This machine allows anyone to work for minimum wage for as long as they like. Turning the crank on the side releases one penny every 4.97 seconds, for a total of $7.25 per hour. This corresponds to minimum wage for a person in New York. This piece is brilliant on multiple levels, particularly as social commentary. Without a doubt, most people who started operating the machine for fun would quickly grow disheartened and stop when realizing just how little they’re earning by turning this mindless crank. A person would then conceivably realize that this is what nearly two million people in the United States do every day…at much harder jobs than turning a crank. This turns the piece into a simple, yet effective argument for raising the minimum wage.
god damn
what rubbish. If anything, this should be an argument for lowering the minimum wage or getting ppl to stop thinking they’re entitled to anything at all. Anyone who thinks $7.25 an hour for turning a crank is too little is a spoilt brat. they grow disheartened not because they’re earning little. they grow disheartened because they don’t think they should have to turn a damn crank to get their 7 bucks.
(Source: bencrowther, via hitrecordjoe)
