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I teach an MBA course on Problem Solving, and use <i>Joe Versus the
Volcano</i> to illustrate various problems and their analysis. In the
scene "This is a real scene" where Tom Hanks/Joe and Meg Ryan/Angelica
are looking out over Los Angeles, Angelica talks of suicide. Joe says
that if we do what we are most afraid of doing, our lives work. <br>
Angelica: You mean, stop taking my father's money and leave LA?<br>
Joe: See! You know what it is you really want to do.<br>
Angelica's response to Joe illustrates the dilemma of unearned income. <br>
<br>
Later in the movie, Meg Ryan as Patricia learns that Joe turned
down unearned intimacies with her sister, Angelica, and she knows
something about Joe from that. <br>
<br>
But you didn't deal with my point about my own experience in
working with those receivintg welfare, and the degrading effects it
has. Like Angelica, they thought they had no other choice, until the
Clinton-Republican alliance welfare reform of 1994 or 6, and they had
to go to work. Unlike your example of people working in degrading
conditions, they felt trapped because they were afraid of giving up the
dole. People say "Take this job and shove it" all the time, because
they see themselves as free. They can work elsewhere. The dole creates
an illusion of a lack of freedom. It is unearned, and one must placate
the welfare gods. One's energies are centered around keeping the dole
going instead of achieving something, as Joe Banks tells Angelica
Graynamore.<br>
This clearly is a personal position, one I confess comes from my
culture, but one that seems to have borne positive fruit (more people
are working post welfare reform). I believe in reducing welfare and
creating workfare programs because I believe people are more fully
alive and vital when they are producing something valuable to the
group. Howard has spoken to this point many times, the delirious joy of
the crowd responding to what you do, whether it is to sing or invent a
pocket fisherman. Then we are most alive, most energized. <br>
Lynn<br>
<br>
Michael Christopher wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid20041126181722.37956.qmail@web13422.mail.yahoo.com">
<pre wrap="">
But I still believe welfare does allow a greater
degree of freedom than being forced into a work
program in which there is little choice of the type of
job or employer. Being forced to work most of the day
for someone who doesn't treat you well is not freedom.</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
But you are free to leave any moment, and many do.<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid20041126181722.37956.qmail@web13422.mail.yahoo.com">
<pre wrap="">
Having a safety net that allows you to structure your
own time (or at least pick from a broad range of
training and employment options) does give a greater
degree of freedom.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
--That sounds like an ideological position, and let's<br>
<br>
Yes, you are correct, it is ideological, based on cultural mores. <br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid20041126181722.37956.qmail@web13422.mail.yahoo.com">
<pre wrap="">assume for a moment that it's true (perhaps it's true
for some and not others?) Are there ways of having
people earn their safety net income, without depriving
them of choice and dignity? I've met many people who
had gotten used to working for employers who were
bullies, and it seemed pretty degrading to them. They
were on drugs, unable to plan ahead, etc. So I could
make the same argument about a system which has a
permanent low-wage class, that you make about the
welfare system.
I think it's reasonable to give people options to earn
an income. I just worry that forcing people into a job
market ignores the psychological impact of such an
experiment, just as you worry about the psychological
impact of welfare. We have to be humble enough to
recognize that it's ALL an experiment, and we're
playing with the lives of human beings when we
abruptly change the system.
Michael
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</pre>
</blockquote>
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