are all taken into consideration. If you qualify, you may receive, the option is there. So yes, all students should be able to apply, not necessarily able to get it.
Response to Others:
IV Eligio- Your mother is a prime example of someone who embodies that sense of responsibility. She was too busy doing what she needed to do to even apply for Welfare I am sure.
Kandis Hankerson- "Personally I do not think that any job is dehumanizing, it is just how people act." I agree 100% with you on this. Someone has to do it. Dehumanizing is something that no human should be doing, but these jobs are just physically demanding jobs with low pay. They are not preferred but certainly not dehumanizing.
Natalie Hodges- "You take whatever type of employment will help YOU feed your family; hell immigrants do it without shame and Americans complain that 'they are taking our jobs.'" True statement. The irony in the ideology of Americans is astonishing. We would rather wait for the opportunity to come our way rather than go out and get it. The immigrants go out and get what they want because they have a sense of responsibility and actually a sense of urgency as well. Americans lack this because of the culture we were raised within. It is a process that will take time but it is a process that must be done. We as individuals must seek to deprogram our fellow citizens and then reprogram them. Program them to be the ambitious, initiating individuals we used to be.
Hallie Bowns AML 2600
ReplyDeleteIn my opionion, welfare should be used sort of as a brace by means of support but should also be looked at as a temporary step or push to get you on your feet. It's one thing if someone is disabled and cannot work and by all means they should have federal aid to survive. However, to me, people who are just on welfare just to be on welfare and are not working towards anythign just because they are content with there life and taking advantage of other people's taxes need to be cut off. Welfare should help you provide for your family, yes, but it shouldn't mean that you don't ever have to work again to support you and your family. I can understand a single parent with children and bills to pay and diapers to buy and clothes for their children to wear to school being on welfare to make ends meet. But the people in America that are middle aged living by themselves that are not handicapped in anyway and perfectly capable of applying themselves should apply themselves. It's unfare to the rest of the Americans to support someone who is perfectly capable of supporting themselves. In my opinion, if you can get at least a part time job, which it's very possible, than take it and do what you can with it. I believe welfare in the form of assistance instead of a permanant solution is perfectly acceptable. if you are doing everything in your power to make ends meet and it's still not working and welfare happens to help you out and its available to you, sure go right ahead. But if your going to abuse the system and take more of other people's money just because your lazy or consider yourself too good to work certain jobs, then I'm sorry, but I'm keepin' my money. First of all, a job is a job. No it may not be the best job or something you would be proud of, but if it helps your family to get by and eat than by all means why the hell not take the job? Even if it's a temporary poistion or you use this particular job as a temporary positiona nd take the time that you work there and look for a betetr job. And if you consider yourself too good for something, you need to open your eyes and realize you are just like everyone else in this country and just because you might have kids and can't afford daycare and rent and food and welfare helps you out, doesn't mean you can't work for what you need and better yourself and your family instead of relying on something that is aimed at being temporary. I would rather say that "I" did it and "I" provided for my family and "I" got through college and "I" worked hard to get to where I am instead of saying, and just as an example, "My kids are clean and they go to school and they aren't starving." But where's the rest of it? What about during the summer when the free lunch at school isn't available? When someone abuses welfare in such a way, they cannot stand up and take pride or ownership in providing for their family and their needs. I, personally, refuse to spend my entire life depending on this government and I refuse to teach my children that.
