The numerous effects of job loss

A World Without Work

Youngstown, Ohio, just like many other American cities, has taken numerous blows to economy because of job loss. Whether jobs are outsourced to different countries, or taken over by robots, jobs are being lost at concerning rates. Many negative situations come out of job loss such as increases in spousal abuse and suicide (Thompson, 2018). This is due to the increase amounts of stress that is being placed on unemployed individuals. These instances are only increasing with each passing day, as more and more individuals lose jobs that are easily replaced with robots and other computerized systems. The reason several companies are choosing to do this relies on the fact of greed. These new technologies do not need pay, health care, or 401 K plans, therefore, making them the star employee. However, by implementing such technologies, many families are unable to feel their families or even sustain the cost of living. If such technologies and outsourcing continue at this rate, many Americans will be without work and the economy will feel the consequences of such.

During the 20th century, Youngstown Ohio thrived in various mills. They were the picture of the American dream. However, all of that changed after World War 2 when many jobs were shipped to foreign countries. These foreign countries would accept much lower pay rates compared to previous workers, which is why this path was chosen. In 1977, Campbells mills announced its shuttering. Due to this outsourcing, nearly 50, 000 employees lost jobs within five years and $1. 3 billion in manufacturing wages were also lost from the economy as well (Thompson, 2018). Thus revealing, that even outsourcing one job can have a huge impact on not only the employees, but the economy as well.

Although this happened several years ago, the same story continues for many areas of America. According to Thompson (2018): “ The job market defied doomsayers in those earlier times, and according to the most frequently reported jobs numbers, it has so far done the same in our own time. Unemployment is currently just over 5 percent, and 2014 was this century’s best year for job growth. One could be forgiven for saying that recent predictions about technological job displacement are merely forming the latest chapter in a long story called The Boys Who Cried Robot—one in which the robot, unlike the wolf, never arrives in the end” (Thompson, p. 1, 2018). In this quote, Thompson uses the appeal to logic or logos. By including the statistics of 2014 employment figures, facts are showcased. Which, in return, gives the author credibility. Facts are a great way to gain attention and capture believability in what one is saying.

The rise and fall of the American economy has been an ongoing battle within the last decade. Much of this can certainly be blamed on technology taking over jobs and outsourcing as well. More and more companies are finding cheaper ways to accomplish work-related tasks and choosing these methods over humans. Not only are they cheaper but have less error and injuries as well. Thus, making them the perfect employees. However, value and need of work will be significantly compromised. This is what the author means by the title, A World Without No Work (Thompson, 2018). The way that we view work is drastically changing at a blink of an eye, in the future, work will not be as time-consuming as it once was. Despite positive connotations to that thought, we must also think logically that life and joy will also lose their light as well. Because, without working as much, we will not be able to afford the life that many of us are already accustomed to. Great sacrifices will be lost during such events.

Although Thompson claims in this article, that it is highly unlikely that unemployment will fall to 30-50% within the next decade. However, the way we view work will be ultimately different in the future. Not only will wages be compromised, so will full-time positions and abled bodies. Since fewer jobs will exist, it will be survival of the fittest. Many people will fight over jobs, but only the most skilled will win the position. In my opinion, employment should not be something that one must beg for. Each individual should be granted employment if qualified, because everyone deserves a fair chance in life. However, what most of these companies who are doing this, are basically telling society that we are on our own.

The author uses the rhetorical tactic of logos when he discusses the story of Hannah, who is a bartender and graduate of University of Chicago. Hannah claims that due to several job losses, many individuals are resorting to odd jobs and under the table jobs. This is logical in nature, because without having traditional and governmental regulated jobs in the economy, people need to find alternatives (Thompson, 2018). This is true, because even without jobs, people still need to eat and carry on lives. By using this story, audiences can see why big corporations, such as the mills discussed in this article are basically telling us to watch out for ourselves. These logical arguments help shape our perceptions by using logic and creating reflection on the extent of such issues.

As discussed in the introduction, job loss not only harms individuals, but the economy alike. Not to mention that suicide and spousal abuse increase as well. Profit is becoming more important to these companies than the well-being of community members. According to Thompson (2018): “ When an entire area, like Youngstown, suffers from high and prolonged unemployment, problems caused by unemployment move beyond the personal sphere; widespread joblessness shatters neighborhoods and leaches away their civic spirit (Thompson, p. 10, 2018). As we can see, no one wins in such situations, except the business’s. Utilitarianism should conclude in these stances. If so, the greater good would be awarded (employees), rather the minority (businesses).

Thompson is very persuasive in this argument in several ways. By telling a real-life story, audiences are intrigued and want to know more. Not only this, but we put faces to the people, making such events appear as reality. Though his several uses of logos, such information is only backed up more. When facts and statistics enter texts, audiences have the ability to believe the article to be true more so, than if they were absent. Thompson shapes are perceptions of these realities to feel that such instances are in dire need of change. He appears unbiased in his attempts as well, since he never stated that unemployment would be significantly down, in the case of 30-50%. Rather, he explains how work will be shaped to a different mold in the future, and that it already is beginning to.

I feel that by explaining the numerous effects of job loss, Thompson reaches out to wide-span of audiences. For example, when he discussed suicide increase, this created empathy and emotion in audience’s members (at least me anyways). This is true, because many of us know individuals who have committed suicide and such events are very tragic. Not only does it harm the family, but friends and peers as well. In such cases, the author is using pathos or emotions to appeal to audiences, only making his claim more significant. He also discussed how the economy faces strife with such events. Logically thinking, if individuals are making less money, they have less to throw into the economy. These situations effect many aspects of life, and although unemployment will not be completely taken over by technology, it will increase most certainly. Big business’s need to employ live people, because without doing so, many areas of life will take a turn for the worse.