In the article, “Working at McDonalds”, Amitai Etzioni argues that working at fast food chains such as McDonald's has more disadvantages than advantages for teenagers. First he says that jobs affect school involvement and attendance, next he says that jobs provide on the job experience but most of the time the experience taught is useless, lastly he says that fast food jobs provide a disadvantaged status. With all of this being said I agree with him to a certain extent, the parts where I disagree with him are the lack of training skills teenagers learn and the status that they are going have in society if they keep working there. First the author writes that jobs conflict with school activities and get in the way of school attendance. This is totally true, almost all extra curricular activities and work happen after school and if a teenager has a job it makes it really hard on them to complete all of their school work that they have. Teenagers like to play sports for their schools, the only problem is that they might have a job. In their mind they might think that they can handle two important responsibilities but in reality it is hard because their grades will suffer and eventually they will have to make a decision on what they have to give up some would take the job because they want money. It is a bad …show more content…
He is correct to a certain extent, in fast food restaurants a worker just has to push a couple of buttons to place the order. Practically anyone can handle that type of responsibility because it does not require much effort to do. But there are more skills that teenagers can learn that will benefit them in the long run like learning how to work efficiently with multiple tasks to complete. As they become adults that experience will come into play because every job is like that and their chances of success
Yasemin Besen-Cassino’s essay “Cool Stores, Bad Jobs” highlights why affluent teens get certain jobs. Many of the reasons she wrote about in the essay, I have seen while working at the movie theatre. Hiring managers will try to hire specific kinds of people; people that will fit in with the current employees. While being selective about hiring, the low starting wage offered deterred many, often more experienced, people from accepting the job. Lastly, work is seen as a place to hang out by some of the employees.
The skills learned while working at a fast food restaurant are not always from what you are directly taught on the job. In the article “The Fast-Food Factories: McJobs are Bad for Kids,” the author, Amitai Etzioni, explains how fast food jobs hinder learning and the participation of students in school. Etzioni claims that while a fast food job provides income, it does not provide knowledge or skills that would be learn from other jobs such as carpenting, as well as stating that jobs like these dampen creativity. While I agree with some of the author's statements, such as students having a hard time balancing work and school, the author also makes claims that are not correct.
Etzioni states that when people work at fast food businesses, it sets an nonacademic standard of working conditions. Workers are being taught specific roles in the workplace that are mapped out for them the way it is required to be, which leaves “[...] no room for initiative, creativity, or even elementary rearrangements” (Etzioni). Etzioni shares his idea that fast food industries are training “robots”. These “robots’ follow commands mindlessly, whether it be cutting into homework or family time, dropping out of school, or doing whatever it takes just to keep a job that is supposed to be the initial training ground in work experience.
In the essay, “Working at McDonald’s,” Amitai Etzioni shares his strong belief that working, especially at McDonald’s type restaurants, is bad for teenagers. I would agree that working is not a good thing for teenagers under some circumstances but at other times it is good. First, jobs affect school involvement and attendance in bad ways. Second, jobs often provide “on the job experience,” but much of the time the experience taught is useless. Third, fast food jobs may provide a disadvantaged status. Fast food jobs can also provide an advantaged status. Finally, workers can learn to manage their money by making mistakes with money before they get into the Real World.
Athletes in times of difficulty can be important role models.” This shows that sports are in fact helpful because they can grow children into being important role models for the rest of society. Studies have shown time and time again that playing sports can be beneficial to children and we also believe this to be true. Many people still think that sports cause “too many injuries”, or coaches “are not fair enough”, but adolescents will experience these things all throughout their lives because injury can happen anywhere and they will not always be the best at what they are doing. Sports are beneficial to the youth because they can teach children and teens important life skills, help them maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle, all while improving their mental health.
Over the last 50 years, the fast food industry did not only sold hamburgers and french fries. It has been a key factor for vast social changes throughout America. It has been responsible for breaking traditional American values and reinstating new social standards that specifically aims to benefit the industry’s growth. These social standards have inevitably changed the way the American youth respond to education and self-responsibility. Eric Schlosser, an author of Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, excellently uses logic to present the tactics used by the fast food industry to cheapen and promote labor along with the social changes that occurred in the American youth as a result. Schlosser aims to dismantle and dissect
Teenage workers are more likely to be untrained, and for this reason the job becomes more dangerous because the workers don’t know what they’re doing and could injure themselves by doing the wrong thing. Schlosser states, “The most common workplace injuries at fast food restaurants are slips, falls, strains, and burns” (Schlosser 83). While talking about the likelihood of injuries happening while working in a fast food restaurant, Schlosser mentions that armed robberies are more likely now in fast food restaurants than banks or even convenience stores (Schlosser 83). Although most of the robberies do not end with death, the chances of a violent crime in a fast food restaurant are high. Schlosser uses pathos because we view teenagers as innocent and as still being children, so we don’t want them to be in any danger. We feel sympathy for them because it’s unfair to have to work knowing that they are risking their safety. While the industries try to take action by “spending millions on new security measures,” the chances of a robbery happening are still
Response: I agree with Steinberg that working affects adolescents that are going to school. I believe that teenagers should concentrate on their studies and not become overwhelmed with the added stress of work. There is plenty of time for them to learn the “real world” of working, so why not let them be kids and have them worry about their homework and after school chores, rather than trying to make the almighty dollar.
