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> Younger folks today are the unlucky beneficiary of years of wage stagnation and home price inflation Yes, and the pandemic brought a brief moment of dignity

> Younger folks today are the unlucky beneficiary of years of wage stagnation and home price inflation Yes, and the pandemic brought a brief moment of dignity (but not safety) to the low paid service workers who make our society operate. They went from the butt of cruel jokes to “essential workers” and “heroes” overnight. It is very, very hard to force people back into undignified circumstances once they’re had even a taste of being treated like a person. Veering into my own pet theories, I think that the social aspect of who is and is not allowed to be treated like an actual person is a highly underrated factor of unionization pushes. It often costs companies little to nothing financially to treat their employees like actual people, but it feels good to those on top of the office hierarchy to abuse and belittle those they see as their social inferiors. They ignore the risks of this behavior at their own peril.

formerkrogeremp 5y ago
I don't know about dignity. Ask any nurse, doctor, grocery worker, restaurant worker, etc. how they feel about being called a hero. Calling us that to exploit our sense of duty or compassion. Giving us pats on the back and "bonuses" if that amounting to half a week of rent or food. We won't just stop at being actual people. We'll keep on organizing and quitting and lying flat or whatever we need to do to get our share.
- kelnos 5y ago
  That is what has felt so hollow to me over the past two years. I'm not an "essential worker", so I've been looking at this from the outside, but it's felt so gross seeing all the "hero" framing with all the "huge thanks", but without anything tangible to go with it. How about we pay people more? Maybe give more paid vacation? Maybe find ways to make these jobs more attractive so more people will want to do them and relieve some of the pressure on the people who have gotten nothing but "thanks for being a hero" for the duration of the pandemic?
  - formerkrogeremp 5y ago
    At this point, everyone I know has quit or just works way less than they used to. Compassion fatigue is awful. At this point, everything is just a job to most people, and we will all become disloyal mercenaries in healthcare and service industries. Yes, more pay, vacation, and not being physically or verbally abused would be nice. Nurses and doctors and residents should not be physically abused while on the job.

formerkrogeremp 5y ago

I don't know about dignity. Ask any nurse, doctor, grocery worker, restaurant worker, etc. how they feel about being called a hero. Calling us that to exploit our sense of duty or compassion. Giving us pats on the back and "bonuses" if that amounting to half a week of rent or food. We won't just stop at being actual people. We'll keep on organizing and quitting and lying flat or whatever we need to do to get our share.

kelnos 5y ago
That is what has felt so hollow to me over the past two years. I'm not an "essential worker", so I've been looking at this from the outside, but it's felt so gross seeing all the "hero" framing with all the "huge thanks", but without anything tangible to go with it. How about we pay people more? Maybe give more paid vacation? Maybe find ways to make these jobs more attractive so more people will want to do them and relieve some of the pressure on the people who have gotten nothing but "thanks for being a hero" for the duration of the pandemic?
- formerkrogeremp 5y ago
  At this point, everyone I know has quit or just works way less than they used to. Compassion fatigue is awful. At this point, everything is just a job to most people, and we will all become disloyal mercenaries in healthcare and service industries. Yes, more pay, vacation, and not being physically or verbally abused would be nice. Nurses and doctors and residents should not be physically abused while on the job.