Capitalism can't be held blameless. At the periphery of Help Wanted is the company's deep hostility to labor unions. The characters mention several times how they're too afraid to even talk to a union organizer. The major corporations in America - Amazon, Target, Walmart, Starbucks - are virulently anti-union. Through legislation (the PRO Act) they can be forced to treat their workers better. The threat of automation isn't great enough for there to be fears that if workers ask for "too much" they'll all be automated away. Amazon needs human beings in its warehouses. Physical robots can't stock all the Walmart shelves. They can't supervise, they can't respond to customer questions in-store etc. Ultimately, a stronger labor movement and better legislation is needed so these companies start to profit-share and stop exploiting their workforce.
(I usually have nothing to offer, but here’s what came to mind…)
I have seen the poor be noble and the rich be noble. I have seen the poor be vicious and the rich be heartless. I have seen the poor be filthy and clean. Same for the rich. I can work and save money and I can waste money on distractions and entertainment.
There are all kinds of poverty and all kinds of wealth.
There are many ways to remain poor, but some of the most wealthy people who ever lived still wished for something more beyond materials, and an itinerant preacher influenced and continues to influence more people than anyone. As for me - one who has two part-time jobs and always worries about money - I am content knowing what Jesus meant when he spoke of one finding treasure in a field. There is treasure for the poor.
This essay sent me over to the story on Adele Waldman, whose novel sounds irresistible. How many authors with a young child would work the “roach” shift at Target to enlarge their understanding of the times, the workplace and the human condition? Waldman’s mission, and her commitment to it, intrigue me as much as the book itself. She revitalized her career be entering another world and learning its ways. Good for her. And for readers.
This is so interesting. I really appreciate your candor.
There are so many circumstances that can make us unable to truly understand the lives of those around us. As you said, the statement that you are isolated from the experience of most of your fellow Americans is true. I sometimes receive similar criticism, not because of an economic divide, but because as an expat my life experience is so completely dissimilar to that of the people in my home nations. I live in countries where my kids go to international schools in order to maintain some consistency in language and curriculum, where employing domestic staff is a condition of our visas, where we don't always know the price of a pint of milk because we're paying in a foreign currency. So it's true that I don't completely understand the daily hardships that my friends and family in Australia and the UK are experiencing.
But what people can know of me is that I try to write about topics with which I AM familiar, and with recognition of my own privilege/outsider status. All we can do is trust in our own kindness, humanity and curiosity. I make no bones about the fact that my views are all very much as seen through a blurry expat bubble... In truth we can all only see the world through our own very specific lens.
Roth decided to learn about the glove business in the writing of “American Pastoral” after reading John Updike’s “Rabbit is Rich”, which contained a precisely observed description of running a car dealership. (Updike was considered one of the giants of American letters fifty years ago; does anyone read him anymore? I wonder whether any Updike novel is assigned in schools.)
I heard Chris Anderson (TED creator) talking about how he relates to his wealth. He said there’s some religious guidance he recommends following. Judaism and Christianity have a tradition of tithing—give 10% of your income away each year (ideally that’s pre-tax) income. Islam says give away 2.5% of your net worth each year. These traditions also say “don’t give it all away.” Anderson said that by following this guidance, he doesn’t feel guilty for not giving more. He also said that if the highly affluent of the world followed this guidance, we’d be able to solve many if not most of our biggest problems.
Good morning David and Kudos to you for this on dealing with your personal wealth and privilege: "It’s an uncomfortable question, and I’m grappling with it." My response may beg for a longer conversation sometime and if you're open for that, let me know and we'll figure out a time and day.
I did not grow up wealthy and privileged and that's another story for another time. I did grow up with loving, caring parents who worked hard to make sure I had opportunities that they did not. Thus I was well-educated and privileged in many ways. You may recall that I was inspired by your donating any subscriptions or contributions here on Substack to Robin Hood and I am still planning to do the same as soon as I choose the charity among my favorite ones. That's where your $80 pledge will go.
