"McDonald's Is Not Our Kind of Place," is an essay written by Amitai Etzioni. In this essay, Amitai expresses his views on teenagers who work for fast food restaurants who do not get the experiences that enhance character formation and moral education they need for their futures. In Amitai's opinion, he feels as if these kinds of jobs are not teaching teenagers responsibility. Amitai compairs working and learning the "fruits of labor, and trade" while developing self-discipline. While the fast food industry is nothing more then a lemonade stand.
These types of jobs have little initiative, creativity, or rearranging. With that being said, jobs like McDonalds; may be an easy way out for teens. It provides them a steady income that may be affecting the attendance and involvement when it comes to getting an education.
Even though jobs may help teens learn teamwork and working under supervision. Or, no supervision at all, without adults to reach out to or mature figure. What compensation is earned from the job might be used to support themselves, or savings for college. Others may use it solely for the newest teen craze.
I agree with everything Amaital mentions in this essay. I have seen it first hand, and lived it as well. I was 14 years old when I got my first job at a family restaurant. My earnings were used toward my cell phone bill, as well as entertainment. My parents did not give me money for clothing or extra things that I wanted. Since I was 14 years old, I have paid for things on my own. I will say that having a job at a young age taught me responsibility, self-discipline as well as not bettering my educational skills.
Having a job at a young age, and making money of your own is a good feeling. It is mentioned that teens may choose work over education, and having a job that effects schooling is true. In high school, I can remember leaving school many times because I was called into work, and I did it because I wanted the money, not because I needed the money, and because it was easy money.
Looking back, I feel that having a job at such a young age definitely had an effect on my education. I feel as though I focused more on my jobs then I did my education. In my opinion, it is not worth it. I missed out on high school basics for some easy money, and a repetitive job that got me nowhere.
Emily,
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the essay, I had slightly a different point of view. Like you, I also started working at the age of fourteen and for the exact same reasons you did. When I was at that age, there were many child labor laws in place. The child labor laws did not allow me to work after a certain time and regulated how many hours a week a teen could work. I can agree that it most definitely can take the attention off school work, but no matter what we are doing in our lives we can get easily distracted, and I do not feel that it is limited to just teens in high school. I felt that getting a job taught me the same things it taught you, and I find all of these lessons will be forever utilized. I guess one main reason I have a different point of view is that I find the younger generation getting lazier and lazier. It seems to me that much of our youth thinks everything should come easily to them and with little or no effort put forth. Starting work at such an early age for me taught me to appreciate everything I had because I bought them for myself. I still know many adults today that act as if everything is disposable, even though, they bought it with their own money. I enjoyed reading your point of view. This article definitely makes one think!