Live to Work?

I just returned from my employer’s facility orientation. One of the presenters made a general statement alluding to how we as Americans don’t live to work, but that we work in order to live. I have to question whether that is really true.

I first pondered this subject several years ago when on a week vacation. I met a couple from Holland who was on “holiday.” I asked how long they were here in the U.S. They proceeded to blow my mind when they answered “three months.” They were actually touring both the U.S. and Canada during that time. I of course assumed they were either retired or independently wealthy. They explained to me that this length of holiday was very common for many Europeans. They were so sad for me who was only on vacation for a week. They then concluded the exact opposite of what I heard at my orientation. They said, “Americans live to work and Europeans work to live. I of course wanted to counter with “oh yeah, I guess that’s why we’re the richest country in the world.” But I knew my nation’s wealth measured up very poorly against freedom to be with family, friends, and to actually live life. This “live to work” mentality seems to be echoed by some of our country’s domestic policies.

If there is ever a time when one needs ample paid time off, it is just after giving birth. Here is a short list of paid maternity leave in other countries (www.wikipedia.org/wiki/parental_leave).

Germany – 14 weeks
Canada – 15 weeks
France – 16 weeks
Italy – 22 weeks
The U.K. – 6 months
Norway – 12 months
Sweden – 16 months

Now here is the big shocker. The U.S. does not guarantee any paid maternity leave. The U.S. allows employers to decide for themselves on this subject. My wife’s employer guaranteed her 3 months off without losing her job. But less than half of that was paid. The rest she had to fill in with the sick leave she had earned and had to file for short-term disability. From talking to friends and family members, their employers offered them no pay. Any pay they got was just from sick leave and short-term disability. Very few usually have more than a week of sick leave accumulated and short-term disability is only 60% of usual pay. I am all for employers making their own rules about maternity leave, but when those rules become irresponsible, the government should step in and protect the health of the American family.

In 1993, the U.S. did take a step in the right direction by passing a law called the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This act grants eligible employees up to a total of 12 work weeks of un-paid leave during any 12 month period for any of the following:
-Birth and care of newborn.
-placing son or daughter up for adoption.
-caring for an immediate family member in serious health or caring for themselves if in serious health. (www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla)
In 2005, a heated debate about FMLA began. Some argue the law is too vague and subject to abuse. Those people want to fine tune the law. Others site a 2004 study, which showed employers lost $21 billions due to FMLA. Those people want major changes, hinting at doing away with the law all together. Fortunately, not everyone in Washington has the “money over family attitude.” Some people want to better the law and actually provide some pay during that time off. Stating that, “people should not have to choose between their paycheck and caring for a sick family member.” Currently in Washington, those who value family over money are out numbered by those who claim to be pro-family, but want to severely limit FMLA.

I am sure none of us actually think that we live in order to work. But I do think that if we look at where we spend most of our waking hours, we would have to ask ourselves this question: How did the “American Dream” evolve into this? Most people work 8-5 Monday – Friday with a long commute. They get weekends with family and friends if they’re not resting up for the next work-week. Most get maybe two weeks of vacation per year to which I have heard many say they stay home on their vacations just so they can get stuff done around the house. My hope is that our government create some policies putting people above money and that employers, especially big corporations, realize the power they have. They have the power to either make lots and lots of money for their presidents, vice presidents and share-holders or they can pay back their employees. They can pay back the people who make the company work and allow them to have a meaningful life outside of work.

But guess what, this is only part of the problem. The other problem is the materialistic drive we all have, which I discussed in my first essay. We all want everything bigger and better. Few people these days live within their means. Home foreclosures and credit card debts are at an all time high. If the rest of the world consumed as much as Americans do, we would need three more planets to fit all our stuff (Stiles).


References:

-www.wikipedia.org/wiki/parental_leave
-www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/
-Is the American Dream Killing You? By Paul Stiles

You are so money. But aren't we all?

by David Mash

The debate is across the nation. What is responsible for the state of America today? Why are there so many divorces, so much poverty, so much obesity, so much violence, so much depression, so much war, and so little God? Answers seem to come from all directions. It’s the democrats fault, the Republicans fault, Kennedy’s fault, Reagan’s fault, the feminist's fault, 9/11’s fault, no prayer in schools fault, and on and on.

Many conservative authors will take one topic like “the break up of the family home” and blame it for the problems in America. To them, we must then ask, “what is it that causes the break up of the family home?” Those on the “left” would argue that the poor distribution of wealth in America is what causes most problems. To them we also must ask, “what is it that causes the poor distribution of wealth?” Politicians and talk show hosts on both sides of the debate will never answer this question. If they were to answer this question honestly, they will be indicting not only themselves, but their entire party and country.

In the Apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he exclaims that “the love of money is the root of all evil. 1 Tim 6:10”. Think logically about this as a possible answer and look back at all you believe to be wrong with America. I believe that it all leads back to the love of money. I know, this sounds like a blanket statement. Everyone’s initial reaction to blanket statements is usually something like: “I hate all blanket statements.” Guess what, that too is a blanket statement. With that said, I beg your ears to my blanket statement, though I’m not sure it is.

In the 2004 book Is the American Dream Killing You, by Paul Stiles, the author explains in very thought provoking detail about how the love of money has created a market culture in America. A culture that is out of control, and affects every single one of us. In the final chapters of the book, Stiles shows clearly how this market culture has pushed God out of America and caused all of us to be more concerned with our personal gain and image than we are about our family, friends, and the community and the world around us. This is the same market culture that many politicians (with a one-sided economic education) have managed to convince us is actually the solution to all our problems (Lasn). How many times have we heard phrases like “the market will correct itself,” or “a strong stock market is reflective of a healthy nation.” These are false and misleading statements. It is my belief that in a completely free market society we no longer have people making decisions about what is best for mankind. People have become powerless when compared to the market’s constant striving for bigger and bigger profits. Money makes all the decisions. Money does not have a heart, a mind, or a soul. It only serves to grow and people only serve as mere obstacles in it’s way. Money makes decisions for what will produce more money not for what will produce a better America. There is a long history in this country and in this world of people getting trampled on for the purpose of a “better economy.” In “double speak,” a better economy usually means “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.”

