Working Class People as People

Brit
As I was reading Race Rebels, I was struck by the fact that it seems as though the author grew up in working class conditions, although I couldn't verify it.  This seems important because he understands working class conditions because he lived them.  As I was reading the introduction I was struck by this paragraph:

“Like most working class people throughout the world, my fellow employees at Mickey D’s were neither total victims of routinization, exploitation, sexism, and racism, nor were they “rational” economic beings driven by the most base utilitarian concerns.  Their lives and struggles were so much more complicated.  If we are to make meaning of these kinds of actions rather than dismiss them as manifestations of immaturity, false consciousness, or primitive rebellion, we must begin to dig beneath the surface of trade union pronouncements, political institutions, and organized social movements, deep into the daily lives, cultures, and communities which make the working classes much more than people at work.  We have to step into the complicated maze of experience that renders “ordinary” folks so extraordinarily multifaceted, diverse, and complicated” (3-4). 

The reason this paragraph seemed so pertinent, besides the fact that in many ways it outlines the author’s main points, is that the author understands what working class people are going through.  If he grew up in that situation, then he is coming from a point a view that we cannot grasp in the same way.  I liked that he acknowledged that if we are to get to know working class culture/movements/struggles better, we have to get to know the people.  We have to understand what their daily lives entail to better understand what is important to them as well as how they approach their work.  It seems so obvious, but many times I feel like we categorize the working class solely on their work, and often overlook many other factors that may affect/determine how they go about social movements, or how they try to create a better work environment.