Joblessness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Joblessness - Essay Example Apart form the recession, dynamic changes like globalization and free trade has had a negative impact on the employment situation in the United States. Jobs have been outsourced at the cost of employment back home, leaving many people in a state of joblessness. This paper studies the impact of joblessness among the middle and upper aged population in the United States with reference to sociological perspectives. Middle aged joblessness results in financial and psychological stress, but has one advantage in the sense that such persons are better equipped to teach their children how to cope in the ‘new risk economy’. During the course of this research, four arguments will be discussed. The first one is that, the new risk economy is harsher on middle aged and older employees with regard to being jobless. The second is that, in times of recession in the economy, qualification, experience and age is given preference over youth and lack of experience. The third argument is that joblessness will lead to lower levels of commitment and will result in unemployed middle aged and older workers to become free agents. The fourth is that the life course of the jobless has changed drastically when shifting from the Fordist era to the new risk economy era. According to Goldsmith et al, unemployment has two adverse effects on the society, the economy, and the individual and their families. For them, â€Å"one is the output foregone that could have been produced if unemployed workers had been productively employed. The second is the psychological damage suffered by unemployed workers and their families† ( Goldsmith, Veum & Darity, 1996). Companies are now looking at minimizing costs in order to remain competitive, and one of the ways in which this is accomplished is through reduction in the number of employees. Increasing globalization coupled with