revenge of the mouthbreathers intro/conclusion response

The author is expressing his/her feelings on how warning labels on cigarettes. and anti smoking campaigns in general, are used to divide people. The author goes on to explain that the majority of smokers come from the lower class, a class which is already falling ill due to other factors in the life they lead. These lower class people won't feel the negative effects of smoking cigarettes, because their "shit jobs paying shit money", are already negatively influencing their health.


In the conclusion, the author seems to go off the deep end. While I typically agree with her overall argument, that minimum wage workers at multibillion dollar companies should get paid more, using cooks and cleaners at restaurants was a horrible example that only negated her point. Most restaurants are family owned; are family owned restaurants expected to dole out 35 dollars an hour to each one of their line cooks? Furthermore, at what point does onus get placed on the worker. In this world, there are numerous jobs available. If you're unhappy with where you are, the beauty of America is the ability to move on and change where you are. I recognize not everyone is able to make such moves, however, most of the people stuck in their position are not sous chefs at family restaurants, rather cashiers at McDonalds or some other massive food chain. Yes, there are numerous problems with the way the world works, especially when it comes to wages. That being said, if every business was expected to pay their workers 5x above minimum wage like she suggested, there would be no small businesses left, and that local pizza spot or chinese food restaurant you love so much down the street would be replaced with soulless Boston Markets or Applebees to give the illusion of a home cooked meal.