In every major industry across this country we have seen deregulations in the name of corporate profit. These deregulations have caused the sickness and even the death of many. In the last couple years we’ve seen FDA approved drugs end up killing people who use them as directed. Later we find out that the FDA had been pressured by drug companies to rush the approval of certain products. We have diseased meat in meat packing plants from a lack of health regulations that would slow down profits. We also have violent injuries in these same meat packing plants from a lack of safety regulations complimented by a lack of good health insurance. (Schlosser). Tobacco companies have been paying off both Republicans and Democrats in Congress and the Whitehouse for years. They were successful for a long time in making sure no laws would restrict the number one killer in America. Recently our court system was able to protect us citizens better than our elected officials. Tobacco companies were indicted for billions of dollars and put under very strict marketing regulations. Do we need our courts to take on the fast food industry, soft drink companies, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies and others? My hope is that our law makers in Washington can find a quicker solution that could save a lot of lives. But like I said, many of them actually believe the market will correct these problems on it’s own.

I recently spoke with a teenage boy living at poverty level. He commented that he was sure “Bill Gates had no worries in the world and that he must be so happy all of the time.” This boy believed that if he too were rich, his life would be perfect. From the time we are born, we begin our induction into this market culture and into beliefs just like that teenager’s. Infants are often seen wearing Air Jordan shoes and Tommy Hilfiger polos. Before they are two years old, children are already being marketed to by McDonalds, Kraft, Nabisco, and many others. By the time kids are out of grade school, they are loyal to specific brands of clothing and food. This loyalty is not because they recognize a better product, but rather because they believe these brands make up a part of the person they are or want to be. This stays with us our whole lives. Starbucks has now become more of a status symbol than it is a good cup of coffee. In fact, those who have been longtime customers will tell you that Starbucks quality of coffee has gone down hill. Certainly we all have brands we like because of superior quality or because we know the company is respectable. But if we look at ourselves honestly, we must admit that some things we wear and some places we eat, we choose because of some image our market culture has persuaded us we need to have. One has to be in awe of companies that have managed to capture our attention for our entire lives. They have brilliantly marketed their products. Unfortunately some of those companies lead us into very unhealthy lives. This is why many European nations have actually banned the marketing of products to children. The other danger with being marketed to so well is that we begin to believe a lie. We begin to think that products bring us life. Budweiser’s slogan is simply “True.” Walgreen’s is “The Answer to Life’s Situations.” Wal-Mart makes you believe that they are all smiles, in fact their trade mark is a yellow smiley face. Then you come to learn that the average Wal-Mart employee is not happy. They are only making $13,000/year working short staffed and not getting paid for their overtime (Documentary: High Cost of Low Prices). Look around and you will notice more ridiculous slogans and images that are aimed at what we are all looking for: life, liberty, and happiness. At least on a subconscious level, sometimes conscious, we start going to these things for life. We begin to love money. I am not saying the love of money started with corporate America. The love of money has been with mankind for a long time. Our desire for personal gain rather than to help our fellow man is in our nature. Each one of us wars against that desire because we know it is not right. And yet our nation was built on the love of money and power. And continues to advance with the same values.

I do not for one second believe that we can change our prideful nature. But I do believe that besides our nature, we are also noble image bearers of God and therefore, capable of grace, mercy, and love. I believe that at the government level, there are very deliberate decisions and laws that can be made. Laws that would put the citizens of this country as a priority over money. Not just the upper class as it seems today, but all people and especially those who are poor. Law makers in Washington are in some sense to be similar to a think tank. Multiple ideas are brought forth, discussed and voted on. Unfortunately there are so many lobbyists with a lot of money and promises, that often times long term beneficial programs are turned down for special interests and short term profits. For example, there has been a recent discussion about drilling for oil off the coast of Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). This proposal has passed the House and only the threats of a filibuster have stopped it from passing the Senate. But research has shown that if a bill were introduced that would require automakers to improve automotive fuel economy, we could save far more oil than ANWR could ever produce (Boehlert, R-N.Y.). Lobbyists for both the auto and oil industries are trying hard not to let this information influence the vote. I am not putting all the blame on corporate lobbyists. There is something in all of us that if we were millionaires, we would rather strive to become billionaires than strive to raise people out of poverty. And that does appear to be the current priority in Washington. A thorough examination of the history books shows us that it has always been a priority of our government.

This form of hyper-capitalism in America that I have tried to illustrate in this essay has made living very expensive. The poor feel it the most, but even most middle class families need two incomes in order to survive. The sad reality is that many homes are single parent and require that parent to work two jobs. These circumstances then lead to far less family and parenting opportunities, and less time to devote to bettering marriage, which then causes more single parent homes. This domino effect causes great harm to the well being of the American family. Multiply that by a majority of homes in America and we have some very serious societal issues. That’s where we are today, but I do have hope. Since 9/11, there are a lot more people, even some Senators and Congressman, who are seeing that the American government's way of doing things is not very “American.”

References
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser.
Is the American Dream Killing You by Paul Stiles.
msnbc.msn.com/id/12975997: Representative Sherwood Boehlert, Republican-N.Y.
Culture Jam by Kalle Lasn.
Documentary: Wal-Mart and the High Cost of Low Prices.