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Workless in New York
By Sabine Heinlein
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I am interested in the routines one faces or establishes for oneself without work, how one handles a workless life.
The individual example of a complex and fragmented narrative, fitted into the bigger context of worklessness, informs us about our society at large. What do slackers do all day long, how do they survive and why do they not want to work? What is New York's institutionalized support system for ex-offenders and what other support systems are there?
Richard Sennett speaks about the conflicts people encounter in a society of fragmentation, flexibility and flux, and the difficulty of forming "sustained narratives." With Sennett's survey in mind I report and write about what the "narratives" � the glue that holds life together � are for the workless.
There is no other city in the US where the question "What do you do?" is so popular. Alongside with "Where are you from?" it is the first question people ask when they meet in New York. This city that characterizes you by what you do is the perfect place to explore how the workless define themselves.
The topic is of great importance, as the answers to these questions determine your identity, your way of life, your social status, your emotional wellbeing and your popularity.
We have to constantly remind ourselves that people who don't work are as heterogeneous as people who have different jobs. We have to remember that the workless are among us.
Back to Sabine Heinlein's portfolio
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:
OF REHAB AND REINTEGRATION: Or, How to Lead a Life Post-Prison
For a complete archive of my work please visit sabineheinlein.org
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