The Middle Class

[F3d]

The Middle Class Is an Endangered Species Author Joyce Lain Kennedy believes that the middle class is becoming an endangered species. She states that many jobs traditionally held by the middle class have been "dumbed down," making them so simple that anyone can do them. These jobs pay very little and offer no benefits, no employment stability, and little opportunity for advancement. Young people often hold these jobs in their teens and twenties. Individuals who do not go on for education or training after high school often become stuck in these low-paying jobs.

One of the reasons for making these lower-level jobs simpler is that employers are concerned about the lack of skills of their employees. Kennedy states, "One third of today's workers will be unable to read well enough to qualify for entry-level jobs. Almost half of the firms in a recent survey say that between l5 percent and 35 percent of their current employees aren't capable of handling more complex tasks; about 10 percent say that up to half of their current workers do not have the skills needed for promotion."

At the other end of the job continuum are jobs requiring a college education or training beyond high school. These high-end jobs often require technical or computer skills. These are the jobs that pay better and offer benefits. It seems that we are becoming a nation of haves and have-nots who are separated by their education and technical skills.



It's from a college textbook that I have to read.

[Fieldmouse]

Statistics (ie tax returns)say it's because more people are moving up in class and we don't want that.

[F3d]

I just took an online quiz on the chapter that stuff was in, and it asked what will be the cause of the gap between the rich and the poor. I said B. lack of education

but the true answer was C.......





lack of opportunity.

[Fieldmouse]

That is correct, C. From a bumper sticker "Vote Democrat, It's less work"

[James B]

That may be part of the problem but there is more. I have talked to people that hire help all the time and they say that many of these workers just plain don't want to work and have a sense of entitlement. There is also a shortage of people who want to do manual labor like carpenter work, concrete work and most anything that requires hard work with the hands.