By Our Own Bootstraps Summary

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In America, personal income has become a factor in determining whether an employee works hard or whether the employee works only as much as absolutely required to complete a certain task. According to the excerpt “By Our Own Bootstraps,” the author explains how talent and hard work will result in a higher salary and total income. Americans have become “just plain lazy.” Americans have lowered personal effort and work standards to conform into being mediocre or simply “good enough.” Examples of mediocrity includes Americans living off of unemployment when they are capable of getting a job, Americans not pursuing higher degrees offering higher incomes because they do not want to go to school, and Americans not receiving income equality and opportunity. …show more content…
Many Americans use unemployment as an excuse to stay at home and not work leaving the workers with a hefty tax. Laziness is the largest obstacle Americans have when faced with unemployment. When filing for unemployment, Americans must state if they were fired from the last job they had as well as a reason for termination of work. There are valid reasons to file for unemployment such as being laid off from a job and needing a little assistance while applying for a new job. “Some of us are willing to work hard so we can afford a lifestyle rich in material goods. Some of us work just hard enough to provide a roof overhead, food, clothes, and a few amenities. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that our incomes vary greatly” (Cox and Alm 65). The main problem arises when Americans lose their job, get placed on unemployment, and never look for another job because they do not want to