--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Yet laying the blame on a lack of…" description: "\"“Yet laying the blame on a lack of personal responsibility obscures the fact that there are powerful and ever-changing structural forces at play here. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71f/kathryn-edin-25745_personal-responsibil_yet-laying-the-blame-on-a-lack-of-person_1662638.jpg" --- # Yet laying the blame on a lack of personal responsibility… ![“Yet laying the blame on a lack of personal responsibility obscures the fact that there are powerful and ever-changing structural forces at play here. Service sector employers often engage in practices that middle-class professionals would never accept. They adopt policies that, purposely or not…” quote by Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71f/kathryn-edin-25745_personal-responsibil_yet-laying-the-blame-on-a-lack-of-person_1662638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71f/kathryn-edin-25745_personal-responsibil_yet-laying-the-blame-on-a-lack-of-person_1662638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71f/kathryn-edin-25745_personal-responsibil_yet-laying-the-blame-on-a-lack-of-person_1662638.jpg) > ““Yet laying the blame on a lack of personal responsibility obscures the fact that there are powerful and ever-changing structural forces at play here. Service sector employers often engage in practices that middle-class professionals would never accept. They adopt policies that, purposely or not, ensure regular turnover among their low-wage workers, thus cutting the costs that come with a more stable workforce, including guaranteed hours, benefits, raises, promotions, and the like. Whatever can be said about the characteristics of the people who work low-wage jobs, it is also true that the jobs themselves too often set workers up for failure. The”” [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Structural forces shape low‑wage work more than individual choices, creating systemic instability and exploitation. **In simple terms:** Jobs are designed to keep workers unstable. Key Takeaway Address systemic policies, not just personal responsibility. Themes labor economics social inequality employment practices Mood critical analytical Type sociological policy‑oriented When to use this quote - policy reform - union organizing - worker advocacy - career counseling - education programs Key Concepts structuralism power dynamics turnover costs Questions to Reflect On - How do corporate policies perpetuate low wages? - What systemic changes could reduce turnover? A Different Perspective Changing policies alone won’t fix deep‑rooted power imbalances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Personal responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [“Parents like Jennifer, Susan, and Rae express desires that are quite modest. Full-time hours come first. That is a prize that can be astonishingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/parents-like-jennifer-susan-and-rae-express-desires-that-are-quite/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [Low-wage workers are also consumers. It's just common sense: when these workers have more take-home pay it leads to spending that trickles up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-price/low-wage-workers-are-also-consumers-it-s-just-common-sense-when-these/) Mark Price > [It seems to me both moral and practical that in the richest in nation in the world that someone working full time shouldn't live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-vanden-heuvel/it-seems-to-me-both-moral-and-practical-that-in-the-richest-in-nation/) [Katrina vanden Heuvel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-vanden-heuvel/) > [The overtime threshold is to the middle class as the minimum wage is to low-wage workers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hanauer/the-overtime-threshold-is-to-the-middle-class-as-the-minimum-wage-is/) [Nick Hanauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hanauer/) > [Low-wage individuals barely get anything. I think we have to reward work, and I do think that we need to bump up the earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/low-wage-individuals-barely-get-anything-i-think-we-have-to-reward/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [“Although the 1996 welfare reform pushed millions of low-income single moms into the workforce, it did nothing to improve the conditions of low-wage jobs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/although-the-1996-welfare-reform-pushed-millions-of-low-income-single/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [Walmart isn't your average mom-and-pop operation. It's the largest employer in America. As such, it's the trendsetter for millions of other employers of low-wage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/walmart-isn-t-your-average-mom-and-pop-operation-it-s-the-largest/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [It used to be that wealthy people were the leisure class, and having time off was a status symbol. That's switched now: being busy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/it-used-to-be-that-wealthy-people-were-the-leisure-class-and-having/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [There are very few people at the decision-making table to argue for minimum-wage workers. Very few people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/there-are-very-few-people-at-the-decision-making-table-to-argue-for/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [Women of the working class, especially wage workers, should not have more than two children at most. The average working man can support no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-sanger/women-of-the-working-class-especially-wage-workers-should-not-have/) [Margaret Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-sanger/) > [The total amount of money that Wall Street handed out in bonuses last year was double the total income of ALL full-time minimum wage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-total-amount-of-money-that-wall-street-handed-out-in-bonuses-last/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [“The top managers are defensive about these departures; they point to how safe, attractive, and up-to-date the workplace is. Rodney Everts is less defensive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sennett/the-top-managers-are-defensive-about-these-departures-they-point-to/) [Richard Sennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sennett/) > [“Wage workers are unconsciously trading their limited lifetime for abundant pieces of paper that are designed to steal their lifetime”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniella-liberati/wage-workers-are-unconsciously-trading-their-limited-lifetime-for/) Daniella Liberati > [Unfortunately, the real minimum wage is always zero, regardless of the laws, and that is the wage that many workers receive in the wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/unfortunately-the-real-minimum-wage-is-always-zero-regardless-of-the/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Steve Jobs didn't seek solace among minimum wage workers. He sought it from highly educated men and women who understood and shared his focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/steve-jobs-didn-t-seek-solace-among-minimum-wage-workers-he-sought-it/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) ## More by Kathryn Edin > [“Of the $16.5 billion the federal government transfers