Monday, May 3, 2010

Jobs

What does this cartoon satirize? What does it say about America? What has our economy come to?

9 comments:

Andrea said...
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Andrea said...

In this economy it's getting harder for people to find and maintain a job. This cartoon shows that people would rather join the military than continue school because they find it easier and a more stable career and sadly, it is becomming easier. The cartoon does a good job in satirizing the situation by replacing a diploma with military papers and a weapon- showing the extreme difference in each career. Although some may find it easier, I would hope that people chose to join the military because they have a passion for it not because they see it as a last resort.

ktestut said...

The military also offers an escape to the basic problems such as paying for a college education and even room and board is all paid for by the military. Some people choose to join the military in order to achieve their education, and they pay their dues by possibly fighting in a war and hoping they are able to survive. Although this is sad and anti-patriotic -joining the military just to get a free education - it is not uncommon, especially in the state of our economy. A good percentage of the military is sadly made up of people who had no other choice but to join the military, because it offers a job which is guarranteed to bring some money home, and some people need the money so badly they are willing to join the military, go off to war, and possibly die in the process in order to feed themselves and their families.

Anonymous said...

This cartoon satirizes America's economic and military state right now. The economy is bad and jobs are scarce. But on the other hand, the military has kept busy in Iraq and Afghanistan. The cartoon claims that it's easier to find war then a job. While this is funny, it is almost actually true.

Keelan said...

As we all know the current state of the American economy is not where we would like it to be right now. In Dallas we know that that as a country we are struggling, but I don't think we realize to what extent, because for the most part Dallas is economically very strong. I watched an episode on true life the other day about the men and women loosing their job because of the dire situation we are faced with today, the lack of jobs. One man would do anything to get a single job. He even proposed to a store owner in his small town that he would work underpriced, not even minimum wage, for a mere price of five dollar per hour. This is a clear example of how desperate some people are to have a source of income if you do not already have one. Many try to use the euphemism that we are in a recession, but in reality we are in a depression, much similar to that in the 1930s. So in this cartoon the author is presenting that as an alternative to getting an education and getting a job, you can instead join the armed services, because that way you will never be at lost for a job. At a time such as in the Vietnam war, people were apprehensive about joining the war efforts, you had the choice of either going into war, or going to college. Back then if you had the money the obvious choice was to go to college, however how with the economy in its current state it almost seems that the better choice is to go into the services. That way you will be protected under documents such as the GI bill.

the terrorist said...

As much as this cartoon is trying to be satiracal which it is in someways a college diploma can only get you so far in this life with the economy in the state that it is in. sometimes by becoming a soldier and joining the army your path is more clearly set (unless of course you are injured or worse killed). it makes a person think that by just joining the military it is a step towards a sounder future. by assuming this though and agreeing with the cartoon then you can in some ways show how although our education system is geared towards higher education do we as a society make it more appealing to join the armed forces than to attend college with the many visitations of recruiters and the appealing TV ads it sounds makes the army seem more appealing

Unknown said...

The military offers pretty good benefits now-a-days, that it really is starting to be just another job. Plus it seems we are constantly at war somewhere. once you graduated from high school, you can join up. it almost makes life easier.

MaxAnderson said...

the economic state of the United States is almost completely inverse to the state of the military. After you factor in the benefits gained from the army and contrast them to the scarcity of jobs in the current climate, the army seems like it maybe be a better option.

BrainonDisplay said...

The cartoon satirizes America politically and economically and in separate way it satirizes where the two meet and clearly conflict. It satirizes America's political activity by presenting war as common and that America goes through them almost as if they have become everyday, in that the cartoon mentions war as if it is a mundane thing like a job. It satirizes the economic climate in America by stating that jobs are so rare that war which involve at least two large, impacting, and inclusive nations are more common than something on an individual everyday level. It also satirizes it by stating that joining the army as become a necessary alternative for those who would otherwise get degrees. In a synthesis it satirizes both the situations through satirizing one situation by suggesting that America is more focused on wars, making them more common, than it is on providing a stable economy and job market for its own people, causing both of the issues.