The meaning matters

Imagine a happy family. The father smiles at his children. The mother checks if dinner is right and watches for the food in the oven. She is happy to cook for her family. Afterwards, this family eats a fine Christmas dinner. Unfortunately, this family is one of the few families that can remember the meaning of the holiday. Thousands of other families will be separated because of many hours of work. Some holidays attach their meanings to commercial dates, but thousands of families only have something to eat because of work during these holidays. We need to think about this issue.

In 2021, Brazil has one of the highest unemployment rates in its history. Nowadays, 14 million people don’t have a job. Christmas time will be an opportunity for many families to have food on their table. The sales at the end of the year have an estimate to increase jobs for 100 thousands of people. To many people, the holiday will mean not feeling hungry.

However, the importance of eating to many families should not justify abuse at work. In big stores and in local markets it is common that a lot of people work until Christmas Eve. Employees are exploited and work for many hours because they fear losing their jobs. Capitalism logic made that things with meaning to keep itself destroy this same things.

First solution to this contradiction is a regulation of how many hours a person can be working. On one hand, a limit of hours and a minimum wage can be helpful, on the other hand, and the harder way, we need to change the consumption logic of this holiday. Regulation and awareness can allow many people to have a restful holiday.

#ProjectMaterialWorld

Developed by Jonatã Arcas Silva, a student from Guaxupé, Minas Gerais, Brazil.