Life realizations from a 21 year old

         There are no words to describe the many difficulties in life. We all try our hardest attempting to support our families, make a better life for ourselves, and to just survive in the crazed economical disaster that is America. The people without jobs pray to find one, and the lucky few that have jobs either wish to move up the ladder or find a better job. There is no level of content. There is no satisfaction for the working class. We are always struggling to achieve the next level of greatness, the next best thing.

         Starting out my working life as a 16 year old high school student, I entered the crazy race for employment. I began this life at Wendy’s. A crew member for 3 years I decided that I wanted more and took a position at a doctor’s office. Now this position opened my naïve eyes to the world of back-stabbing, betrayal, and overall discontent with work. I found that no matter how hard a person works, there is more weight held in personality and temperament than ability to perform job duties. I found that with no attention to the level of ability I held, I was judged purely upon my attitude and appearance. This may not be ethical, or even legal, but it is the honest truth. I was judged because of my dental issues, and ultimately forced out of my position due to that fact that I could not afford to have my teeth fixed. This forced me to see the not-so-pretty side of humanity. There is no confidentiality anymore, no attention to performance over appearance. There is only how you act, and how you look, when you are at work. This has to be changed.

         Most of the supervisors at any location today can be said to have judged an employee or potential employee on their appearance. We, as a nation, are unable to secure a job based solely on our experience. We are made to “dress to impress.” We must take ridiculous computer assessments, fill out countless forms, and compete with often several hundred people for one job opening. There is less credit to experience, and more to the appearance of the candidate.

         Having interviewed for more than my fair share of jobs in my short career lifetime, I can still not explain the reasoning process of a hiring manager. I cannot understand what the basis is behind their decisions. Most are either expecting too much out of a candidate, and will not explain their decision as to which candidate is hired. I feel that I can confidently say that I have been passed up for a job opening simply because I am “too young” or have “not enough experience.” When in complete reality my experience level is more than sufficient, especially for my age. I can complete most any task given to me, along the lines of secretarial to managerial tasks. I can work fast food, medical, automotive, pretty much any field in the job market today. And yet a satisfactory job is constantly out of my grasp. Maybe this is simply because I am “too young” or because I am “not pretty enough?” Possibly, it is because I do not possess the correct skill set for the job? Either way, the answer is transparent. The “dream job” eludes my grasp.

         I continue my search, reasoning that eventually, possibly, I will find a job that suits both me as well as my potential employer. I continue searching classified ads, online searches, and even pursuing leads on foot, as do so many others in our country. We cannot stop our pursuit for our perfect job, because this job is few and far between. There are so few good jobs available, and with so many searching for these jobs, the chances of finding and keeping one are very minimal. And so I write. I write to express my discontent. I write in hopes of sparking a reaction somewhere in the world. In hopes that somewhere, someone else will feel the way that I do, and possibly we can cause a change in this world.

         With the state of discontent in the working class, there is a small glimmer of hope that things will change; a hope that we can possibly change the state of our country. We, as a people, feel the need to provide for our families. We need to provide not only the necessities, but luxurious lifestyles, with fancy cars and clothes, expensive jewelry and trips, and a lavish lifestyle that rivals the style of the rich and famous. The advertising we see today tells us that we absolutely must be the prettiest, the richest, and the best taken care of people in the world. There is no simple happiness anymore. The true meaning of happiness is gradually fading from the American culture.

         With these statements, I must declare a war on luxury. We can no longer insist upon expensive, materialistic things to be happy. We must realize that to be truly happy, the basic necessities are family, food, and shelter. With these few things, we can live a truly happy life. As long as there is family to help us through, food to sustain us, and shelter to keep us safe from the elements, we can survive and be happy. There is no need for expensive clothes, luxury cars, and more material things than meaningful things in our lives. I beg the American people to realize the importance of going back to the basics in life; to abandon the luxury, and to just be happy with what really matters. In this economy, the true meaning of happiness and appreciation becomes apparent. Surrounded by more family than gifts during the holiday season has made me a happy person this year. I have come to realize that the importance of the holidays lies within spending time with our loved ones.

         Be content with what we have, not groveling for the next best thing. I ask this of America. Please, realize that family is happiness, not material items. Please, be kind to one another, and be thankful for what you have, instead of wishing for what you don’t have.