Should the minimum wage be raised to a “living wage?” despite the potential increase in teenage and low skilled unemployment?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The debate on raising the minimum wage to a living wage is complex and involves several pros and cons, which are outlined below:
Pros of Raising the Minimum Wage to a Living Wage
Better Quality of Life for Minimum Wage Workers
Raising the minimum wage can significantly improve the living standards of workers, allowing them to afford basic necessities such as food, housing, and healthcare more easily. This can lead to a better quality of life and financial stability for nearly a million workers who currently earn at or below the minimum wage[1].
Reduced Income, Gender, and Racial Inequalities
Increasing the minimum wage can help reduce income, gender, and racial inequalities, as women and people of color are more likely to hold minimum wage jobs. This can help narrow the gap in wealth distribution and promote greater economic equality[1].
Increased Consumer Activity
Higher wages can stimulate consumer spending, as workers with more disposable income are likely to spend more on goods and services. This increased demand can lead to an economic boost for businesses and contribute to overall economic growth[1][4].
Reduced Poverty Levels
Raising the minimum wage can lift people out of poverty. For example, a study by the Congressional Budget Office found that increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour could lift roughly 900,000 people out of poverty[1].
Increased Federal Revenues
Higher wages can lead to increased federal income tax revenues, which can offset the costs associated with raising the minimum wage and provide funds for critical government programs and services[1].
Job Satisfaction and Reduced Turnover
A higher minimum wage can lead to increased job satisfaction and reduced employee turnover, as employees may feel more valued and less likely to quit their jobs[3][4].
Cons of Raising the Minimum Wage to a Living Wage
Higher Housing and Consumer Good Prices
Businesses might offset the increased labor costs by raising prices for housing and consumer goods, potentially leading to inflation and a higher cost of living. This could nullify the benefits of the wage increase for consumers[1][2][5].
Increased Automation and Outsourcing
An increase in the minimum wage could prompt businesses to automate processes or outsource jobs to countries with lower labor costs, leading to job losses, particularly in industries with lower-skilled positions[1][2][4].
Reduced Opportunities for New Workers
Higher labor costs could reduce the number of new hires, as businesses may not be able to afford hiring as many new employees. This can disproportionately affect young workers and those with limited work experience[2][4][5].
Restricted Working Hours
To save on labor costs, businesses might reduce the working hours of their employees, which could lead to a drop in the total take-home pay for workers and negatively impact their financial stability[1][2][3].
Reduced Employee Benefits
Some businesses might reduce employee benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off to offset the increased labor costs, which would negatively affect workers who rely on these benefits[1][2].
Impact on Small Businesses
Small businesses with limited resources may struggle to absorb the increased labor costs, potentially leading to cutbacks, reduced hiring, or even business closures. This could harm the economy, especially in sectors dominated by small businesses[1][2][4].
Differences in Minimum Wage Standards Across States
Variations in minimum wage laws across different states can create complexities for businesses operating in multiple states, leading to different pay rates for similar jobs and potential dissatisfaction among workers[2][3].
In summary, while raising the minimum wage to a living wage has several potential benefits, including improved living standards, reduced inequalities, and increased consumer spending, it also comes with significant challenges such as higher prices, increased automation, reduced job opportunities for new workers, and potential hardships for small businesses.
