I don't think this article gives a complete picture, but it was an aspect I'd never heard of before so I thought I'd share and see what other people thought.

It baffles me. Even when the opportunity avails them, they turn it down. Or they decert their union with an election.

A lot of the help labor provides is education on why unions are important, which is sorely needed. Unfortunately union density is at an all-time low, so resources are even more scarce.

I don't think it is a total waste of time to examine this, but wonder what can be done as a society to counter-act this tendency?

The link doesn't wok for me, for some reason.

I live in an area which still has an unusual amount of manufacturing, apparently with some decent-paying union jobs. As far as I can tell, there is strong support for Republican policies in spite of this, mainly tied to gun and abortion issues. But I think the observation about a "punishment-driven" social outlook explains everything well. Many people seem to want a harder, meaner society in which hard, mean people are better able to succeed. Those who are not hard & mean, whether they succeed or fail, seem to be the targets of hatred.

Thank you for pointing that out, strange, they must have just moved it.

I wish the article had gone into more depth on this, like what exactly about our society produces people like this from the time they are young.

I've always been curious about the American antipathy to unions, I think we are the only industrial G-20 country to have right to work laws?

I end up thinking of George Lakoff's "Don't Think of an Elephant" and Thomas Frank's "What's The Matter with Kansas?", both of which seem to touch upon the question from different perspectives.

I'm an educator, so I think in terms of human development from very young children. So I think, is there anything we can do to foster a more community-minded outlook from the start? I wonder.

with gays and weed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_D._Putnam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowling_alone

Solidarity and support seem to go against the American bootstrap narrative of distinguishing oneself as blessed and above the rest

As mythologies like Middle Classism and Religion wane, maybe change will happen

DURec

I've worked for non-profits and even though I met great people and did satisfying work, labor protections were scarce.

When I got a chance to work a union job, even though the pay isn't great for an adjunct, still the officers were doing things like making sure that adjuncts started receiving pay for office hours, etc.

I almost cried the day I got a letter from my local that said "Here, we found a way to pay you more money, so here it is."

Good post.