I applaud you for being honest, open and authentic and given your situation, not everyone will understand or appreciate your status. There are many ways to give back for all that has been given to us from having a family foundation that supports chosen non-profit projects to just contributing different amounts annually There is also the gift of self and time, via a volunteer position. Scott Peck of "The Road Less Traveled" fame also wrote a less popular book, "What Return Can I Make?" I talked to Scott before he died and that is also another story.
Suffice to say here that we too are in a privileged economic position as are others in our extended family. How each of us deals with our personal wealth is a matter of our beliefs and values and about making sure we are taken care of in our later years (I am 87, my wife is 76) and that our kids don't have to worry about that. They and their children have their own lives and while we adore them and they us, we won't end up living together. By the way, most of them also had the privilege of the private school world, one that I know extremely well by virtue of having spent years working in that environment, albeit in a leadership position. Both our families also left us with more than enough money than we expected which contributed to our life style and comfort immeasurably. Not surprising that those who do not have enough resent those of us who have more than enough. Yes, that's partly a distribution problem but it goes far deeper than that.
As for American Capitalism, there are plenty of signs it is on the decline and I am trying to finish up a book that addresses that. It is called "Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism" written by two Princeton economists. All the best to you as you work, write, and come to terms with yourself in your continuing exploration and discoveries.
I did not grow up with wealth, and there were many times in my childhood when I watched my parents struggle to make finances work at the end of the month. I won't go into details, but this experience taught me much, including how to be a self-starter, how to manage my time well, the value of hard work, that nothing comes without a price or sacrifice, that details and fine print matter, etc. These lessons endowed me with skills that have served me well so far in my life, and have enabled me to establish a level of comfort I did not have growing up. For that I am grateful. My child is fortunate that she is not growing up with the same constraints I had growing up, but I hope to endow her with the same lessons and values through other ways and experiences. My motivation is my belief that it is more important to endow her with skills than to focus on leaving her with material wealth (“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime").
David, your candor about your privilege is what gives your writing so much credibility, and I really appreciate the way you question yourself. I'm a strong believer in being authentic in personal essays or any form of narrative nonfiction. In my current life, I'm also quite privileged, although I didn't start out there. I do think experience with financial anxieties and fears — most recently in a scramble to help my failing parents — provides a gut-level sense of the struggle. Yet poverty isn't necessarily ennobling; one of the worst things about it is the way it limits the horizon of what's possible.
Like others here, I'd point to capitalism as a system that keeps workers in their place, and I'm not so sanguine about business interests (although I do love novels about business, and I very much want to read the Waldman book). Capitalism also limits the horizon for everybody, as if all that matters is self-interest and economic success. That's why asking uncomfortable questions, whether you're rich or poor, has an impact. P.S. I'm glad you haven't tried to massage your own story by including the requisite trauma narrative to excuse your wealth :-)
Writing what you know is a powerful way to learn what you are blind to. Your commitment to honesty let’s your readers know that they can feel comfortable being honest with you too, and pointing out where they don’t feel seen in your experiences. If some choose to personally attack you for sharing your truth, well then that’s their work to do.
Keep tuning into where you’re finding discomfort in what you discover, and just be curious. Asking questions is the path.
Denmark has harsh immigration policies and an unemployment rate of 2.6 percent. We have open borders and have given billions to Ukraine. Our government puts criminals and illegals before our own citizens. Denmark doesn’t do this. Just saying.
G-7 countries are similar.
Meanwhile, our health care system is broken but I wouldn’t want to get cancer in Canada, Italy, the UK. Nationalized health care is not the answer.
Have you read Hillybilly Elegies or Educated? Fantastic memoirs of people who were able to pull themselves out of the circumstances they were born into.
We are born to this or that circumstance by chance. Take two children, one born to poverty and one to wealth, and they are equal human beings of equal human and spiritual worth. There is no reason for either to feel guilty about the world into which they were born, as it was not of their choice. One may have certain advantages over the other (and not all the advantages go to the child of wealth), but neither is to blame for the circumstances of their life. No one can make me feel guilty, for example, over being white or having an Ivy League degree. Such guilt will not rest on my shoulders.
