Thursday, June 16, 2005

30 Days

I watched Morgan Spurlock's 30 days last night and it kind of made my already ailing head hurt. The challenge is spend 30 days living in someone else's shoes and last nights episode was all about trying to live on a minimum wage job. No, its not easy living on minimum wage, if your single, you can't live independently, if your coupled, expect to never see other and if you have kids, fuggedaboudit! Mr. Spurlock complained that the national minimum hasn't been increased in 8 years, mmkay, but I live in a state that has the highest minimum out there $7.25 an hour, I voted no to the increase because I had the foresight to what would happen and it did. When the minimum wage went up in our state, my hours were cut in the store, groceries went up in price, rent was increased, etc. This is what happens when the minimum is increased, it's a fact of life, it sucks much ass, but this is how it works.

Overall, I liked the show, my only problem is that instead of boo-hooing about how some people spend their lives going from one low paying job to another, he should take some time to empower people not to want to live that way. Taking risks in your life is scary, but so is living on $20 a day. If you think of minimum wage as an entry level pay scale, perhaps you would strive to work harder, get promoted, get an education, so on and so forth. No, you cannot live a quality life on a minimum wage, but you shouldn't think you can make a freakin' career of it! Don't think that if the government were to raise the minimum wage your life would be better, it won't as I mentioned earlier, your rent will increase, you'll pay more for everything and that is how in works in a capitalist society, period. So, no boo-hooing, take the risks you need to take to make a livable wage. 30 Days is interesting, thought provoking but, perhaps some resources at the end of the show as to where people can get help and information would serve them better then over-sensationalism. Yes?