So recently I have been thinking about the social value of jobs: who wants them, who works them, how they are perceived by society, by family, by self and also, just as important, the monetary value and benefits attached to that job.
This came about when I was in lab, one day, performing a bio-film assay when I got a call from my father. My father is one of the most supportive people in my life, but growing up we used to butt heads on my career choices, educational choices, and aspirations (still do). After choosing to not become a doctor and deciding to become a serious scientist, my dad was very confused on why I would leave a life of ensured wealth and respect for a career that was….very much less so. Especially in the eyes of the Haitian community that valued the doctors, lawyers, nurses and engineers. I understood his concern as he feared that I was choosing a career that in his mind was not as financially stable as he “knew” doctors were.
As I was explaining my work to him, he asked “Is the work that you are doing dangerous? Is it worth it?”
To which I answered, half tongue-in-cheek and half serious, “Every job is dangerous is you think about it.”
In the context of the immigrant mind, parents are often ignorant and misinformed about the nature of jobs, their social value, and why their children who choose certain careers. We strive for the high degree careers without understanding the outstanding loans and mental health issues that accompany them. We ridicule the children and adults who work low-wage wages not understanding the effects of discrimination, oppression and exceptionalism that only allows mainstream “gifted” kids to make it out the hood leaving their less-valued but other wise highly creative and differently smart counterparts behind. For American-born and -raised children, there is a growing need to pick a career that we “love” rather than one that makes the most money. It creates a disconnect between old school parents and new school American kids.
So when we dissect how society views certain jobs and how our community regards certain jobs, we can see how at ends people are when they pursue a career or aspiration. For every job, there is uncalculated and calculated investments and risks for working them. Acknowledging that “goals” and “accomplishments” definitely vary for person to person depending on pre-existing circumstances and lifestyles, but there is sacrifice. Each job is dangerous if you think about it.
Doctors face ill patients, deal with mal-practice, work long hours but get paid a great deal of money for their work. Those who are invested in social justice recognized how capitalist and oppressive the medical system is to those who are poor, uninsured, under-insured, are people of color, have larger body types and are LGBTQ. However, they are also the most highly respected white collar workers.
In contrast, those who work fast food or are in retail face work long hours with low-pay, work standing up (making it harder for those with accessibility issues), and face irate customers daily. There is an influx of positions (remember the concept of supply and demand) making it very low in social and beneficial value. This is despite the fact that work of these employees are integral to many people who rely on quick service, information, solutions, meals, etc for daily needs and wants.
Electricians and mechanics work in fields where knowledge and experience are important in fixing a product and mistakes can cost a life (to the customer or themselves). Pay is varied, and jobs come and go as technology advances. Adaptation is imperative for a solid long-living career.
We can continue this list for every job and career that operates on the formal and informal market.
The immediate risk for retail workers is low-pay that makes it hard to near impossible to have savings and to climb up the financial ladder. However, it provides a way to get a job without a degree. (Because let’s be real, degrees are getting more expensive and the wages are not going up to compensate these increases. In contrast, the value of material goods have become more affordable than ever). We can never ignored how disproportionately low-income people take up the bulk of these jobs and also have no social benefits to provide a safety net for them.
For more white collar careers, the risk and investment is through high amounts of debt, stress and little to no social life but the end goal is a live long job with high pay. This is why many low-income people who do make it out of poverty and have high educations go for these careers. It is the only way to make it out of poverty and to acquire capital ( financial, social, cultural,etc). Often times, these high paying individuals have high rates of depression, anxiety and suicide. But there is a perception that people who are rich are immune to mental health issues and are ridiculed when they do voice these concerns. Being rich does not negate mental health issues despite the fact that wealth can make it easier to financially afford therapy and other resources.
So when I think about my life as a scientist, I could not help but think of my aspirations and dreams as juxtaposed to actualities of what it means to BE an scientist. In society, it is considered a valued endeavor to pursue information and solutions for the betterment of society. However, the pay is not good as compared to other highly degreed individuals. The amount of education and debt can be near the same for lawyers and doctors as well. There is a lot of time and sacrifice that goes into studying. In the Haitian immigrant community, knowledge of what a scientist does is limited, so respect and reverance is not expected or experienced.
So if I highly valued social capital (in my community) would I want to be a scientist, logically…no. If I wanted to be wealthy…would I want to be a scientist….no. If I looked at myself and my career as scientist would I be revered in my social groups…yes, because scientists have the highest degrees– PhDs. If I was choosing for my passions would I be a scientist, yes. But as a low-income, cis-gendered, black woman of color who loves STEM, my answer to these questions will and would vary from my privileged counterparts to my less-than privileged in comparison counterparts . My experiences, fears, hopes and circumstances all contribute to why I choose a certain career and why I take certain jobs or not.
So in regards to the risks and investments we make in the careers we choose, and the jobs we happen on (whether out of necessity or choice coupled with the workings of oppression) every job is “dangerous”. But it is important to note that some risks are easier to shoulder than others based on your privileges as a person.
BLUE COAT AFRO HAIR 