Since the recession started back in December 2007, the American economy has lost 6 million jobs, with bulk of the losses occurring in the last six months. In May, the unemployment rate hit 9.4 percent, the highest level since 1983, according to a report issued today, and though job losses also markedly slowed, economists predict that growth will continue to be sluggish.
“It’s a dismal job market,” Bernard Baumohl, managing director of the Economic Outlook Group, told the Times. “It’s going to remain awful easily for the balance of this year.”
But that doesn’t mean we have to feel dismal. Struggle inspires creativity, and in honor of our economic return to a time when unemployment and poverty inspired great art, such as Billy Joel’s “Allentown” and Donna Summers’ “She Works Hard for the Money,” we offer you this sequence from a movie about an aspiring dancer who was forced to make ends meet by working as a welder. To all you jobless out there: Take your passion, and make it happen. (Also note: There are five full seconds of butt jiggling at around 1:30.)
