Working at McDonalds
Alexandria Sinn
Composition 2
Professor Smith
February 25, 2015
Teens with Part-Time Jobs Sociology professor, Amitai Etzioni, explains in his article “Working at McDonalds,” how teenagers having a part-time job can be bad for them as it fosters escape from school and responsibilities and a short cut to the consumer aspects of adult life. My experience with work while I am in high school created the foundation of my work ethic. I have been employed at different places over my high school years but they have all taught me something different that you can’t learn by reading a book or listening to a lecture in class. They have given me people skills, taught me responsibility, self-discipline, and independence. I have learned the value of a dollar by working for my money and saving for things I want. Etzioni’s argument is not valid for several reasons. One being that he has never worked at the establishment he is fighting against. He portrays teen working environments in extremes. Teens are either being trained to work the register like a robot or left to his/her own devices that lead to moral corruption. There have been many studies showing both drawbacks and benefits of teens holding a part-time job. Many people praise part-time work saying it contributes to the transition from childhood to adulthood. Some benefits include, learning how to effectively manage finances, learn time management skills, form good work habits, and instill a sense of responsibility and independence. As well as benefits, there are also some drawbacks to teens holding part-time jobs, which include less time for homework, less school involvement, and increased stress. Researchers suggest that students who work less than twenty hours a week gain the benefits of employment while students who work more than that suffer from the drawbacks. Students’ having a part-time job also gives them their first real dose of reality. They get to learn how to maintain good grades in school while working.
Composition 2
Professor Smith
February 25, 2015
Teens with Part-Time Jobs Sociology professor, Amitai Etzioni, explains in his article “Working at McDonalds,” how teenagers having a part-time job can be bad for them as it fosters escape from school and responsibilities and a short cut to the consumer aspects of adult life. My experience with work while I am in high school created the foundation of my work ethic. I have been employed at different places over my high school years but they have all taught me something different that you can’t learn by reading a book or listening to a lecture in class. They have given me people skills, taught me responsibility, self-discipline, and independence. I have learned the value of a dollar by working for my money and saving for things I want. Etzioni’s argument is not valid for several reasons. One being that he has never worked at the establishment he is fighting against. He portrays teen working environments in extremes. Teens are either being trained to work the register like a robot or left to his/her own devices that lead to moral corruption. There have been many studies showing both drawbacks and benefits of teens holding a part-time job. Many people praise part-time work saying it contributes to the transition from childhood to adulthood. Some benefits include, learning how to effectively manage finances, learn time management skills, form good work habits, and instill a sense of responsibility and independence. As well as benefits, there are also some drawbacks to teens holding part-time jobs, which include less time for homework, less school involvement, and increased stress. Researchers suggest that students who work less than twenty hours a week gain the benefits of employment while students who work more than that suffer from the drawbacks. Students’ having a part-time job also gives them their first real dose of reality. They get to learn how to maintain good grades in school while working.
Cited: Etzioni, Amitai. “Working at McDonald’s”, The Washington Post, 24th, August 1986