“Factory Summers”

“Something touched on in this that I totally agree with:

Working a crappy job when I was 15 did convince me that I wanted to go to college, because I did not want to work at McDonald’s for the rest of my life.

Before that, I really wasn’t all that concerned with school or what kind of job I’d have, and college was a question mark for me.

And it wasn’t like I resolved on the spot that I’d go to college, but when the time came, I was like, “Well, I know I don’t want to work at McDonald’s forever, or Pizza Hut, or as a dishwasher, or in a phone center. So maybe this is a good idea.”

Maybe for some kids, working a crappy job is a good thing.

By the way, I don’t mean to be harsh by calling some jobs crappy. I guess what I mean is: I don’t mean to make someone who’s a McDonald’s lifer feel shitty about their job, and if they like it, great! But…having worked there and seen the others working there, I don’t think many of the lifers are there because it’s what they prefer.

And as much as people in other jobs I’ve had later complain about workplaces not caring about them and so on, try working at Wal-Mart. Hoo boy.”