• RandomException@sopuli.xyz
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    edit-2
    6 months ago

    Yes, I’m comparing economic systems. Slavery is an economic system. While slavery allows you owning all aspects of a humans life, Capitalism and Wageslavery only allow you to own some aspects of a humans life (Mainly 8hrs lifetime/day on average).

    Could you open this a bit more because I’m not sure I understand your perspective currently? From what I know, slavery by itself is absolutely not an economic system but it used to be a part of capitalistic system where black people were traded like pets and slaves had a market value where if they were doing their work better and had some education, they would cost more for the next owner just like some people would pay more money for a dog that has been specifically trained for assisting blind people for example. It’s a disgusting and revolting thing of past and anyone comparing current day work life to that must either have some undealt personal issues or a weird perspective to things that at least I don’t know of. At least it needs heavy clarification for others to understand the point.

    In capitalism you are free to own pretty much anything you’d like as long as you can afford it. People can debate about wages but up to a certain point the amount one earns is dependent on the choices one makes during their lives. There is also some aspect of luck here where your family matters, your natural interests matter etc. but the capitalistic system itself is not the limiting factor here. Also, capitalism is not 100% USA but instead there are lots of countries in Europe (Nordics especially) where capitalism is very much there but government takes care of the weakest people and tries to offer all options in life to kids in poor families. Trading time for money is no different to living in the small village where you spend your days working for the community and maybe get enough time to sleep during the day. We actually have it quite well nowadays, and after working for a while, you could as well decide to not work for 8h/day but instead maybe 6h/day or maybe only three or four days a week instead of five. Most of the time it comes down to the choices you make during your lifespan. Not always of course, there are always people that just can’t get on their feet and that’s why we also need the government to help the weakest portion of people.

    It doesn’t help telling a single mom raising a child on her own and living paycheck to paycheck, to just move.

    I mean if there’s nothing there for the family in the place where they currently live, what else should they do? Shout into the void and hope that someone miraculously comes to offer them a roof on their head and food on the table? Nobody enjoys that situation, and moving into a different location where the mother gets a new (better) job will absolutely benefit the entire family. If, and only if, the mother could get a higher paying job in a different location which would raise the entire family’s life quality, they absolutely should move even if it would feel difficult at first. Some (capitalistic) countries even offer support for that (if they were unemployed at first).

    This says more about you and your social life than anyone else’s. And you advocating on forcing this experiment of a lifestyle onto others.

    Of course it does. I’ve done it, multiple times, and I can’t understand why someone would rather be stuck in a shitty situation instead of moving into a new location where they have opportunities to build a better life. It’s not a lifestyle, it’s a choice. One shouldn’t of course have to move every year but if they live in a tiny village without any jobs, it just makes sense for them to move into a city with lots of open jobs to get on with their life. You always have the option of moving back if you feel like it - most people just don’t do so because they see no future in the place they left behind.

    China has been outperforming western countries on a variety of metrics. North Korea had more than 20% of their population decimated an forced into isolation. Cuba has higher life expectancy is way more progressive and the US, despite crippling embarings. There’s more than one interpretation, you know.

    Sure, cherry pick some numbers here and there and even Iceland feels like a tropical island. China has made numbers out of thin air for a long time and it starts to show now that their real estate industry is in shambles. Thanks to their otherwise restrictive money system, most wealthy citizens there bought empty properties just to park their wealth somewhere, and now that the prices start to come down, it also starts to hit the people as well. Cuba vs. US, well, given the list, cherry picking is cherry picking.

    • carl_marks[use name]@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      6 months ago

      Could you open this a bit more because I’m not sure I understand your perspective currently?

      Reading Marxist theory helps. Here’s a pretty good lecture of comparing the systems which gives a pretty good overview:

      The History of Capitalism, Slavery, Feudalism and Marxism Richard Wolff

      a weird perspective to things that at least I don’t know of

      Thank you for acknowledging that you might have a perspective missing (This is by design). Considering this, you could benefit exploring terms like “hegemony” and “ideology”.

      what else should they do?

      To me it seems that you think you’re asking a rethorical questions with no answer. If you engage with Marxist theory, play with the thought, you don’t have to adopt it. Doing so you might realize that there are answers to this.

      If, and only if, the mother could get a higher paying job in a different location which would raise the entire family’s life quality, they absolutely should move even if it would feel difficult at first. Some (capitalistic) countries even offer support for that (if they were unemployed at first).

      Again, you’re advocating for people relocating and adapting to the market. Meaning, people serving the economy and not the other way around. This doesn’t fix the systemic problem.

      Of course it does. I’ve done it, multiple times, and I can’t understand why someone would rather be stuck in a shitty situation instead of moving into a new location where they have opportunities to build a better life.

      How is someone who lives paycheck to paycheck to just move? Who rents to someone like that? Moving costs money. What if someone doesn’t have the social support for moving? You’re saying this form a very priviledged position. It’s not a free choice. It’s being forced on you, because bourgois politics doesn’t tackle the problem at it’s roots.

      Sure, cherry pick some numbers here

      You’re saying it like you don’t do it.

      China has made numbers out of thin air for a long time and it starts to show now that their real estate industry is in shambles

      With a liberal perspective it sure looks like that. This is not cherry picking, right? lol Most of your treats come from China…

      Cuba vs. US, well, given the list, cherry picking is cherry picking.

      Well considering one is the hegemon, the other being an embargoed island with restricted access to the global economy it’s impressive I would say. Show me another country with this many sanctions and that high of a life expectancy… Libs ignoring context, a classic duo…