Melissa Dutra
ReplyDeleteAML2600
Welfare is good for those that want to use it as a means to benefit themselves. People that want to sit on welfare without any motive of getting a job or furthering their education, I feel are abusing the system. It’s not right that our American’s tax dollars go to individuals that are taking advantage of government aid. Jobs I classify as “dehumanizing” are those that do not respect the employee. For example, if the employer is using profanity against the employee. As far as, a type of job, I do not consider any particular type “dehumanizing” in any way. Though, construction work is not my ideal kind of job, somebody has to do it. There are states that are trying to deport immigrants because they are “taking jobs away from Americans”, which I do not believe is so. Hispanics come to the U.S. to try to live better lives, and often times take labor jobs. Most Americans don’t want to do them and somebody has to. So I do not think it is right to deport them. Additionally, a woman that thinks she is “too good” for particular jobs, is on welfare with no intentions of bettering herself, is a burden on American tax dollars and I do not support that. Where the average college student is concerned, I think there are grants that they can get, if their families do not want to support them or do not have the means to do so. However, if they have a child and cannot support themselves under college and living fees, I think they should be able to get welfare.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThroughout my whole life I have always been taught that nothing in life comes easy. Yes, welfare does help those who need it and allows people to get by, but that's just it you are only surviving. Welfare was designed to assist those in need and to help people get back up once they fall off the horse. Many people on welfare may qualify for welfare, however they may squander those funds on unessential luxuries and baubles while they have children and/or family members who need those funds in order to be able to have a warm meal and a roof over their heads.
ReplyDeleteWhen looking at the issues with the job market today it is understandable that some people may feel as if they do not have to put up with working in a dehumanizing workplace such as McDonald's or any other fast food chain or restaurant. The truth of the matter is that when times are tough, the tough have to get going; especially those that want to make something for themselves. It is not a matter of whether you feel you are “too good” for a job because everyone needs money, whether you're black, latino, white, or asian. I feel Bell Hooks would agree and say that people need to work to get to where they want to be in life no matter how hard the struggle and that the struggle itself is what makes the reward that much greater at the end of the day.
It seems the problem with welfare in society is not the welfare system itself, but those who abuse the system that give welfare such a bad name. Often times people jump at the opportunity to receive aid though they may not necessarily need it, but who wouldn't? Often times college students are quick to jump on the welfare bandwagon, but they aren't using the funds for the wrong reason, though there is the exception. College students should be able to take advantage of the welfare programs available to them especially if they are working towards achieving their goal to make what they love their job.
Clive Hall AML2600
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, any job where you are not your own boss could be taken as being dehumanizing by the right person. Anything from dealing with rude customers all day at McDonald's to having a racist boss down at the cooperate office of Comcast. What we need to pay attention more to is the fact that it is not the job that your are doing that is dehumanizing, it is the people you find doing the actual dehumanizing. Every where you go there is social interaction. And in that social interaction comes the opportunity for judgment and ridicule. As far as these women thinking they are "too good" for certain jobs, we can not to play ignorant to the fact social interaction, whether it be positive or negative, is taking place in that work place; a work place that can very well be managed by a white racist executive that make it hard for the women to deal with those jobs. Thus, leaving the lower class single mother to depend on Welfare to make ends meet. What i feel like the class did not seem to take into consideration that Welfare was developed for a reason, and that there are actually people out there whether we choose to believe it or not that actually need Welfare assistance; even the lady with her "Nails done, Hair done, Everything did."
I'm just trying to fuck with the Grey for a little bit, because it seems as though they are implying you have to show that you need the Welfare(struggle) both outside and in to prove that you are actually struggling and in need(strong black woman).
DeShanta Wade AML2600
ReplyDeleteI agree with Natalie Hodges first two statements. If you look at the world today and see what the effects of welfare have done to the people, it has more or less helped them become lazy. Many single moms have giving up on trying to find a job or bettering themselves because they have giving up on hope that things would get better. With welfare, that’s helping them through life they don’t really have to do anything, now do they? I think that welfare should go to a certain group of people. But who is to say who that group is? Nobody really knows the struggles a person goes through; and anybody on welfare can live comfortable beyond the means of a person who is doing incredibly well in the financial department. Take this scenario for instance; a single parent with 5 children, no job and limited income vs. a single parent with one child, with a job, going to school, with just enough income, who would you pick to get the welfare or as many would put it, government aid for those in need. Most would pick the single parent with 5 children, but why pick that person because they look as though they don’t have it all? The parent that has the one child could be struggling in more ways than one i.e., the income she gets is only enough to pay her bills and put at least two meals on the table a week. That goes to show that looks can be deceiving.
