"It's The Economy"

I recently spoke with a close friend who I've known since high school. As we were catching up he told me finding a job hasn't been the easiest thing to do. I could relate to the difficulties that he has experienced. For example, the types of jobs he is looking for aren't available, and his resume isn't the most eye-catching either (I suffer from both of these). He then mentioned to me that his mom made, or makes, a comment about how easy it was for her to find a job when she was his age, and that she thinks it's easy to find a job. And then he said the thing that caught my attention. He said something along the lines of "she doesn't understand, we have a terrible economy, there aren't jobs available." I gave him a terrible response like "furreal," and then began pondering something. It seems that everyone I know attributes their economic situation to the economic recession. While I am aware that the economic recession has had a devastating impact on people all around the world, no one, especially the media, is blaming other aspects that shape their pitiful economic situation. There's not much being said about race and unemployment, gender and unemployment, class and unemployment, the private ownership of the means of production, stock holders, racist/classist social policy, geography, etc.

Perhaps it is worthwhile to mention that this reflects how economists/politicians evaluate the economy/society, that is, through indicators that do not reflect just or unjust economies or healthy societies. The absence of intersectionality in the conversation about the economic condition of individuals and society supports the claim that politics is not about the well being of society, but about the well being of institutions like the economy.