to states for TANF, more than $11 billion is siphoned off for other uses, sometimes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/of-the-16-5-billion-the-federal-government-transfers-to-states-for/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“Survival strategies come in three forms. The first is taking advantage of public spaces and private charities—the nation’s libraries, food pantries, homeless shelters, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/survival-strategies-come-in-three-forms-the-first-is-taking-advantage/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“Parents like Jennifer, Susan, and Rae express desires that are quite modest. Full-time hours come first. That is a prize that can be astonishingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/parents-like-jennifer-susan-and-rae-express-desires-that-are-quite/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“Housing instability is a hallmark of life among the $2-a-day poor. Children experiencing $2-a-day poverty are far more likely to move over the course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/housing-instability-is-a-hallmark-of-life-among-the-2-a-day-poor/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“As a practical matter, it is far more difficult to traffic in SNAP than it once was. Back in the days when folks got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/as-a-practical-matter-it-is-far-more-difficult-to-traffic-in-snap/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) deems a family that is spending more than 30 percent of its income on housing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/the-u-s-department-of-housing-and-urban-development-hud-deems-a/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“Government-subsidized private sector job creation is one way forward. 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Just 27 percent of poor families with children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/out-of-every-one-hundred-americans-fewer-than-two-get-aid-from-today/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“Already in 2001, 63 percent of very low income households were putting more than half their income toward housing, leaving too little for other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/already-in-2001-63-percent-of-very-low-income-households-were-putting/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“Providing the ultimate safety net is the role that Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is supposed to play, but it hasn’t proved to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/providing-the-ultimate-safety-net-is-the-role-that-temporary/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“The most obvious manifestation of the affordable housing crisis is in rising rents. Between 1900 and 2013, rents rose faster than inflation in virtually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/the-most-obvious-manifestation-of-the-affordable-housing-crisis-is-in/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“...child welfare officials deem it inappropriate for a brother and sister to sleep in the same bedroom once they reach a certain age. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/child-welfare-officials-deem-it-inappropriate-for-a-brother-and/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“Although the 1996 welfare reform pushed millions of low-income single moms into the workforce, it did nothing to improve the conditions of low-wage jobs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/although-the-1996-welfare-reform-pushed-millions-of-low-income-single/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“In the fine print on a food stamp application, it is made clear that selling SNAP can result in a felony charge. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/in-the-fine-print-on-a-food-stamp-application-it-is-made-clear-that/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [“It further appeared that the experience of living below the $2-a-day threshold didn’t discriminate by family type or race. While single-mother families were most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/it-further-appeared-that-the-experience-of-living-below-the-2-a-day/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) [Explore all 22 Kathryn Edin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) ## More Personal responsibility quotes > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/) [Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/) > [“Our institutions are too big; they represent not the best but the worst characteristics of human beings. 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What happens in your life is not your fault, but it is your responsibility. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-100-percent-responsible-for-all-you-experience-what-happens/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Doctrine that eliminates or even obscures the function of choice of values and enlistment of desires and emotions in behalf of those chosen weakens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/doctrine-that-eliminates-or-even-obscures-the-function-of-choice-of/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [What sets black people apart is not some deficit in personal responsibility. It's the weight on our shoulders. That is what's actually different. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/what-sets-black-people-apart-is-not-some-deficit-in-personal/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [“The Mommy Mystique tells us that we are the luckiest women in the world -- the freest, with the most choices, the broadest horizons,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-warner/the-mommy-mystique-tells-us-that-we-are-the-luckiest-women-in-the/) [Judith Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-warner/) > [“Whenever I am in a difficult situation where there seems to be no way out, I think about all the times I have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idowu-koyenikan/whenever-i-am-in-a-difficult-situation-where-there-seems-to-be-no-way/) [Idowu Koyenikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idowu-koyenikan/) > [“Each and every member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bears a personal responsibility to learn and live the truths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/each-and-every-member-of-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [The future will be in the hands of those of you who belong to the 21st century. You have the opportunity and responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-future-will-be-in-the-hands-of-those-of-you-who-belong-to-the/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [We very much hope that as we get growth that we can reduce the burden of taxation, that we can reduce income tax and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/we-very-much-hope-that-as-we-get-growth-that-we-can-reduce-the-burden/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [“Key to legendary is to take personal responsibility of your health and wellness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sravani-saha-nakhro/key-to-legendary-is-to-take-personal-responsibility-of-your-health/) [Sravani Saha Nakhro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sravani-saha-nakhro/) > [We believe in individual initiative, personal responsibility, opportunity, freedom, small government, the Constitution. 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