What caused Guendelsberger’s experiences at Amazon to be miserable and dehumanizing? Be specific. What policies did management undertake to make the job dehumanizing?

On The Clock Essay

This module focused on the nature of work under capitalism – how it has changed over time and how it exists today. The readings chose focused on stuggles between the working class and the capitalist class over wages, and just as importantly, over the conditions of work. In the Introduction to “On The Clock”, Guendelsberger writes: “Nearly everyone with influence in this country, regardless of political affiliation, is incredibly insulated from how miserable and dehumanizing the daily experience of work has gotten…”
Essay questions:
What caused Guendelsberger’s experiences at Amazon to be miserable and dehumanizing? Be specific. What policies did management undertake to make the job dehumanizing? What comparisons can you make with the experience of puddling that Harding describes in Life in the Iron Mills? Do you think care labor is subject to the same kind of dehumanization? Why or why not?