I cannot, and will not try to, argue the 2.1 v .7% position. However, I do not think it is all about politics, either. A great deal of it has to do with values. Now, I know people are motivated by hope of reward or fear of loss, but once our needs are met, it is a matter of values as to how much MORE we need. If a business earns an 8% return this year, why must it earn more next year? Why can't it choose, as a matter of values, to put everything over the 8% into a pot to be distributed to the employees? Now, values like that cannot be legislated but can they not be cited as virtuous, possibly encouraging others to do the same? Can such values be taught and discussed more widely? Businesses stand on the shoulders of roaches. Beyond that figurative 8%, why not give them more? Having never been wealthy in the usual materials sense, I can only wonder about this question. Is there ever a time when one has enough? If not, why the hell not?
David, it is clear that you do share your time and money significantly. I see no reason for you to feel guilty. Fortunate? You bet. Guilty? You were born to certain circumstances, neither of your choosing nor your doing but rather simply good luck. Can you use your position to help others even more, either by doing directly or by encouraging others? I can't answer that for you, but I see reason for gratitude, not guilt.
I did not comment over the last few weeks because I do not relate to your wealth, but it's your space and I do respect the authenticity including the confession that some of it weighs on your shoulders.
This quote is precisely why I enjoy your candor on wealth: “But a novel like Help Wanted transports us to another world, and that gives it the power and magic to convey that information so it resonates and lasts in our memory.” Our culture trains us to never talk about how much or little wealth we have, which discourages many from disclosing stories like yours about NYC private schools, The Breakers, etc. They are stories worth telling and reading, but the risk is high. Please keep taking these risks - I very much enjoy the transports to this world.
I always appreciate your candor about these class issues... oftentimes affluent people are exaggeratedly ginger in a way that is maybe intended to be polite but comes off as condescending -- the equivalent of saying one "went to school in Cambridge" rather than just saying Harvard. The reality is that well-to-do people wield highly disproportionate influence culturally, politically, institutionally, etc. and it does nobody any favors not to delver into their cultural dynamics and presumptions. Your reflections make a real contribution to helping understand an echelon of people that most will seldom meet -- this Substack is anything but clueless.
David, I've recently found your essays which provide much enjoyment. I like your open-minded frankness and thinking. There is also a modicum of symmetry which I find intriguing.
I'm a 62 year old living in Notting Hill, London. Our stories are different but we find ourselves thinking about wealth and how ashamed or unashamed we might be as a result. My wrestle has been what to do now, beyond instinctive self interest.
This note might have been better served sent directly to your email, apologies for that.
In today's essay you finally mention Denmark and Kirsten Powers recent piece.
My good Danish friend from Aarhus, Denmark's second biggest city which no one knows, opened my eyes many years ago to how supportive government is to their citizens. He was once shipped back to Denmark from France after a skiing accident, everything taken care of by the state.
Danes don't resent paying some of the highest taxes in the world, unlike the UK, where tax avoidance is seen as a worthy profession. Their cars are the most expensive in Europe because of government tax. This behaviour seems a world apart from the current UK government and the prospect of The Donald again in the US?
David, I am sorry to hear that people have responded this way to you. I grew up poor and with a good deal of misery and it has become a kind of currency of “true human experience” in the memoir(ish) space. I resent it. Do I have experience with American poverty? Yes. Does that make you less qualified to write human experience? No. We’re all here. We all have something to contribute. I think your essays are thoughtful and honest and you have nothing to be sorry for or ashamed of for having wealth. Just as I had nothing to be sorry or ashamed of for not having it. There’s no choice in the beginning, and frankly, little chance of becoming wealthy if you didn’t have a good start, a road towards education, and now even that seems another road to debt and poverty. Giving kids in poverty a chance is where it’s at. My mom made sure we went to decent schools and it saved me. I’m sure of it. Keep going.
