As the time clock ticks - happy 'Labor Day' - part 1

Dreamstime

According to the US Department of Labor, the holiday most of us think about as marking the end of summer has a deeper meaning--and deep down, we all know that.

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."

The mere explanation of Labor Day got me to thinking about all those social and economic achievements of the soaps workers we have all come to love.  The social aspect of those enormous achievements  could be totally more interesting than the economic ones  when it comes to comparing real American workers with the fictional American workers that appear on the soaps, but for now, I will start with the work ethic thing on the soaps. 

Is there such a thing as a 'work ethic' on the soaps?  For a select few, there certainly is.  Nurse Lillian Raines from Springfield comes to mind immediately and--as stupid as this sounds--if you watch General Hospital, Kate Howard is married, devoted and attached to her job like Velcro   However, Raines from Guiding Light has a full life outside of her job while Howard has virtually no social life as a result of her workplace choices.

There is no time to run through every character on every show who might be lacking in the ethics department on the job, so allow me to generalize for just one moment.  Here is my view of how workers work on the soaps:

• The mobster gang on the soaps does work briefly to create a perfect elimination plan with the exception of the head mobster guy or gal who simply orders their subordinate sidekicks to execute the a 'hit' while they hang around in their mansions and drink amber colored liquids served up in elegant crystal decanters. Where is the work ethic here?
• People like us out in the work force typically depend on our paychecks--whereas people residing in soapsville barely ever go to the bank to deposit or cash a check and rarely pay for anything.  I can't tell you how many women I have seen showing up at a boutique only to dash out with a gorgeous dress or two without ever exchanging a check or some cash to compensate the boutique owner.
• While the U.S. Department of Labor may not recognize motherhood as a real job, in my mind, it is a labor of love so to speak.  It is the most difficult and most rewarding job on the planet.  On the soaps however, babies often remain invisible and just when you think they should be about ready to walk they are stealing the keys to your car.  Thanks Mimi Torchin for coining the phrase SORAS-Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome.   Motherhood in real life if much more labor intensive than it is on the soaps.  It almost appears as though kids are stashed in an attic waiting for that magical moment to resurface just to showcase raging hormones and steal your car keys.  Mother's on the soaps have it made.
• Cops on the soaps may well appear to have a decent work ethic, but think about this.  Aside from the chief of police in any one soap town, there are about three uniformed officers assisting him.  While they may try, they just don't seem to have developed a knack to solve crimes.  I want to buy half of them a "CLUE" game or something.  Think Mac on General Hospital and take a good hard look at how long the good guys have been trying to bring mobster Sonny Corinthos to his knees.  Sounds sort of like the F.B.I. still looking for Whitey Bulger, right?
• Corporate America as portrayed on the soaps with mogul business men and women running conglomerates is no better than the police departments patrolling soap opera towns.  Mega deals might play out but the ethic just isn't there.  Heads of companies on the soaps just try to screw anyone that gets in their way.  In addition, the gorgeous support female staffers that exist solely to bring them a file or two from the bottom draw of the metal cabinet are just about always clad in skirts or dresses up to their thighs.  So professional, right?  You can't tell me the boss isn't admiring the view when that half-dressed female is retrieving those files.  Male assistants shadowing female bosses on the soaps are carefully placed in terms of a storyline.  It doesn't matter that they don't where skirts or dresses up to their thighs.  Where the heck is the work ethic in corporate America on the soaps?

Share your thoughts on the work ethic on the soaps and stay tuned for part 2 of this article. I am just getting started.