I'm talking about the minimum wage, no barrier to entry, part-time-type jobs a kid might get over summer break for example.
While there's no denying the collateral lessons involving money management, driving, social skills etc., working at McDonalds or some department department store isn't going to teach a young person anything about responsibility; in fact, it probably reinforces the exact opposite message.
Doing the same menial task over and over again under surveillance while being micromanaged doesn't encourage responsibility or self-agency. It teaches kids that they can expect to graduate to the status of a consciousless tool after spending the first part of their lives learning and dreaming and trying to distinguish themselves for their personal qualities. Hard work doesn't actually pay off for most entry level jobs. Someone who shows up late and does the bare minimum will probably be better off in the long run.
The most harmful message for kids in particular is that these kinds of jobs diminish quality completely for the sake of quantity. More, more more. Faster, faster, faster. When is someone ever asked to take their time and do something better? When are they ever asked to think about what they're doing? Since there's already an established "way" of doing everything predetermined by the corporate bureaucracy, there is absolutely no room for reflection or trying different things. This undermines the basic premise which education tries to instill in young people.
Overall, I think working is probably a net negative for kids unless they're in a situation where they need the money, or they have connections for a job that relates to what they actually want to do with their lives. Otherwise I'd say it comes at a cost far greater than what they can expect to be paid.
Interesting take. I know lots of people well into their 30s, that were never forced to do anything for themselves. No jobs, no chores, no restrictions. TBH, a job at mcdonalds would have been the best thing for them at the time.
I loved my first job at McDonald’s. It taught me how to deal with the public. Most importantly it taught me that this is not want I want to do for the rest of my life. It was motivation.
Exactly...same here. First job at McDonald's at 16.
I had to walk there after school, deal with the customers, clean up and come back home to homework before school the next day.
It definitely was motivation for me as well.
my first job was a dishwasher and busboy at Denny's. Graduated from there to a car wash/gas station called 'the Bubble Machine". Always had a job throughout college years. (I didn't include paper routes which were pre Denny's years)
And those little shits keep getting my order wrong! 😡
Young men should be helpers on construction crews. Real work, real sense of accomplishment, real skills to use on his own house later, camaraderie and respect from the rest of the crew
How about developing a work ethic? You do something for me and I give you money. Do nothing, get nothing. If the job sucks then learn something so you can get a better job.
No kidding. No disrespect to the op, but this is the stupidest thing I've read today.
Jobs like the ones I'm talking about pay the same whether you work hard or not. It encourages doing the bare minimum for a wage.
If you are a slacker, yeah. If you take personal responsibility for your work and have a work ethic, you will want to honestly exchange labor for services rendered. Productive members of society will learn and rise past menial labor but having now valuable lessons they will climb a different ladder than those that need to be coerced or managed so they don't take pay without rendering services. Which is theft. Which means that person is a criminal type.
Food service is a great way to start a career and jobs. It's fast and builds teamwork, also shows you who works hard and not.