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Opinion

So who'll collect the garbage?

In the classic image of an ideal society, everyone is free to choose the work they like to do. And the classic question by which such images are (allegedly) shattered is: So who'll collect the garbage? The idea is that garbage collection is so unpleasant that no one would choose to do it if they weren't forced by economic necessity. So in an "ideal society" where everyone is perfectly free, the garbage would pile up in the streets and other unpleasant but necessary jobs would not get done.

The assumption is that for a society to function properly, it must keep some of its people poor, so their need for money will force them to do the unpleasant jobs without complaining.

I remember once in my hometown of San Francisco it was discovered by some newspaper that the street sweepers employed by the city were getting the same wages as schoolteachers. This caused public outrage. It was an insult to the schoolteachers, people said. Street sweepers ought to be paid less.

I remember wondering to myself, why should street sweepers earn less? Their families have the same needs that teachers' families have. Should their wages be kept low to keep their children out of college, to ensure that there will be a next generation of street sweepers?

Moreover, street sweeping, while not miserable work, looks pretty boring. I don't think I would want to be a street sweeper unless I was paid well for it. Teaching, on the other hand, is interesting. It shouldn't be necessary to offer high salaries to induce people to choose teaching as a career.

I was thinking about these things this morning as I watched the garbage truck come through our neighborhood. I have heard that they face a lot of social prejudice, and have to struggle to maintain their self-esteem. But in the work itself they look like heroes.

To be a garbage collector today you need the stamina and agility of an athlete. They come running down the street in front of the truck to get to the garbage bags first. They run up the narrow alleys the truck can't get into, and come back carrying huge loads. Sometimes they leap up on the ledge on the back of the truck and perch like birds, as the truck rushes on to the next collection point.

And in this age in which separation of garbage is becoming increasingly complex, they need specialized knowledge. They must make instant decisions as to whether the items all jumbled up inside each bag should be accepted or rejected.

To my children (ages 3 and 5) the garbage collectors are something to see. They whirlwind through the neighborhood like a traveling circus, shouting, running, leaping, heaving up great loads, finally hopping onto the back of the truck as it zooms away. The children, awed, wave to them, and the workers wave back, like star athletes.

I don't know how much they get paid, but I hope it's a lot. (500 words)

Discussion: How would you have reacted when you heard school teachers had the same wages as street sweepers?

Shukan ST: Feb. 10, 2006

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Opinion So who'll collect the garbage? By Douglas Lummis In the classic image of an ideal society, everyone is free to choose the work they like to do. And the classic question by which such images are (allegedly) shattered is: So who'll collect the garbage? The idea is that garbage collection is so unpleasant that no one would choose to do it if they weren't forced by economic necessity. So in an "ideal society" where everyone is perfectly free, the garbage would pile up in the streets and other unpleasant but necessary jobs would not get done. The assumption is that for a society to function properly, it must keep some of its people poor, so their need for money will force them to do the unpleasant jobs without complaining. I remember once in my hometown of San Francisco it was discovered by some newspaper that the street sweepers employed by the city were getting the same wages as schoolteachers. This caused public outrage. It was an insult to the schoolteachers, people said. Street sweepers ought to be paid less. I remember wondering to myself, why should street sweepers earn less? Their families have the same needs that teachers' families have. Should their wages be kept low to keep their children out of college, to ensure that there will be a next generation of street sweepers? Moreover, street sweeping, while not miserable work, looks pretty boring. I don't think I would want to be a street sweeper unless I was paid well for it. Teaching, on the other hand, is interesting. It shouldn't be necessary to offer high salaries to induce people to choose teaching as a career. I was thinking about these things this morning as I watched the garbage truck come through our neighborhood. I have heard that they face a lot of social prejudice, and have to struggle to maintain their self-esteem. But in the work itself they look like heroes. To be a garbage collector today you need the stamina and agility of an athlete. They come running down the street in front of the truck to get to the garbage bags first. They run up the narrow alleys the truck can't get into, and come back carrying huge loads. Sometimes they leap up on the ledge on the back of the truck and perch like birds, as the truck rushes on to the next collection point. And in this age in which separation of garbage is becoming increasingly complex, they need specialized knowledge. They must make instant decisions as to whether the items all jumbled up inside each bag should be accepted or rejected. To my children (ages 3 and 5) the garbage collectors are something to see. They whirlwind through the neighborhood like a traveling circus, shouting, running, leaping, heaving up great loads, finally hopping onto the back of the truck as it zooms away. The children, awed, wave to them, and the workers wave back, like star athletes. I don't know how much they get paid, but I hope it's a lot. (500 words) Discussion: How would you have reacted when you heard school teachers had the same wages as street sweepers? Shukan ST: Feb. 10, 2006 (C) All rights reserved