Someone Is Stealing Your Life

Michael Ventura, a U.S. newspaper columnist and novelist. His article Someone Is Stealing Your
Life originally appeared in the newspaper L.A Weekly in 1990 and was reprinted in the following
year in Utne Reader. This article generated controversy among the editorial staff of Utne Reader, a
few finding it misleading and short sighted and others an existing and accurate description of most
Americans experience at work. Michael says most Americans adults wake around 7 in the morning
get to work at 9 and return by 5 in the evening this routine is being followed for 50 weeks a year,
since 45 years. Most are glad to have work, but dont really choose it. They may dream, study and
even get trained for the work they intensely want but sooner or later, for most that doesnt work out.
They end up taking what they can do as most have families to support, so they need jobs. Michael in
his article depicts the role of the employees, as an employee one has no say whatsoever about the job.
The purpose and standards of the product and service, the sort and long term goals of the company are
considered as none of their business. No matter that they have given years services to the business,
employees mostly take orders. Michael Ventura considers it as the nation of drones rather than life,
liberty and pursuit of happiness.
Earlier the compensation for being American drones was the freedom to live in ones own house, in a
clean and safe community in which their children had chance to be happier, richer than them. But,
working stiffs cant afford houses now, fewer communities are clean and safe the kids prospects are
worse. Michael highlights the suggestion that if youre free and if you dont like your job you can
pursue your happiness by starting a business of your own, by becoming independent entrepreneur. But
to compete in the business community, you have to hire employees and treat them as much like slaves
pay them little and give them no say in anything. The writer says that money is the absolute standard.
Freedom, dignity and the well-being of fellow creatures is simply ignored. Michael justifies it through
his experiences as: typesetter for 2 years, tape transcriber for three, proof-reader for few weeks and
secretary for one and half and lot more. It was during his working years he got 2 weeks paid vacation
per year (52 weeks) i.e working 26 years to accumulate one year time for him. The writer states that
the 50 weeks of a year he lived, was owned by his boss. Michael questions himself what would I get
in return for life? a pay check which is inadequate, if possible an additional health insurance which
only includes teeth and eyes. If well sustained organisation a good pension.
Michael compares his benefits with that of the employer, if the company is successful employer
enjoys high standard of living, protection for his family and world of access .But the employer doesnt
think of these significant facts as the business is his and he owns the work of employees. The writer
agrees to the fact that they work hard and have the satisfaction that what they do is theirs. But Michael
has an objection in considering his work as theirs. The writer questions how come only employer gets
rich while employees are at break? How could he do anything without consulting the employees,
where bulk work is done by them and also bear the consequences .Then the only answer heard is that
the employer invested money to start, hence he and his partners decide everything the company makes
and even the lives of the employees. The future of the employees depends on them as their investment
is the only factor taken seriously. In the conclusion Michael considers that they are stealing his life
because if the employees who work dont own some part of the product or have no power on the
enterprise then they are robbed. The employers know how much they get and how little the give back.
They are considered to be thieves .Its the workers who suffer the most.
Michael claims that as a worker Im not operating cost I am how the job gets done. Im the job and
Im the company, without me and my fellow workers company is nothing .I deserve a say at the
decision table. Nothing less is fair and moral. And if you as owners or management or government
deny this - then you are choosing not to be moral and you are committing a crime against me.