Base and Superstructure

Alienation, autonomy, and ideology

Page 76 of 116

College Towns and Security Deposit Theft

I’m sure many readers know I live in Iowa City. And I’m sure many people in Iowa City know landlords here run a swindle each August and September. OK, so landlords run at least a few swindles. But I’m talking about the Great Annual Security Deposit Theft.

It’s a source of much wailing and gnashing of teeth among tenants in this college town. Anger over it stood out as a key reason for our local chapter of Democratic Socialists of America to start a tenants union.

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Adjuncts and COVID-19

Adjuncts aren’t slaves. I mention this only because I’ve heard people draw the analogy. Nevertheless, adjuncts suffer under the class war the wealthy wage against workers. Thea Hunter’s story highlights the human toll of the class war on adjuncts. But COVID-19 brings it out in new ways.

As people get ready for the fall semester, let’s look at adjuncts and COVID-19.

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Do We Get Jobs by Showing We ‘Add Value’?

Anyone looking for a job – especially in the white-collar world – knows the business literature says they should show they ‘add value.’ The underlying reasoning? Companies search for value. They love it. They pay for it. If workers can show they add value, companies will give them a job and pay them big money.

This is a load of baloney. Let’s talk about why.

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