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umm, poor?



Begging everyone's pardon, and I admit I've deleted a lot of the emails on
the subject, but can we possibly examine our choice of terms?

If I'm reading the census data right, the official US poverty line is about
$18,000 for a family of four
(http://www.census.gov/hhes/poverty/threshld/thresh01.html).  So, assuming
you are the sole supporter of such a family, you can legitimately say you
are poor.  I think perhaps we shouldn't throw the term around in reference
to our profession, unless you are actually in such a position.  I am by no
means a liberal, but given the real poverty available for the viewing around
the world, I don't think "poor" is the best term to use seriously.

Underpaid?  That may be legitimate, though (and I've said this before)
anybody who thought they were going to get rich (or in some cases, even
comfortable) in this field are barking up the wrong money tree.
Revenue-generating is the buzzwod among the suits, and in most cases we
ain't it.  Others have made this point, so I won't belabor it, but such is
life.

If the posted job is insultingly underpaid, feel free to exercise your
constitutional right to ignore the job & not apply.

DS

______________________________________
Daniel Sokolow, Archives Coordinator
David Taylor Archives
North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
155 Community Drive
Great Neck, NY 11021
mailto:dsokolow@nshs.edu

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