Work Reform

Walking barefoot on gravel is less painful than walking barefoot on nails.

The greater difference is in being free.

Quite the opposite. Work that's "fun and interesting" tends to pay less because there's a surplus of demand and limited supply (artists, cooks, etc).

"That's not how the market works."

I've had to have this conversation so many times I feel like I'm losing my mind. Like I need to write a manifesto or blog post that I can reference instead of rewriting it every time.

Markets are not moral.

Market forces are like physical forces - we observe them and use that knowledge to predict the outcomes of situations. But by the same token we need to have a moral framework underpinning the way we use the knowledge, or else we will destroy the world.

Justifying low wages by saying "people are willing to take the job" is just saying "people would rather do this job than be homeless, starve, or be poor_er_."

I, personally, am fundamentally not okay with an economy that is fully supported by workers essentially being coerced into working from fear of death or despair.

We look at the nuclear bomb and the damage it caused and say "that was bad, let's not do that". But we look at inflation, wealth accumulation, class warfare, rampant shameless greed, and don't immediately see the cause/effect relationship.

Now the conversation about some work being harder, more unpleasant, more stressful, or more valuable than other work is an important one. But in my mind the important part is removing the coersion.

If people had their basic needs met and didn't fear starvation or homeless, I bet employers would have to give their workers a better shake in order to keep things running.

If you have a local DSA chapter, you could give it a visit and see if it's something you'd be into. They tend to have a good amount of genuinely nice friendly people, and they help people with mutual aid and other activities you may enjoy. Just an idea ^^

I think the idea is that while these are things you do anyway, you are rushed to complete them quickly, earlier in the morning than you would likely prefer, all for the benefit of someone else to profit off you (I.e, to be exploited).

I think someone that was in a co-op would not resent those things nearly as much, or at all, since all of that work and effort would be adequately rewarded.

I definitely would not wear a bra if I don't need to go to the office. Hell, dressing and getting out of bed are also fairly optional, even if working from home and I don't know anyone who commutes for the fun of it. Also I'd definitely take the full worth of my labor please.

It doesn't really have to be that way, though.

Many concede as inevitable that work should be miserable.

Yet, some even still cast shame on those who emphasize the misery it causes.

Meanwhile, among those who describe work as miserable, it is common to assume the reason as being that work involves effort, rather than that work, at least the way it is generally imposed, requires the worker being subordinated.