--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being without work [in the United States]…" description: "\"Being without work [in the United States] is still far better for most people than being employed in Central America.\" — George J. Borjas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/george-j-borjas-97449_america_being-without-work-in-the-united-states_3221209.png" --- # Being without work \[in the United States\] is still far… ![“Being without work [in the United States] is still far better for most people than being employed in Central America.” quote by George J. Borjas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/george-j-borjas-97449_america_being-without-work-in-the-united-states_3221209.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/george-j-borjas-97449_america_being-without-work-in-the-united-states_3221209.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/george-j-borjas-97449_america_being-without-work-in-the-united-states_3221209.png) > “Being without work \[in the United States\] is still far better for most people than being employed in Central America.” George J. Borjas ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being unemployed in the US is often preferable to low‑pay jobs in Central America. **In simple terms:** US unemployment can be better than low wages abroad. Key Takeaway Consider job quality over mere employment. Themes economics migration labor markets quality of life inequality Mood critical analytical Type America:1 Central america:1 Employed:0 People:0 States:0 Stills:0 United:0 United states:0 Better People:0 Far Better:0 People Employed:0 Employed Central:0 When to use this quote - career planning - policy debate - personal finance Key Concepts human capital comparative advantage poverty traps policy analysis Questions to Reflect On - What defines a "good" job? - How do social safety nets affect this view? A Different Perspective Low wages may still be exploitative despite unemployment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Central america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/central-america/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [People who are employed in a way they don't like - my heart cries for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-l-turner/people-who-are-employed-in-a-way-they-don-t-like-my-heart-cries-for/) [Fred L. Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-l-turner/) > [I know what it's like to see someone lose their job as a result of the European Union. I saw my father lose his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gove/i-know-what-it-s-like-to-see-someone-lose-their-job-as-a-result-of/) [Michael Gove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gove/) > [It's the great tragedy - people employed in ways that don't fully tap everything they do best in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/it-s-the-great-tragedy-people-employed-in-ways-that-don-t-fully-tap/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [There is a vast world of work out there in this country, where at least 111 million people are employed in this country alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-nelson-bolles/there-is-a-vast-world-of-work-out-there-in-this-country-where-at-2/) [Richard Nelson Bolles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-nelson-bolles/) > [In the US in the 1900's 60 % of people were employed on the farms. Today it's less than 1%. If you told people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/in-the-us-in-the-1900-s-60-of-people-were-employed-on-the-farms-today/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We should never be allowed to forget that it is the customer who, in the end, determines how many people are employed and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-robens-baron-robens-of-woldingham/we-should-never-be-allowed-to-forget-that-it-is-the-customer-who-in/) Alfred Robens, Baron Robens of Woldingham > [I always try to make everyone mellow down, make sure everybody's happy. The people I have employed have always kind of stayed with us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/i-always-try-to-make-everyone-mellow-down-make-sure-everybody-s-happy/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [At the same time, it's people that are employed - many folks - but they're still not earning enough to get into the middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-castro/at-the-same-time-it-s-people-that-are-employed-many-folks-but-they-re/) [Julian Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-castro/) > [People employed in financial institutions are rarely interesting and even more rarely likable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/people-employed-in-financial-institutions-are-rarely-interesting-and/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [These people—the employed, the somewhat privileged—are drawn into alliance with the elite. They become the guards of the system, buffers between the upper and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/these-people-the-employed-the-somewhat-privileged-are-drawn-into/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The people we have employed in an undertaking that has turned out badly should be doubly rewarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-people-we-have-employed-in-an-undertaking-that-has-turned-out/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The vast majority of the people employed by Wall Street are the secretary who goes in to work on the Long Island Rail Road,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-schumer/the-vast-majority-of-the-people-employed-by-wall-street-are-the/) [Chuck Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-schumer/) > [“Most people employed in sales positions today have never truly had to “hunt” for new accounts or new business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-weinberg/most-people-employed-in-sales-positions-today-have-never-truly-had-to/) [Mike Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-weinberg/) > [“There is a vast world of work out there in this country, where at least 111 million people are employed in this country alone--many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-nelson-bolles/there-is-a-vast-world-of-work-out-there-in-this-country-where-at/) [Richard Nelson Bolles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-nelson-bolles/) > [It appears fashionable these days, and almost politically correct, to blame hard-working immigrants, especially those from Mexico and Central America, for the social and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mahony/it-appears-fashionable-these-days-and-almost-politically-correct-to/) [Roger Mahony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mahony/) ## More by George J. Borjas > [What immigration really does is redistribute wealth away from workers toward employers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-borjas/what-immigration-really-does-is-redistribute-wealth-away-from-workers/) George J. Borjas Explore all 2 George J. Borjas quotes ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being without work [in the United States] is still far better for most people than being employed in Central America.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George J. Borjas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-borjas/being-without-work-in-the-united-states-is-still-far-better-for-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-borjas/being-without-work-in-the-united-states-is-still-far-better-for-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/george-j-borjas-97449_america_being-without-work-in-the-united-states_3221209.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/george-j-borjas-97449_america_being-without-work-in-the-united-states_3221209.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/george-j-borjas-97449_america_being-without-work-in-the-united-states_3221209.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being without work [in the United States] is still far better for most people than being employed in Central…” — George J. Borjas", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George J. Borjas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-borjas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being without work [in the United...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-borjas/being-without-work-in-the-united-states-is-still-far-better-for-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-borjas/being-without-work-in-the-united-states-is-still-far-better-for-most/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```