Capitalism can't be held blameless. At the periphery of Help Wanted is the company's deep hostility to labor unions. The characters mention several times how they're too afraid to even talk to a union organizer. The major corporations in America - Amazon, Target, Walmart, Starbucks - are virulently anti-union. Through legislation (the PRO Act) they can be forced to treat their workers better. The threat of automation isn't great enough for there to be fears that if workers ask for "too much" they'll all be automated away. Amazon needs human beings in its warehouses. Physical robots can't stock all the Walmart shelves. They can't supervise, they can't respond to customer questions in-store etc. Ultimately, a stronger labor movement and better legislation is needed so these companies start to profit-share and stop exploiting their workforce.
(I usually have nothing to offer, but here’s what came to mind…)
I have seen the poor be noble and the rich be noble. I have seen the poor be vicious and the rich be heartless. I have seen the poor be filthy and clean. Same for the rich. I can work and save money and I can waste money on distractions and entertainment.
There are all kinds of poverty and all kinds of wealth.
There are many ways to remain poor, but some of the most wealthy people who ever lived still wished for something more beyond materials, and an itinerant preacher influenced and continues to influence more people than anyone. As for me - one who has two part-time jobs and always worries about money - I am content knowing what Jesus meant when he spoke of one finding treasure in a field. There is treasure for the poor.
This essay sent me over to the story on Adele Waldman, whose novel sounds irresistible. How many authors with a young child would work the “roach” shift at Target to enlarge their understanding of the times, the workplace and the human condition? Waldman’s mission, and her commitment to it, intrigue me as much as the book itself. She revitalized her career be entering another world and learning its ways. Good for her. And for readers.
This is so interesting. I really appreciate your candor.
There are so many circumstances that can make us unable to truly understand the lives of those around us. As you said, the statement that you are isolated from the experience of most of your fellow Americans is true. I sometimes receive similar criticism, not because of an economic divide, but because as an expat my life experience is so completely dissimilar to that of the people in my home nations. I live in countries where my kids go to international schools in order to maintain some consistency in language and curriculum, where employing domestic staff is a condition of our visas, where we don't always know the price of a pint of milk because we're paying in a foreign currency. So it's true that I don't completely understand the daily hardships that my friends and family in Australia and the UK are experiencing.
But what people can know of me is that I try to write about topics with which I AM familiar, and with recognition of my own privilege/outsider status. All we can do is trust in our own kindness, humanity and curiosity. I make no bones about the fact that my views are all very much as seen through a blurry expat bubble... In truth we can all only see the world through our own very specific lens.
Looking forward to reading more of your words.
Roth decided to learn about the glove business in the writing of “American Pastoral” after reading John Updike’s “Rabbit is Rich”, which contained a precisely observed description of running a car dealership. (Updike was considered one of the giants of American letters fifty years ago; does anyone read him anymore? I wonder whether any Updike novel is assigned in schools.)
I heard Chris Anderson (TED creator) talking about how he relates to his wealth. He said there’s some religious guidance he recommends following. Judaism and Christianity have a tradition of tithing—give 10% of your income away each year (ideally that’s pre-tax) income. Islam says give away 2.5% of your net worth each year. These traditions also say “don’t give it all away.” Anderson said that by following this guidance, he doesn’t feel guilty for not giving more. He also said that if the highly affluent of the world followed this guidance, we’d be able to solve many if not most of our biggest problems.
Good morning David and Kudos to you for this on dealing with your personal wealth and privilege: "It’s an uncomfortable question, and I’m grappling with it." My response may beg for a longer conversation sometime and if you're open for that, let me know and we'll figure out a time and day.
I did not grow up wealthy and privileged and that's another story for another time. I did grow up with loving, caring parents who worked hard to make sure I had opportunities that they did not. Thus I was well-educated and privileged in many ways. You may recall that I was inspired by your donating any subscriptions or contributions here on Substack to Robin Hood and I am still planning to do the same as soon as I choose the charity among my favorite ones. That's where your $80 pledge will go.
