Managing to Survive the Great Recession
In addition to the impact on income, unemployment
also causes a very abrupt stop to seemingly simple aspects of daily life.
My video for this multi-media project is meant to communicate visually the impact caused by the transition
to unemployment to 2 simple but key elements of a former commuter's lifestyle.
The video will feature representations of these key elements by featuring a commuter, a train station,
train, platform and the conventions of office attire.
A suburban commuter in the northeast may spend as much as 60 hours per month commuting.
That translates to tens of thousands of hours over 20 years. Once unemployed the former commuter
regains that time. But at the same time a location and dynamic (train station) which was once so much
part of their day is no longer.
In addition to the commute there is also the change from the ‘uniform’ of the employed. While “dress-down”
or business casual has changed the acceptable dress for the average office worker in the United States,
there are still conventions. Once unemployed, the suit, sport jacket, stockings, high heels or briefcase
might be replaced with tote bag, garden pail, rake, fishing rod, jeans or golf shoes.