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Comment by realitycheckxxx | Hacker News Reader

First world problems. This post was really disgusting.

"Oh, no, I have to look at pictures of bars...Manipulation!", "Oh, no, they are offering me to tag myself on a picture - systemic oppression and manipulation!" "Nooo... Fuck, now have to say 'You're welcome' "

Fuck this author. A spoiled, rich cunt complaining that someone will auto-play a video after a countdown on his newest iPhone.

... In the meantime, slaves in Africa are digging material from the ground for $1 or less per day, so that he can get his iPhone. Slaves in Asia making his clothing or assembling his devices. Domestic, desperate part-time slaves delivering his food (Postmates) or driving him (Uber/Lyft).

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Have you considered that the manipulation of people's minds in consumer societies might actually be part of the reason why there is so much exploitation of people in more vulnerable communities?

Yes, that's a great point. It's a vicious cycle.

Just a small nitpick, all slaves make $0 per diem. It's sort of the main benefit of slavery.

Not true. Slaves are a cost to the owner, so they get food, accommodation, clothing, transportation paid for by the owner. In modern day, owner doesn't pay for you directly, but does it by giving you the money, so you get yourself all the things slaves used to get directly. You really are nitpicking and not seeing the bigger picture, because it's kinda uncomfortable.

The word "slave" is bound to the loss of freedom to walk away. You probably mean "exploitation". Don't use the word "slave" for that, because unfortunately there are still enough "real" slaves in the world who can't walk away.

And don't bother to make the argument they can't walk away for economical reasons. It's still a whole different thing.

I tend to agree with you about there being a distinction between unpaid and paid slavery, however I am not sure it's as useful or as clear a distinction as you imply.

For example - one way in which slaves can be held captive is by having them work in a remote place where they don't have the resources to travel across the space between them and the rest of society - e.g. A camp in the desert, or jungle, or a plantation on an island.

It is not clear why this kind of captivity is distinct from the captivity that arises when the barrier to cross is economic and social rather than physical.

If people are being used as laborer a in a position where they cannot accumulate enough resources to leave, what difference does it make what kind of wall keeps them there?

Slaves could walk away by 'purchasing' themselves. Or by escaping and not getting caught. Or by being freed by masters/authorities for various reasons.

  > "And don't bother to make the argument they can't walk away for economical reasons. It's still a whole different thing."

This is the key thing. Slaves in the past couldn't walk away for economic reasons as well (i.e. many of them couldn't purchase themselves and become free). Also, today, if you're a US citizen, in order to renounce citizenship, you need to have another citizenship, which usually takes many years to get. So, it's very difficult to escape US Taxman, which takes half of your income (i.e you work half of the time for the Taxman).

Slaves today are little bit more free than those in the past. But, not by much. Again, you're nitpicking with the term 'slave'. It's like saying 'cats don't walk', because they don't walk as humans. You don't have to walk as a human to be labeled as 'walking'. Likewise, you don't have to be literally in chains to be labeled a 'slave'. But, people who benefit from slave labor, like the author of the post, don't want the term 'slave' be used, because it would expose him a scumbag.

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