nickel and dimed: on (not) getting by in america

i just finished reading it. its saddened me, but its holds to show some of the very arguments i've been trying to get across here for some time.

(barbara ehrenreich wrote)

 

I haven't read the book but I saw the play when it was here in Minneapolis. I thought it was very powerful and carried a very important message.

Alex

 

I've read part of it, just thumbing through someone elses when I had nothing to do... seemed really interesting... but I've yet to go find a copy to read to myself.... not much on reading usually.

When was the play in Mennapolis al? I might have to drive down your way and see it if it's still running.

 

Last Year You're a little late Where are you from? It's not too often I hear someone talk about "coming DOWN to Minneapolis"

Alex

 

Nice book, rather strong, and I think that she proves her hypothesis of not being able to live on minimum wage rather well... but other than that... It was a tad biased and I dislike the way she took advantage of her co-workers and told about thier ups and downs in the book without thier knowledge (even though she notified some) or agreement...

Good read, in general.

 

The chapter about the housecleaning business was the most moving, for me.

I read this and Fast Food Nation back to back. They mesh well together...

 

Eirenreich gave the commencement address here at Miami University a couple of years ago. It was right in the middle of a strike organized by the university workers. Right in front of the whole administration she spoke out in favor of the strikers, saying that they deserve a living wage, too. She encouraged everyone assembled to march with the assembled protesters up the street to the administration building, which many did.

But what impressed me more than any of that was that she took her entire speaking fee ($15,000) and donated it to the strike releif fund to help famlies affected by the strike. Very Classy!!!

 

Kilgore Trout, that story give me new respect for the author, though throughout that book I found myself getting annoyed with her at times, because of some of her attitudes.

For example, her supposed surprise at how hard the working class really works, struck me as profound naivete. Her mission was noble, and I liked how she exposed many of the facts of life that the working poor face. But it makes me angry to think that so many people of privilege really have no clue, and many don't even care, though I think Barbara does NOW, did she really before her stint as a working poor person? I do appreciate her mission, but find it hard to discern her altruistic feelings from her drive to expose the challenges of the working poor. I took some offense from her digs at overweight people too, you can see a few of those throughout the book, just a personal peeve of mine, that superiority showing through, that some people are just better than others, based on appearances; a lack of compassion/shallow judgmentalism.

All in all, a very good book that everyone should read. But at times her better-than-thou attitudes angered me. I couldn't believe she was really that naive about the working poor, before she wrote it. But if the book opens people's eyes, I'm all for it.

 

Read it last fall.

The section on the drug war is terrifying.

 

Yes... so many people who used to be part of drug enforcement now come out against it.

What got me was the inflexibility. They go after people who are doing no harm, and impose the harshest penalties possible. There's no logic to it.

 

Know Where BR (brainerd) is, Al?

a ways from that hole.