I applaud you for being honest, open and authentic and given your situation, not everyone will understand or appreciate your status. There are many ways to give back for all that has been given to us from having a family foundation that supports chosen non-profit projects to just contributing different amounts annually There is also the gift of self and time, via a volunteer position. Scott Peck of "The Road Less Traveled" fame also wrote a less popular book, "What Return Can I Make?" I talked to Scott before he died and that is also another story.
Suffice to say here that we too are in a privileged economic position as are others in our extended family. How each of us deals with our personal wealth is a matter of our beliefs and values and about making sure we are taken care of in our later years (I am 87, my wife is 76) and that our kids don't have to worry about that. They and their children have their own lives and while we adore them and they us, we won't end up living together. By the way, most of them also had the privilege of the private school world, one that I know extremely well by virtue of having spent years working in that environment, albeit in a leadership position. Both our families also left us with more than enough money than we expected which contributed to our life style and comfort immeasurably. Not surprising that those who do not have enough resent those of us who have more than enough. Yes, that's partly a distribution problem but it goes far deeper than that.
As for American Capitalism, there are plenty of signs it is on the decline and I am trying to finish up a book that addresses that. It is called "Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism" written by two Princeton economists. All the best to you as you work, write, and come to terms with yourself in your continuing exploration and discoveries.
I did not grow up with wealth, and there were many times in my childhood when I watched my parents struggle to make finances work at the end of the month. I won't go into details, but this experience taught me much, including how to be a self-starter, how to manage my time well, the value of hard work, that nothing comes without a price or sacrifice, that details and fine print matter, etc. These lessons endowed me with skills that have served me well so far in my life, and have enabled me to establish a level of comfort I did not have growing up. For that I am grateful. My child is fortunate that she is not growing up with the same constraints I had growing up, but I hope to endow her with the same lessons and values through other ways and experiences. My motivation is my belief that it is more important to endow her with skills than to focus on leaving her with material wealth (“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime").
David, your candor about your privilege is what gives your writing so much credibility, and I really appreciate the way you question yourself. I'm a strong believer in being authentic in personal essays or any form of narrative nonfiction. In my current life, I'm also quite privileged, although I didn't start out there. I do think experience with financial anxieties and fears — most recently in a scramble to help my failing parents — provides a gut-level sense of the struggle. Yet poverty isn't necessarily ennobling; one of the worst things about it is the way it limits the horizon of what's possible.
Like others here, I'd point to capitalism as a system that keeps workers in their place, and I'm not so sanguine about business interests (although I do love novels about business, and I very much want to read the Waldman book). Capitalism also limits the horizon for everybody, as if all that matters is self-interest and economic success. That's why asking uncomfortable questions, whether you're rich or poor, has an impact. P.S. I'm glad you haven't tried to massage your own story by including the requisite trauma narrative to excuse your wealth :-)
Beautifully written as always David.
Writing what you know is a powerful way to learn what you are blind to. Your commitment to honesty let’s your readers know that they can feel comfortable being honest with you too, and pointing out where they don’t feel seen in your experiences. If some choose to personally attack you for sharing your truth, well then that’s their work to do.
Keep tuning into where you’re finding discomfort in what you discover, and just be curious. Asking questions is the path.
Denmark has harsh immigration policies and an unemployment rate of 2.6 percent. We have open borders and have given billions to Ukraine. Our government puts criminals and illegals before our own citizens. Denmark doesn’t do this. Just saying.
G-7 countries are similar.
Meanwhile, our health care system is broken but I wouldn’t want to get cancer in Canada, Italy, the UK. Nationalized health care is not the answer.
Have you read Hillybilly Elegies or Educated? Fantastic memoirs of people who were able to pull themselves out of the circumstances they were born into.
We are born to this or that circumstance by chance. Take two children, one born to poverty and one to wealth, and they are equal human beings of equal human and spiritual worth. There is no reason for either to feel guilty about the world into which they were born, as it was not of their choice. One may have certain advantages over the other (and not all the advantages go to the child of wealth), but neither is to blame for the circumstances of their life. No one can make me feel guilty, for example, over being white or having an Ivy League degree. Such guilt will not rest on my shoulders.
