A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier • Hacker News Board

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#121

Post by OnlineGladiator » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 8:55 PM UTC

CharlesColeman wrote: post #107

OnlineGladiator wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You can't just eat 3000 calories of junk food a day and expect the doctor to "fix it" What you're saying is true, but that's not what everyone believes. If you watch any episode of My 600 Pound Life, you will realize just how unwilling some of these people are to help themselves because it's hard work (and many people featured on the show die as a result). Yes, those are obviously extreme examples, but they're all…

> If you watch any episode of My 600 Pound Life, you will realize just how unwilling some of these people are to help themselves Please don't use point-and-gawk trash TV shows to make generalizations about the world. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9al-mpqXjc

You may disagree with the presentation, but it's still a documentary about real people's lives. If you watch the show you'll realize it's very sympathetic to the people suffering from obesity. I agree (as mentioned originally) these are extreme cases though.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#122

Post by matz1 » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 8:56 PM UTC

tj-teej wrote: post #111

throwaway07Ju19 wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the U.S. there is one presidential candidate championing a UBI of $1000/mo. It would be paid for by a VAT tax. Typically VAT tax is unpopular because it is regressive. But the UBI more than compensates for the extra tax burden.

It is not a UBI as it is not U. The McDonalds cashier is likely getting subsidized housing and food stamp benefits. Yang's plan would require that the cashier has to choose between the "UBI" or her existing benefits. I asked his campaign why they designed it this way and they did not have an answer, I was told to ask the candidate directly, which was disappointing.

Yang has separate plan to tackle housing price. So essentially the choice is between food stamp or UBI. I would argue UBI is better since it allow you to buy anything you want, no paperwork/approval process required and you wouldn't lose it as you make more money.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#123

Post by nkrisc » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 8:57 PM UTC

x2f10 wrote: post #18

Her job is already going away; McDonald's around me have already replaced cashiers with kiosks. Unionizing and requiring $15/hr + full benefits is only going to accelerate McDonald's automation plans. Is the answer to fight for $15/hr or is the answer to go back to school, apply to more jobs, and/or go into a trade? Honest question.

They should take those displaced cashiers and speed up the drive through line or clean up the tables or any of the other vast number of things a human can still do (and from my experience needs doing) at a McDonald's.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#124

Post by crispyambulance » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 8:57 PM UTC

KingMachiavelli wrote: post #36

> She says she plans to work for as long as possible, trying to provide for her baby. As part time employees, we don’t get health insurance or paid sick days. And the cycle repeats. I know it's a cold, impersonal take, but when life sucks, having a child is going to make it worse and most likely just lead to a new generation of suffering. As much as a $15 minimum wage might help, even at $12 in Colorado, McDonald's a…

> I know it's a cold, impersonal take, but when life sucks, having a child is going to make it worse and most likely just lead to a new generation of suffering.

This is very much a class thing. Well-educated middle class and higher simply can't comprehend why a single mother or even married couple would even think about having children when they can't provide the basics, let alone a solid education in good schools that aren't feeders for prison.

The folks who make that decision do so because they see it as a part of life and don't see any change in their circumstances for the foreseeable future. No light at the end of the tunnel, so just get on with living.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#125

Post by rb808 » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 8:57 PM UTC

x2f10 wrote: post #18

Her job is already going away; McDonald's around me have already replaced cashiers with kiosks. Unionizing and requiring $15/hr + full benefits is only going to accelerate McDonald's automation plans. Is the answer to fight for $15/hr or is the answer to go back to school, apply to more jobs, and/or go into a trade? Honest question.

That's good right? Increased productivity, she'll still get a job somewhere on the higher wage. Win win win.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#126

Post by zbentley » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 8:58 PM UTC

SolaceQuantum wrote: post #57

papreclip wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree, but at the same time an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment. 40% of American adults, including the woman featured here, are obese. You can't just eat 3000 calories of junk food a day and expect the doctor to "fix it"

Where is she supposed to get the energy, time, and mental resources to lose weight? Energy to exercise, time to self-educate, mental resources to maintain discipline, emotional health to value herself enough when the world doesn't value her?

This is very very important. Many people in these comments are arguing that there are choices that she could make to help her situation. That's true. But some kinds of conditions (lack of sleep, lack of time to yourself/to think, physical fatigue, fear of reprisal from most people--employers and colleagues--in your life) make choice itself into a limited resource. Could you technically decide to move/work out/fix whatever? Sure. Are you likely make that choice, be able to make that choice, or want to make that choice if your day-to-day is as depleting as what is described? No. Barring a few outliers, the ability to choose is suppressed for people in bad situations like this.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#127

Post by TurkishPoptart » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 8:58 PM UTC

jumbopapa wrote: post #75

ceejayoz wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

McDonald's tuition assistance is only $2,500 a year. That wouldn't even pay for the average community college's tuition. It can be hard to put money in a 401(k) when you're already living paycheck-to-paycheck, especially if you're trying your college idea.

I never said it would be easy, but I don't think it's impossible.

I believe the idea that a person making $400-500 a month can "add money to a 401k and then take it out again" is not only unreasonable, but completely out of touch with reality.

It reminds me of when one of the more well-off kids at college is shocked to find out that his/her colleagues are taking out student loans, and suggests "why don't you just ask your parents to pay for it?"

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#128

Post by narrator » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 8:58 PM UTC

The people who do ok with these jobs are people with tight nit families who live 12 people to an apartment and share all expenses. For some reason, that kind of living arrangement never works in America. Zoning can cause that to be a problem, but there are other reasons it doesn't work.

I was reading a blog by an American who took a job at a hair cutter in China and 12 people lived in 3 rooms in bunk beds in the back of the store and they never fought. He commented that this living situation would never work in America.

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#129

Post by jammygit » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 8:58 PM UTC

dbtx wrote: post #51

jammygit wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Come to Canada!

Canada very likely disagrees on this being a good idea in many individual cases, such as mine...

You’re right, but I have met a lot of successful immigrants who did have a good experience. I’m sure experiences vary dramatically

Re: A Week in the Life of a McDonald’s Cashier

#130

Post by rb808 » Thu, Dec 05, 2019, 8:58 PM UTC

In the old days middle class kids all had real service/manual jobs as teenagers & college students. Its scary that now the new generation has to read about what it is like.