Is there anything wrong with working jobs that pay less than $50 k a year?

Question

There is a certain person here who likes to accuse liberals of not working. When I mentioned the fact that I work both at a natural foods store AND as a Spanish tutor at a college, she made it a point to say that my jobs were "pitiful" and that she bet that I earned less than $50 k a year. What about the "work ethic" this person was touting? She acts as though she believes in the work ethic and pulling oneself up by the bootstraps, yet she puts down those who earn very little and don't live off the system. Doesn't that sound a bit SNOBBISH to you?

Answer 1

Who cares?

There are some things more important in life then money

Answer 2

Yeah, what a snob!!! I have a B.A. and I still have to work 2 jobs to pay off my loans and barely make $45 a year!!! BUT THE POINT IS: WE ARE WORKING!!! And WORKING HARD might I add!!!! I'm an administrative specialist and a server in a restaurant at night and no one is better than me simply because of their salary and I am not better than anyone either!!! That was how I was raised!!! To respect people. Also, just because you make a certain amount of money doesn't necessarily make you smarter than the next person either. What a $%&*!!!!

EDIT: I am a liberal too!!! Ok. I spend 70 hours per week WORKING... so don't ever claim that your "taxes pay my welfare"!!!!!

Answer 3

The vast majority of American make less than 50K a year. People who denigrate that are a bore. No job is pitiful and all work has value. Those who fail to realize this are not Conservatives, deserve no consideration, and probably have not achieved anything on their own, but have been granted status by who they know, who the family is, and how they have networked. Elite snobbery exists on both sides of the political spectrum as is equally offensive

Answer 4

cleaners, theres a UN video on youtube, where they interview someone in Belgium who said a woman is called a "cleaning lady" a man is called a "surface technition" so they can get different pay, also checkout operators, men get more than women, for no reason. EDIT: Well, the UN vid showed it occurring in Belgium, Ive also heard of it happening in Walmart, (hey, i worked in a supermarket too :P ) But what happens alot is that womens work is undervalued, like, most admin staff are women, and its considered "womens work", ie, not as good as mens work, becasue its "easy" but i know admin workers, and they do a helluva lot of work for a pathetically low pay, and i canthelp but wonder if there was a man in that same job, would he get more pay? it could be an interesting experiment to find out, we should try it sometime.

Answer 5

I agree with you 100%. I'm currently a graduate student in social work. Social workers usually make little money.

I'm doing this because it's work I believe in, and I can no longer stomach doing my former (corporate business world) work, which I DON'T believe in.

And actually, none of my full-time, permanent, with-benefits corporate jobs paid more than $50K a year, either. There goes the myth that working in business is always more lucrative!

The conservatives love to say, "There's no shame in working ANY job, as long as you're paying your own way, not on welfare, etc.", but then they turn around and endorse a social system that supports discrimination against those whose jobs don't pay highly.

Hypocrites.

Answer 6

Tangerine, there is nothing wrong with it. As a matter of fact, some of the most noble jobs on the market make less than $50k. Teachers for one.

I think you're on the right track. It's not money that's important, it's happiness in the job you have and the drive to be the best.

Good luck!!!!!

Answer 7

Tang, F that B. Seriously, she will start targeting you for violations, it has happened to me with her. Ignore her. This is a person who obviously thinks that $50 K is relative somehow to anything. Where I live, you can't buy a house on $50 K, but 30 minutes away in Detroit. houses are selling for less then used cars. It is not an indicator of lifestyle, or anything else for that matter. And if it makes you feel better, she earns ZERO dollars and lives off of her daddy. No CLue, and shouldn't be playing big girl games.

Answer 8

Not at all!

Arrogance in any form is very off-putting. The internet is full of rude and hurtful people, of all political stripes. One shudders to think what they are like in real life. But conversing with the decent people here makes it all worth it.

I measure my success not by how many dollars are in my pocket but by how FEW people get to tell me what to do! (How else would I have the time to post here all day!) I am presently self-employed. I KNOW I make less money than I otherwise could, but life is short and I want to enjoy it.

Do what you like to do! All the best. :)

Answer 9

What nerve! She's a total snob & rude, to boot! There are MILLIONS of college grads out there w/degrees who are working at jobs for less than 50K. The market is saturated with degreeholders. My best friend has her degree & is doing medical billing for 30K. She interviewed for an entire year before she even found THAT!

Answer 10

No, I make $35,000 a year working with disabled kids and adults. I would not trade my job for anything. I know people who make $150,000 who are miserable. Money does not make a job good, making a difference and a feeling of accomplishment I get from helping others is important to me. Plus, I make enough that I am doing just fine. I am able to go out on my motorcycle on the weekends and do most things that I want. Too many people take survival for granted.

Answer 11

No there isn't. Don't judge a party or a view point by a person.
I try to ignore all the hate spewers from both sides. It makes me a happier person because of it.
Don't sweat it. Everyone has to start small, as long as you keep striving to be better you will never be pathetic.