Here's just one of the many problems with "Living Wage" arguments that came to my mind after reading Living Wages, Rarity for U.S. Fast-Food Workers, Served Up in Denmark is that the enhanced wage sends a signal to this person who flips burgers that he is actually a significant productive member of society.
Now, don't get me wrong, he IS a productive member of society, but let's not pretend that he is as productive or as significant as an entrepreneur who creates something unique and wonderful that can make all our lives better, or as someone who shares a rare skill or highly desired expertise, or someone who employs 50, 100 or 1000 employees in non-coercive endeavor.
Hey, maybe the "Living Wage" is preventing this guy from finding his true calling and fulfilling the productive potential that may be ready to burst out of him when necessity calls!
If NEED BE, we could have a machine flip the burgers, or even flip them ourselves. But the "living wage" says: "Hey, we really VALUE your burger-flipping service", when I don't think we do, really.
Now, don't get me wrong, he IS a productive member of society, but let's not pretend that he is as productive or as significant as an entrepreneur who creates something unique and wonderful that can make all our lives better, or as someone who shares a rare skill or highly desired expertise, or someone who employs 50, 100 or 1000 employees in non-coercive endeavor.
Hey, maybe the "Living Wage" is preventing this guy from finding his true calling and fulfilling the productive potential that may be ready to burst out of him when necessity calls!
If NEED BE, we could have a machine flip the burgers, or even flip them ourselves. But the "living wage" says: "Hey, we really VALUE your burger-flipping service", when I don't think we do, really.
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