I cannot, and will not try to, argue the 2.1 v .7% position. However, I do not think it is all about politics, either. A great deal of it has to do with values. Now, I know people are motivated by hope of reward or fear of loss, but once our needs are met, it is a matter of values as to how much MORE we need. If a business earns an 8% return this year, why must it earn more next year? Why can't it choose, as a matter of values, to put everything over the 8% into a pot to be distributed to the employees? Now, values like that cannot be legislated but can they not be cited as virtuous, possibly encouraging others to do the same? Can such values be taught and discussed more widely? Businesses stand on the shoulders of roaches. Beyond that figurative 8%, why not give them more? Having never been wealthy in the usual materials sense, I can only wonder about this question. Is there ever a time when one has enough? If not, why the hell not?
David, it is clear that you do share your time and money significantly. I see no reason for you to feel guilty. Fortunate? You bet. Guilty? You were born to certain circumstances, neither of your choosing nor your doing but rather simply good luck. Can you use your position to help others even more, either by doing directly or by encouraging others? I can't answer that for you, but I see reason for gratitude, not guilt.
I did not comment over the last few weeks because I do not relate to your wealth, but it's your space and I do respect the authenticity including the confession that some of it weighs on your shoulders.
This quote is precisely why I enjoy your candor on wealth: “But a novel like Help Wanted transports us to another world, and that gives it the power and magic to convey that information so it resonates and lasts in our memory.” Our culture trains us to never talk about how much or little wealth we have, which discourages many from disclosing stories like yours about NYC private schools, The Breakers, etc. They are stories worth telling and reading, but the risk is high. Please keep taking these risks - I very much enjoy the transports to this world.
I always appreciate your candor about these class issues... oftentimes affluent people are exaggeratedly ginger in a way that is maybe intended to be polite but comes off as condescending -- the equivalent of saying one "went to school in Cambridge" rather than just saying Harvard. The reality is that well-to-do people wield highly disproportionate influence culturally, politically, institutionally, etc. and it does nobody any favors not to delver into their cultural dynamics and presumptions. Your reflections make a real contribution to helping understand an echelon of people that most will seldom meet -- this Substack is anything but clueless.
David, I've recently found your essays which provide much enjoyment. I like your open-minded frankness and thinking. There is also a modicum of symmetry which I find intriguing.
I'm a 62 year old living in Notting Hill, London. Our stories are different but we find ourselves thinking about wealth and how ashamed or unashamed we might be as a result. My wrestle has been what to do now, beyond instinctive self interest.
This note might have been better served sent directly to your email, apologies for that.
In today's essay you finally mention Denmark and Kirsten Powers recent piece.
My good Danish friend from Aarhus, Denmark's second biggest city which no one knows, opened my eyes many years ago to how supportive government is to their citizens. He was once shipped back to Denmark from France after a skiing accident, everything taken care of by the state.
Danes don't resent paying some of the highest taxes in the world, unlike the UK, where tax avoidance is seen as a worthy profession. Their cars are the most expensive in Europe because of government tax. This behaviour seems a world apart from the current UK government and the prospect of The Donald again in the US?
David, I am sorry to hear that people have responded this way to you. I grew up poor and with a good deal of misery and it has become a kind of currency of “true human experience” in the memoir(ish) space. I resent it. Do I have experience with American poverty? Yes. Does that make you less qualified to write human experience? No. We’re all here. We all have something to contribute. I think your essays are thoughtful and honest and you have nothing to be sorry for or ashamed of for having wealth. Just as I had nothing to be sorry or ashamed of for not having it. There’s no choice in the beginning, and frankly, little chance of becoming wealthy if you didn’t have a good start, a road towards education, and now even that seems another road to debt and poverty. Giving kids in poverty a chance is where it’s at. My mom made sure we went to decent schools and it saved me. I’m sure of it. Keep going.