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> Given the fact that the economy is at full employment The economy might be at full employment, but people are often underemployed, getting few hours, and shi

> Given the fact that the economy is at full employment The economy might be at full employment, but people are often underemployed, getting few hours, and shit wages. Most people are employed but many don't make enough to support even just themselves on their earnings let alone a family. Real wages have barely increased since the 1970s while costs have risen. We've had the first generations of Americans who are worse off than their parents. I wouldn't say our current situation was at all encouraging.

malandrew 7y ago
> underemployed I don't get why we use this term. You're either employed or you're not. Just because you got an education in something that is no longer valued by society doesn't mean you're entitled to a job doing whatever you're educated to do. Society rewards those that provide some good or service that is wanted/needed. Furthermore, employment by others is not the only option. You can also work for yourself (except when the state forbids it through licensing and permits)
- ajwin 7y ago
  Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't under employed often also refer to when you have part time / casual work but want full time employment? You might not be able to survive of what your earning but your not part of the Unemployment statistics?
- taneq 7y ago
  We have a term, "employed", for people who work and earn a living wage. We have another term, "unemployed", for people who have no work. We need a third term, "underemployed", to describe people in between those two situations, who have some work (so they're not "unemployed") but nonetheless do not earn a living wage (so counting them as "employed" is disingenuous).
malandrew 7y ago
> Real wages have barely increased since the 1970s while costs have risen. "Where has all the income gone" Minneapolis FED research https://www.minneapolisfed.org/publications/the-region/where-has-all-the-income-gone https://www.minneapolisfed.org/publications/the-region/where...

malandrew 7y ago

> underemployed I don't get why we use this term. You're either employed or you're not. Just because you got an education in something that is no longer valued by society doesn't mean you're entitled to a job doing whatever you're educated to do. Society rewards those that provide some good or service that is wanted/needed. Furthermore, employment by others is not the only option. You can also work for yourself (except when the state forbids it through licensing and permits)

ajwin 7y ago
Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't under employed often also refer to when you have part time / casual work but want full time employment? You might not be able to survive of what your earning but your not part of the Unemployment statistics?
taneq 7y ago
We have a term, "employed", for people who work and earn a living wage. We have another term, "unemployed", for people who have no work. We need a third term, "underemployed", to describe people in between those two situations, who have some work (so they're not "unemployed") but nonetheless do not earn a living wage (so counting them as "employed" is disingenuous).

malandrew 7y ago

> Real wages have barely increased since the 1970s while costs have risen. "Where has all the income gone" Minneapolis FED research https://www.minneapolisfed.org/publications/the-region/where-has-all-the-income-gone https://www.minneapolisfed.org/publications/the-region/where...