LaQuanda Smith AML2600
ReplyDeleteWelfare like many topics leaves room for opinion. Many Americans are unhappy with the welfare system, claiming that individuals are abusing the welfare program by not applying for jobs, having more children to get more aid, and staying unmarried so as to qualify for greater benefits. Those of us who don't have to rely on the benefits of welfare tend to look at the obvious ends of the spectrum rather than the grey areas. We automatically assume that these people are lazy and they should just get a job. Well it's not that easy, some individuals are physically unable to get a job, while others lack the knowledge and skills needed to get a reliable job. Granted that there are minimum wage jobs that don't require a college degree, the salary may not be enough to cover all expenses therefore individuals will still have to depend on the welfare program for assistance.
I have to agree with Hooks when she says that women in this group typically wanted to work. However, these women feel that getting off welfare and working in "stressful or dehumanizing" low-paying jobs is "not a sign of progress." We have to take into account the way these individuals are being treated when they walk into the welfare office for assistance. Are these people given respect, are they given the proper resources needed to get off welfare? If our government or social workers can't provide those two simple necessities what incentives will these people have to get off of welfare? I'm in no way saying that there aren't people out there that abuse the system, but that does not mean that we should stigmatize every individual getting government assistance. It's just hard for me to form an opinion or judge these people when I have no clue what their circumstances are.
Adrianne Carter AML 2600
ReplyDeleteNo job is dehumanizing in an of itself. A job becomes dehumanizing when the employees' superiors make it so. It is quite possible that women find themselves above certain jobs, or too good for a profession. This is probably because of the stigma that is attached to certain jobs. This stigma comes from the treatment that employees are known to have to endure during their employment at whichever establishment. Most often these jobs are offered at minimum pay for maximum hours. Often times women, especially those of African descent are stereotyped negatively because of their financial dependence on "the man". Another negative stereotype comes from the general population looking down on women as lazy breeders. In the welfare system, the more children that a person has the more money they receive. Not only are they looked down upon their peers throughout the community, but are constantly intruded upon by government "checking in on their investment", or ensuring that the beneficiaries of the program are not cheating the system. so, basically If one is reliant upon welfare it says that they're somehow less than the person who is not. I think that welfare should be given to college students who are in need of serious financial assistance. To not offer it disincentivizes people to go to school. Students able to fend for themselves financially should be given the same consideration as those in the workforce who are able to do the same.
La'Kendra Curry
ReplyDeleteI agree more or less with what many of my classmates that have posted before me said. Personally, I feel as though Welfare is a part of both the problem and the solution. Reason bring that although Welfare is some people's saving grace, its also 90 percent of other people's downfall. I look at it this way, if all I had to do was sit at home and wait for free money to fall in my lap then thats probably what I would do. It all generally depends on the person on the recieving end. A jobless mother with two or more kids deserves welfare in my opinion depending on the circumstances such as her losing her job because of not being able to repaort to work as often as she should due to the fact that she has a child with some sort of health-related condition or disorder. If this same mother had a different set of circumstances such as her not having a job because she frequently missed work due to the fact of controllable circumstances such as partying, drinking, etc. then in my opinion she wouldnt deserve Welfare. But then again, I am just on the outside looking in.
As far as students on Welfare, I strongly agree with anyone who believes that all college students should be able to recieve Welfare simply because if its sole purpose is to be given to people who and trying to better themselves,then I can't think of any better candidates than college students.
The definition or idea of a 'dehumanizing' job is ultimately up to the person thats in need or applying for the job/position. As an adult, you know what you have to do to get where you want to be. If pushing a broom or mop and/or cleaning toilets is what its gonna take to put food on the table and clothes on your back then so be it...anything of importance will get done,(especially when kids are involved) By any means necessary.
