this post was submitted on 05 Sep 2023
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Work Reform

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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.

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[–] hark@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Automation means that proportionally fewer slaves can provide more. That "denies the slave's existence as a human being" bit is rather vague. Are you saying modern slavery is not denying the slave's existence as a human being? What does that mean?

[–] gowan@reddthat.com 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Chattel slavery literally denied that slaves were human beings. They were seen as something less than the way many westerners view all animals.

[–] Brahm1nmam@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The way they're viewed really isn't the problem. Someone being imprisoned and forced to work really isn't affected by the man with the whips opinions of them, because of they slave away they don't get whipped. They're existence has been stripped too bare for such distinction to make a difference. Slavery is like war and war never changes.

[–] gowan@reddthat.com 10 points 1 year ago

That simply isn't true. When your slaver looks at you as less than human they can justify a lot of mistreatment they would not do to another person.

There's a reason why Western chattel slavery is so vilified because almost every other nation still thought of slaves as people. Chattel slavery thinks of them like livestock.

[–] hark@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

How is that different from current slaves? Attitude of the general population? Doesn't seem to make much practical difference.

[–] gowan@reddthat.com 4 points 1 year ago

You know how you don't think a monkey is the same thing as a human? It's like that, slaves were seen as smarter than a monkey but not people.