Scripted Talk and the Use of Technology

Adria Scharf's article "Scripted Talk" and Jeremy Rifkin's article "High-Tech Stress" brings about the issue of Taylorism and the New Taylorism. For example the use of "Scripted Talk" in restaurants, "Hi welcome to McDonalds," or "Paper or plastic." Using my own examples, when I worked at McDonalds I had certain things I had to say to customers like " Hi welcome to McDonalds may I take your order?" I had to say it in a polite voice too. I felt like an idiot. At McDonalds overall I felt like an underpaid bitch and all the money I did earn for the company was going to rich greedy CEO's that were sitting in their office buildings not even having the slightest clue of what was really going on in the stores. For example I had to abide by certain procedures that McDonalds enforced. Most of these procedures were not very efficient at all. In fact they would take us longer to do, mainly because they required a full staff when we were never fully staffed. That brings up staffing McDonalds managers would purposely under staff to save money. The reality of that was because work was always understaffed customers got pissed because it took so long and would go other places so in turn McDonalds was loosing money.
Another technique mentioned was mystery shoppers. Mystery shops bugged me. First of all you could always tell if someone was doing a mystery shop especially inside because they would always be looking around checking things out and they would have the papers with them. Plus only the manager on shift would get a reward for it. Even if they were not even seen by the mystery shopper.

At the Edge of Poverty

The story, or should I say beginning of, "At the Edge of Poverty" by David K. Shipler was a little confusing to me. It seemed like he was rambling a lot, kind of like getting something off your chest. Anyways in his story he talks about people in poverty or just above the poverty line. Shipler mentions that people are in poverty for many reasons. It could be drugs, bad family situations, dropping out of school, or even this predetermined society. He mentions tons of reasons why people are in poverty but can't really pinpoint the definition of it. I believe it mentions that the dictionaries can't even really define it. He then speaks about this "American Myth" which kind of relates back to Walton's "Technology Versus African Americans" depiction of the "American Dream." The myth that no matter your status in life, with hard work and determination anyone can rise. He counter's that with the Anti-Myth. The Anti-Myth "which holds society largely responsible for the individual's poverty." Which in a way states that those in poverty are victims of greater power. He then states that people fit in between these myths. Tat each individual is a product of their own choices. I personally have to agree with Shipler in that I believe people have to work hard but also face reality. To be determined but also realistic in their decision makings.

African Americans and Technology

Let me first start off by saying I am not racist and I do not mean to offend anyone. In reading "Technology Versus African Americans" by Anthony Walton, the journal brought out some thoughts that I have about African Americans. Throughout the essay Walton presents a point that there are technological jobs out there for black Americans, starring them right in the face, and yet they strive to be the next Michael Jordan instead of seizing the opportunity. Some black American living in the ghetto could be the doctor to cure cancer and instead they are smoking crack on the corner by the bar, the same for some white Americans. I personally think that some black Americans are lazy, uneducated, apathetic, and think whites owe them something. Walton talks about slavery a lot though his essay and the technology used to make slavery more powerful. I think that since slavery and the oppression of blacks, they think we owe them their lives. Although we are handing them these great opportunities and they are not taking advantage of them. Now I'm not trying to be prejudice or anything and there are some black people I enjoy spending time with but from my own personal encounters, most blacks my age show off their "uneducatedness" in public. They show it off by the way they dress, talk, and just their overall appearance. That could be the technology that is keeping them from being hired at a decent job. Although some take advantage of these great opportunities like Obama. Now I understand that some situations they can't help themselves. Their lack of education or family history may not be their fault and they get caught up in their own world. Some may say whites are these stuck up rich snobs in these fancy houses rubbing their wealth in Black's faces but I have to say that Black's could be that way to. The opportunities are out there it's up to them to follow the Carpe Diem way of life.