I found bell hooks statement about woman who wanted to work but couldn’t work because they found low paying jobs “dehumanizing” very comical. In my opinion a job is a job. If one is struggling to make ends meet, any job he or she is offered or can find should be taken. Beggars cannot be choosers. I don’t understand why in our society people feel entitled to everything. Just like one will never learn how to walk if he or she doesn’t crawl, one will not get to the top without starting at the bottom. If a person meets certain requirements for welfare than they can’t expect a high paying job because they don’t have a strong educational background, which means they would have to work “dehumanizing” jobs anyways. I actually find being on sources of entitlement programs sponsored by the government such as welfare more dehumanizing than being a janitor, garbage man, or maid. I sympathize for the people that have a disability or a medical condition that prevents them from working and need governmental assistance because that is who the welfare system was created for in the first place. It’s the ones that abuse the system that I am not a fan of. I believe that the only person responsible for their actions in life is that person. If one wants to have six kids and no means of living or financial stability than that is that persons fault and the tax payers shouldn’t hold that person’s financial burden because they feel too proud and too good to work at McDonalds.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think that college students should be able to receive welfare but there are exceptions. College students generally make less that 20,000 d0llars a year but I don’t think they should be put on welfare because there are plenty of programs such as financial aid, Pell Grants, student loans, and private scholarships that can provide to their specific needs. If a college student happens to has no one they can depend on to help support them than I understand why welfare would be a necessity.
It is and always will be easy to point fingers at someone in a situation of which you cannot relate. I cannot fully relate to the “welfare situation” There is already a preconceived notion by most that those on welfare are lazy or finding a way to cheat the system. But not once during class discussion one has not taking into consideration of the hard working woman who broke her leg and has a legitimate reason for why she need government assistance. Though I do have many view point on this topic , one being that it only make sense in most cases that welfare payments are equal to a low paying jobs so why work. I can make the same amount of money while saving money. I can watch my own children and collect my checks like the next woman.I feel that besides what anyone thinks or believes the end route is money. Dehumanizing work comes with the people that you deal with and how you are treated. Whether you are a CEO or a cashier does not matter. Whether your shown respect does. Also I feel that with my definition of a dehumanizing job would not be a good enough reason to result to welfare. So that no excuse in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteDuring class discussion it was presented that one would show more respect to a waitress than a cashier at Mcdonalds why? Because with money comes respect. Its not the entirely ethical way to go but I feel that those on welfare are treated wrong and seen as less of a person because they do not make a lot of money or don’t work for their money. The society that we live in lacks respect and many people do not know how to treat others.
As a college student I already feel that financial aid is a sort of welfare because they don't only pay for my classes but they pay for everything. If I didn’t have financial aid I would be lost as I assume the woman on welfare would be but at the same time I couldn’t afford school by myself as the woman cannot afford to live on their means alone.
For me its hard to pick sides and with this topic I’m all over the place but I feel like those who need welfare as citizens deserve and those who abuse it don't but the government doesnt have the man power or time to fix this problem.
Ms. Otgna K. Dorno
ReplyDeleteI believe that no job is dehumanizing because no position is capable of stripping anybody of their human quality or attribute. However, any job in the service section where an individual has to do something that nobody wants to do and one where the employee needs the job more than the people being served value the service/item, is likely to be labeled to be as such. Possessing these two things makes any job a losing combination for me because once these rude ass Americans (while this may be true in other countries, I can only speak based on my personal experiences in the only country I’ve lived in), feel as though their job is better or what you are doing is beneath them, they feel as though they can treat you any way they want to. While some people learn to treat to every human being with respect, some people feel that they only need to respect those they need a service from or those who have something that they admire. Unfortunately this attitude affects a whole class of people who are relegated to some lower standard by their job title, level or education or whatever bull shit people want to use to belittle others.
I personally don’t know anybody who is unemployed because they think they are better off on welfare. For this reason I don’t have an opinion on this matter and I am not going to form one based on the rumors, stereotypes or other preconceived notions circulating about. If someone is relying on welfare for survival I can only assume that they chose, for whatever reason, the lifestyle that was best for them.
