Why do people look down on minimum wage workers?

Question

I'm 24 and work full-time as a cashier. I've faced my share of stigma from family, friends, and even strangers. Sometimes I get annoyed when seeing political posts about how "Minimum wage jobs are not careers," and so forth.

Just because it's unskilled labor doesn't mean it's easy work, and yes it requires training. I practically live in the middle of nowhere, so upgrading on the career ladder isn't as easy as it sounds. 
Frankly, it isn't other people's business why I'm working there. It's inhumane for them to frown on me for it. At least I'm trying to make money and am not living off public assistance. I don't have kids. 

Answer 1

People are always going to hate, but best believe they would be up in arms if your business was no longer there. As long as your happy doing what your doing that is all that matters.

Answer 2

Perhaps it's because you're 50 years old?!

Answer 3

Its the left that is making people stop working as jane fonda said the virus a Godsend,  it is the left that is telling everyone to stop working 

Answer 4

God Bless you April.

You are working and should be proud to be doing your job, a job that needs to be done.

Same with people working at fast-food restaurants.

I can see you are working hard and I honor your work ethic.

Answer 5

I guess the problem is that you never sought a career requiring more mastery or skill than any junior high kid of 14 could be trained to do in less than a weekend. I’m not talking about college but those are labeled as “unskilled labor jobs.” It demonstrates a very real lack of interest and motivation on your part to gain some measure of skill allowing you to rise above such entry level work. Why didn’t you think of a trade or even a 2 year community college program in one of the medical technician fields or similar? I’m sorry if that’s harsh but you asked. 

Answer 6

A lot of the time people look down on minimum wage because they feel that they 'escaped' the stigma of having to do that kind of work, and they feel because of that they can comment on someone who hasn't. I worked at a Tim Horton's coffee shop for 17 years, and every year we had what was called 'camp day', and on camp day we had local 'celebrities' come in for an hour each so they could help serve coffee, just as an attraction. They didn't know it, but generally we would pick people who had this exact attitude; that they were too good for the job and that people who did work in a place like that must be sub-standard. By the end of the hour they were there, every one of them would say that they never realized how hard our job actually was and one woman actually appologized to us for giving us attitude.

Answer 7

People shouldn't look down on you. After all, some people work minimum wage jobs because there are others things more important to them -- hobbies, art, friends, pets, volunteer work, and knowing that they don't have to bring their work home with them. Some people want to live simple uncomplicated lives, not be burdened by a career. You have the right to be you.

Answer 8

In Canada at least that has totally changed. I see a job as just being a job now. We have millions of migrants coming into the country and they make careers out of what used to be just student summer jobs.As well the boomers are supplementing pensions with minimum wage jobs.

So the whole thing has changed.

Same as the newspaper delivery industry which used to be just kids ways of making extra cash but now is done by adults with automobiles.

There are men and women who have been working as a cashier in my local Safeway for 20 years.

No stigma here.

Answer 9

Did it take more training than the training you're getting making excuses for yourself?

Answer 10

If you are happy with your career, you owe no one any explanations. 



In most areas, a truly minimum wage ($7.25/hour) is hard for an adult to live on. I work in retail, and the company's starting minimum is $11/hour. If you can provide for yourself and like your job, you are the only one whose opinion matters.