Monday, March 25, 2013

Ragin' Dave's Quote of the Day, the Truth which shall not be allowed Edition

Via The Smallest Minority:

If you are stuck in a minimum wage job for ten years, the problem is you. If you are trying to support a family for any extended period of time on a minimum wage job, the problem is you. If you don't think the problem is you, the problem is you. If you don't have the skills to get promoted or hired somewhere else, the problem is you. If there aren't any jobs in you area, friggin' move, but I'm betting the problem is still you.

 In my life I've bucked bales of hay, washed dishes (which is how I got started cooking in restaurants), been a line cook, been a security guard (a surprisingly good job, when you have a Military Police background and can demand commensurate pay) and of course, my military career.  In between those jobs I've done a few temp jobs, most of which sucked, but all of which paid the bills.

And after I got done cooking, I never worked for minimum wage.  Ever.  Want to know why?  Because I've constantly tried to learn the skills it took to earn a "living" wage.  I never wanted to be a brainless drone living on minimum wage for a FRIGGIN' DECADE!  Do you know why jobs are minimum wage?  Because those are the jobs that take NO SKILL TO DO!  THEY REQUIRE NO REAL BRAIN FUNCTION!  If you want to make more than minimum wage, LEARN SOMETHING!  Even if it's how to maintain the fryers you're using!  Make yourself valuable to an employer, and you'll be out of the minimum wage bracket in no time.  But as long as you just sit around with your thumb up your ass, and you can be replaced by the next dope-smoking jackass walking in, you're going to be a minimum wage person for the rest of your life.

So, to repeat the phrase....  "The problem is you."

2 comments:

MauserMedic said...

Just watched a hipster/coffee-slinger on the Charlotte, NC news stating he should be making $20/hour if minimum wage had kept pace with inflation. Zero concept of the market value of low-skill labor, and a very evident frustration that minimum wage doesn't provide a comfortable living.

Clueless twit.

Steve B said...

Minimum wage, ie. - working at McDonalds or bagging groceries at Safeway, is not a living...it's gas money. Even in high school I was smart enough to realize that working in a fast food restaraunt was something to do until I could get a real job.

And even then, if you were worth a shit, you'd get raises and promotions and wouldn't BE working at minimum wage for long.

Like you said, if you're actually working at minimum wage for more than six months, the problem is probably you.