The welfare criteria for college students should be just like the criteria for any other form of government assistance including financial aid. If one needs access to some resources, service or money in order to avoid living life destitute of essentials, they should qualify to get it.
Gerald Law
ReplyDeleteThe welfare program is definitely a means by which people in need can have necessary resources provided for them until they are able to sustain on their own. However, it has become, in a way, a crutch to many who rely on it. Not to be offensive to anyone who might be in this situation, but personally I relate the idea of this "crutch" to people who live in the projects.
I believe the projects were created to serve a similar purpose as welfare, to aid people in need until they are able to provide for themselves. It seems to me, however, that some of these people have settled into the idea that they cannot do any better for themselves and because of that, the projects becomes their permanent home. The problem that I see with that is that these people raise their children to harbor these same ideas and as a result, generations end up being born and raised in the projects.
People who use welfare or live in the projects must ultimately realize that their current state isn't the end of the road. You might have to work through some "dehumanizing jobs" or deal with that person who tells you that "welfare won't pay for your B.A.", but hey, no one ever said that life would be easy.
Ashlee Thompson
ReplyDeleteI don't think that any job can be humanizing either. Honestly you allow people to take authority over you and your attitude or outlook on your job. By letting them get to you while you're on the job and influence how you feel about the work you have to do to survive, you give them power over something they have no right to, your life. Honestly I believe that if you have to clean toilets for 30 years just to make ends meet then that's what you have to do. One should take pride in any and everything they do. Therefore no job is dehumanizing. It becomes dehumanizing when you let the ignorance of what other s thin kdo or say influence how you feel about that job.
On the subject of Welfare I can’t really speak because I know nothing about it. But my pre-conceptions of welfare is it is completely unfair. I am one of four children. Three of us are in college and my parents are paying for it. But because my dad doesn’t make less than $30,000 a year (which obviously can’t sustain a household of 6) I’m not eligible for almost every scholarship and welfare is completely out of the question. I personally think it is messed up how my parents bend over backwards and do whatever they have to for us to have what we need. But the government will take our finances and give it to some people who just would “rather not”. Not saying that all people/families on welfare are abusing it but you can’t say it’s not abused.
This is a very gray area for me, one in which I admit I do not have very much knowledge or experience. I have also been MIA this week due to the flu. On top of that, I showed up late to class, so I wasn’t exactly sure where the topic was going at first. Please bear with me as I give my limited opinions. While I am sure that there are people who live off of welfare because they are lazy, I believe there are plenty of people who must live off of it because they have simply had poor circumstances in life. I consider myself more of an idealist than a realist, but that does not mean I cannot see things as they truly are. We all know our economy has been declining, and the big “fat cats” or our day have been sucking up power and money like a vacuum. I think the main reason why the country in general is in such bad shape is obvious: it is wasteful government spending.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I would love to lend a hand to as many of the poor in this country as I can. I do not like to see anyone suffer. However, those who use it because they are lazy do not have such sympathy from me. Now, I do not withhold the right to judge anyone, but like what others have said, I am certainly concerned with how the often hard earned tax dollars of many Americans gets spent, and too frequently gets wasted. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, and I definitely don’t know what should be done in this situation, but I think that acknowledging the problem is the first step towards fixing it.
Greg Reid
ReplyDeleteWelfare itself is not the problem however people who abuse the systme are. There are many people who need financial assistance in their life and should be able to receive it. If someone is able to work, he/she should work. Single-parents, the older people, the very sick may all need help. People who are able to work should work.
Dehumanizing work is different for everyone. I would personally not to work in fast food places, but my brother does and he is ok with it. I think there are jobs that everyone can find that will help them support themselves and their family if they are willing to look for them.
Some college students probably do need welfare. Students who do not receive any financial aid, come from very poor families who cannot help them out in any way, or who are single parents may need welfare. They should also work out of welfare once they graduate from college and get a degree.