Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Gig interview

I found the Gig interview of the man who works in a chicken processing plant particularly interesting and meaningful. I really appreciated how this interview in particular showed the human side of a very low status job, and gave voice to an undocumented worker who was being exploited. I would say that this interview in particular reminded me that all people have something to say, and that it's not only people with a lot of education who can eloquently discuss their experiences in relation to broader social and political issues. I learned not only the details of this kind of job, but also the ways that the experience of one person always relate to much bigger issues, such as worker rights, immigration policy, systems of economic exploitation, etc. It also shows how the official "story" or rules (ie people aren't technically supposed to hire undocumented workers in the US) don't necessarily mirror reality, and that's why it's important to investigate what's really going on by talking to everyday people.
In general, I appreciate how Gig gives voice to people working in all kinds of jobs and provides readers the opportunity to hear from people who they otherwise would probably never talk to. I feel like this interview specifically shows how books like Gig can lead to change by educating readers about situations which are not usually talked about. I hope that Project Kiếm ăn will give voice to people whose experiences and views are not really out there, and will lead to positive change in some way.

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