Interview - Barbara Ehrenreich - The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream

[centurion180ad]

This, is solid.

[dutytocareforothers]

So how do you fit in? Act snide and conceited to everyone but your boss?

[kiya97]

Great video. To me the lesson (that does not seem to be emphasized by Mrs. Ehrenreich) is that we have to become business owners. We need to start to replace the big corporate machines that treating us all like trash.

[adam13weishaupt]

@kiya97 -- Yes, it is humiliating to have to depend on a tiny minority of owners for our livelihood. Let's dispossess them and become co-owners. This could take the form of cooperatives, with everyone working in a business sharing in its ownership and management. Or the whole community could take the means of production under democratic control.

[JackBlair2]

One statement from Hayek sums up Eherenreich and those like her:

"There could hardly be a more unbearable - and irrational - world than one in which the most eminent specialists in each field were allowed to proceed unchecked with the realization of their ideas."

[Antiks72]

@JackBlair2 Well, Hayek sounds like a moron to me.

[tom6612]

@JackBlair2 --- Eherenreich has been explaining how Hayek and the repubs were wrong for 20 years. Then Bush and the repubs got in power and DEMONSTRATED how that brain dead ideology breaks everything. The best part is the repubs haven't learned anything from getting fired from all branches of government. I'm looking forward to their next hilarious adventure in crashing and burning. They are "learn proof".

[colibri1]

That American belief that you control everything with your attitude, by beaming out positive thoughts, that's crazy and sick, but so many Americans believe it! A lot of times, when I criticize it or make fun of it, Americans just state at me blankly like they can't imagine how anyone could question such an obvious truth.

[MrSuperpunch019]

your average american sucks ass

[MrGrevy]

@colibri1 We are not a nation of rational thinkers. We were brought up on the nonsense fantasy that everyone can be rich if they "just work hard" and that hard work is the most desirable trait a person can have.

[Jpom22]

thanks for posting - i have a video of ms. ehrenreich speaking at the forum on inequality in NYC, with bill moyers and bob franklin, about 5 years ago. she worked undercover for walmart - just unbelievable what kind of working conditions employees are forced to work in - would you believe having to wear depends, so as not to leave your "work station" unattended? you can't be more degraded than that.

[traf25]

Why should the employer pay someone if they leave their work station? They're being paid for their product - their work at their station - and if they don't deliver that, shouldn't they be fired?

If they're be "degraded", can't they leave their job?

[underyourskindvd]

Great.

Mobbing is also a terrible tool used to get rid of people.

[LatinoParaSiempre]

this women is speaking truth....this corporate system is a farce...your skills aren't important it's whether you fit in or not.

punkenduro, must be terrible to be the first...with nothing to say?

[LUVJONZ99]

@LatinoParaSiempre You have to fit in and when your wages go to certain point, you are swapped out for a less expensive and younger model.

[punkenduro]

first