“Corporate executives may express concern about street crime but not about their own illegal behavior.”
“Much of the violence in the United States is linked to the decision of those in the economic and political command posts, with corporations being the most powerful bureaucracies not only in the United States but also in he world.
“’A private government’ making the final decisions in many areas in life without being accountable to those whose lives they have affected.”
“Capitalist culture encourages materialism and looking out for oneself.”
In the news you constantly see street crime, people of high social and financial standing encouraging citizens to be aware of the dangers of those on the streets, but they do not caution them to be aware of political and corporate scandal. Today we are in an economic crisis; the quality and availability of education is diminishing, more and more people are laid off, small businesses are struggling to keep their establishments, college graduates cannot find jobs because training is expensive, and budget cuts everywhere. In this time of crisis, we need to be aware and take action when the “elite” undermine the working people. Corporations are constantly aiming for profit and in times of economic crisis they become desperate.
These “elites” take illegal and/or immoral actions because they are “removed from the rest of the population;” they do not come face to face with the people who are greatly affected by their decisions. The chain of command also allows them to avoid tension with employees, clients, etc.
While reading this chapter I started thinking about the budget cuts here in Washington State University. Do they not realize how much students need to re-evaluate their lives since they cannot receive their degree because their major no longer exist. Students who are 3 years deep are forced to drop their plans and move, 3 years of tuition and they do not receive what they paid for. It is ridiculous! It is frustrating! Whole programs are cut, do they not realize the financial strife of professors and instructors? Do they not realize they are limiting students’ education? They are taking students’ money and paying coaches hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. What about budget cuts in sports? Oh no, of course not the sports. Excuse my sarcasm. No one knows what is going on. No one knows whose education will be thrown away. No one knows whose going to be jobless. Everyone is in a panic, but where are the executives? Sitting comfortably behind desk.
This is a very thoughtful blog. I completely agree with your points at the end about the comfortable CEO and the struggling students. I learned today that 37.5% of people living in Pullman are living below the poverty level. Additionally, close to 50% of people who live in Pullman are students. This means that a large portion of the people living below poverty line are students. Is this because they were forced to accumulate huge amounts of student-based debt. So students are starting their lives out below the poverty line because they are trying to get degrees that WSU may or may not offer after the budget cuts. I think you can incorporate a class argument into this subject too, even at the local level. Thanks
ReplyDeleteCandice
I really like your point made about the budget cuts at universities and the rising cost of tuition. I totally agree that it is extremely unfair for the students. You would think that the last thing they would want to do was hinder those who are potentially going to benefit the economy in the future with their newly earned college degrees. And it is very interesting as to why they are still paying atheletic coaches outrageous prices. Tony Bennett made about $800,000 per year with the cougars but after he left he will be making $1.7 million dollars a year including a $500,000 signing bonus at virginia. Where is that money coming from? Was it necessary for Virginia to offer him all that money? Instead of doing this more money should have been put towards salvaging students' classes and thus their majors. How is athleticism going to benefit a hurting economy and, in general, an entire country? Well it won't, it will merely bring entertainment.
ReplyDeleteI definitely have to agree with your frustration here; we give our coaches so much money and we give so many full scholarships for athletes, yet isn't the purpose of college to receive a higher education?? When president Floyd sits at his desk and decides what needs to be cut from the budget, athletics are not even considered! I'm not saying that athletics aren't important or even necessary at a college, but when we are making cuts in the philosophy and math departments, laying off teachers, and creating a 14% tuition increase, then the agendas of the people in the financial department need to be reassessed and questioned. Granted, athletics are important for school in order to receive grants, it shouldn't be considered above many of the educational departments that are currently suffering.
ReplyDeleteAnd it doesn't hurt to mention that our current football team has performed less than adequate this past season. If we're going to continue spending this asinine amount of money on our sports teams, then they should at least be able to carry a ball down the field without stumbling on their own shoelaces.