• Jax@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    No, no, I have to correct people on this all the time.

    Repeat after me: America bad. United States, bad. Every mistake ever made by western society? Actually the U.S., believe it or not.

  • LurkingLuddite@piefed.social
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    2 days ago

    The US also had (and in some ways has) the same effect going with ye olde company towns and paycheck to paycheck living.

    If you work at Walmart and buy your groceries and things from Walmart; congratulations, you’re effectively a slave.

    • nagaram@piefed.social
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      1 day ago

      be me

      work at grocery store

      being human I must eat food

      buy groceries at the store I work at

      Some commenter on Lemmy

      “Erm… This is effectively slavery!”

      whatthefuck.webp

      Why are people like this.

      Reply to reply since you blocked me lol:

      Look I’m as lefty as the next lemmite, but we have to turn money into goods. That’s how money works. Its just a representation of useful goods as currency.

      If I have to lose the money either way to eat, then it really doesn’t matter where the money goes. And generally an employee gets a discount. To your point, they’re probably still making a profit off food purchases but its still a better deal than without it.

      My mom works at Walmart and always bought most of our groceries there because she got a 15% employee discount. I’m sure Walmart was still making money off groceries (minus produce) unless they gave like a 50% discount.

      My current job offers an employee discount of “cost plus 6%” so they aren’t making money off me buying our own products, but they’re not losing anything either.

      • LurkingLuddite@piefed.social
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        1 day ago

        Again, learn from history. Every dollar you spend back to your employer is a dollar you effectively didn’t earn.

        Why are humans so fucking incapable of understanding ONE step further from face value?! You all are genuinely pathetic.

        Where do you think the money goes that you give RIGHT BACK TO YOUR EMPLOYER?!

    • PugJesus@piefed.socialM
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      1 day ago

      If you work at Walmart and buy your groceries and things from Walmart; congratulations, you’re effectively a slave.

      I don’t think you understand what slavery is.

      EDIT: Blocking, then unblocking, and reblocking, to make replies without the possibility of a response? Cute. Enjoy your ban.

        • PugJesus@piefed.socialM
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          1 day ago

          Working at Walmart and buying things from Walmart is neither literal nor effective slavery at present.

          • LurkingLuddite@piefed.social
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            1 day ago

            Notice how I didn’t say either of those things. It’s BOTH working at Walmart AND buying most all things from Walmart that qualify.

            Though you go ahead and pretend there is no such thing as effective slavery in modern times compared to what quality of life we SHOULD have on average.

            • PugJesus@piefed.socialM
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              1 day ago

              Notice how I didn’t say either of those things. It’s BOTH working at Walmart AND buying most all things from Walmart that qualify.

              I didn’t say “Working at Walmart or buying things from Walmart”; I said “Working at Walmart AND buying things from Walmart”.

              I didn’t change the framing you argued. It’s still not effectively slavery. Not even fucking close.

              Though you go ahead and pretend there is no such thing as effective slavery in modern times compared to what quality of life we SHOULD have on average.

              what.

              What the fuck is this argument? “Slavery is when quality of life is bad”?

              • LurkingLuddite@piefed.social
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                1 day ago

                “Effective” slavery is when your income completely disappears back into your employers’ pockets.

                Why is this such a fucking difficult concept!? I ALREADY gave you the example of company towns. Does your understanding of history stop at American shores?!

                You’re genuinely pathetic sometimes, Pug.

                • PugJesus@piefed.socialM
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                  1 day ago

                  “Effective” slavery is when your income completely disappears back into your employers’ pockets.

                  In that case, I can cite many examples of literal slavery that are not effective slavery. Including examples of race-based chattel slavery in the USA.

                  I’m sure the revelation that they’re not effectively enslaved would have heartened many of those folk.

                  Not to mention that consumer purchases are far from the majority or even the plurality of expenses of most working-class folk in the modern USA. But I suppose that would require a greater understanding of modern economic conditions than the one you currently hold.

                  Why is this such a fucking difficult concept!? I ALREADY gave you the example of company towns.

                  In company towns, there was no effective choice at where to spend one’s money. Furthermore, company towns had deeply restrictive and abusive contracts that amounted to debt slavery; and on top of that, often paid in company script that could not be used anywhere else. When we describe historical company towns as effective slavery, it’s not because of fucking regional horizontal integration.

                  Does your understanding of history stop at American shores?! You’re genuinely pathetic sometimes, Pug.

                  Funny enough, American history in particular is far from my fields of interest, but I suppose that would require having some actual familiarity with me instead of a weak attempt at an insult, lmao.