Sowell argues that, “… in the United States, unemployment rates for younger workers are often 20 percent or higher, even when there is no recession.” These jobs pay low wages for a reason. So that teenagers have a base to start their life as an employee. If this continues than teenagers will never have the opportunity to gain experience to eventually get hired at a higher level job. It will be nearly impossible for future generations to find a job. Unemployed will lose many opportunities to earn a higher rate of pay in the
According to statistics gathered by youth sports organizations, “Up to 50 million kids play youth sports in America, and 73 percent of those who begin playing a sport quit before they turn 13” (Binns). The children could have quit because they did not like the disappointment of losing, or because they are exhausted from their parents pushing them too hard. But parents have their reasons for pushing their children into sports. “Studies show that kids who play sports are less likely to become obese, abuse drugs or alcohol or to perform poorly in school” (McCormick). If children are not active, then they will most likely become overweight, and if they have nothing to do in their pastime, they may turn to drugs and alcohol, which usually leads to a decrease in grades in school.
“Sports do not build character. They reveal it” said John Wooden, Legendary UCLA Basketball Coach. Sports have become very popular over past years and it seems like nobody really joins the sport knowing the true benefits coming from these sports. After all, most people do watch sports on tv more than reality shows or movies. Many teens join sports in their high school years, and most don’t know that these sports are the things keeping teens out of conflicts. A new disagreement has arisen over whether or not sports can keep teens out of trouble. Participating in sports keeps teens out of trouble because it prevents depression and stress, creates a community, and averts boredom.
Some argue that the burger flippers and cashiers at fast food chains do not deserve high wages and full benefits because most of them are unskilled and uneducated. Some of these workers are grateful to the franchises for giving them opportunities for jobs based on their lack of skills and education. Most of these employees are teenage...
Working teaches students about responsibility and also reinforces what they are leaning in school. Having a job while in high school is a catalyst for future responsible actions and thinking. Teens are accountable for work attendent, job perfromance, and customer satisfaction. The attendence is very essential in a work place. Teens will demonstrate the skills they acquire from work whenever they go to work, and it will be evaluated on their evaluation worksheet by their employers. For example, if teens have missed class, they would be mark for absence and it will later affect their grade. Being resposible in early ages is not very easy, some of them need to take time to work on what they are lacking of. Working will make teens feel more confident in life especially in their job performance. Having responsiblity while performing the task is important because teens know what they should and should not do that will help them avoid making mistake at work or it will lead them to satisfy the customers. In fact, students can use what they have been taught in class and apply it to their job skills because studying and practicing always come along way. The more the teens practices, the more they learn from work experiences. No matter how old they are, as far as student...
For teenagers typically the best employment is during the summer months due to the fact that they are out of school and thus have an increased amount of leisure time and many places require an extra source labor in order to accommodate for the rush which typically occurs during the summer months (Hall, 2013). In the year 1999 just above fifty-two percent of teenagers from the age of sixteen to the age of nineteen were employed for a summer job, however; the current employment rate for the same age group was around 32.25 percent in the past June and July an extremely low number especially considering that this was the peak teenage employment season (Hall, 2013). This has been compared to the great depression by some due to the fact that the numbers are somewhat similar to those seen during the great depression, in fact An...
At some point students has had trouble either at home or at school and need to release stress or tension. Some of these times the teens choose to do activities that are wrong. Youth want to feel comfort and accepted, therefore they sometimes will do events that are not well for their body just to fit in with a group. There is evidence that proves sports can reduce the likeliness of teens committing crimes, or getting into trouble. Tees look at the negative substances such as drugs, alcohol, or tobacco, and think that they can do whatever they want. Many teens look at these activities and think they are “exciting” or “cool” and want to try them, but if they are busy with sports they most likely will not be as easily influenced. Participation in sports helps keep teens out of trouble by taking up their free time which could be used for mischief, gives them an opportunity to meet new friends for positive role models, provides teens an outlet to develop a higher self-esteem, and also enables student to set goals for on and off the field.