I currently make $20k/year before expenses and taxes (no benefits). My husband makes $35k gross and has minimal benefits. We are renters. This is more than we’ve ever made before, and we’re able to feels ourselves with basic food and buy clothes and all that, but we are always worried about finances. We will lose our government health insurance later this year, and soon, we will have childcare expenses again. We have a grade-school kid and a baby on the way.
I may have the opportunity to get hired at a pretty unethical corporation (not Amazon) for $100k/year (I’ve been training for this job change and would enjoy the work itself). I may—or may not—be able to get a different job at a more ethical company if I hold out, but there’s no guarantee.
Maybe this would be an easy choice for some. To sell out, or not to sell out? On one hand, I’d still be a worker, not an owner, at this company. I wouldn’t be management. My labor would technically still be exploited for capital gains. I’d do what I could to report corporate bs to any union-organizing efforts. I would obviously advocate for not exploiting customers.
But on the other hand, I’d be offering my labor to a company that is known for unethical actions toward customers. It’s like selling one’s soul to the devil, kind of. No one could pay me enough to work for Nazis. So why would I consider doing this?
I’m having trouble sorting through the ethics myself. Friends/family have opinions, but I’m looking for well-reasoned arguments or positions on this. Thank you for weighing in if you have time.