Whenever this topic comes up I always think of the letter Bukowski wrote about it. A few quotes:

> You know my old saying, "Slavery was never abolished, it was only extended to include all the colors."

> what hurts is the steadily diminishing humanity of those fighting to hold jobs they don't want but fear the alternative worse.

> They never pay the slaves enough so they can get free, just enough so they can stay alive and come back to work. I could see all this. Why couldn't they? I figured the park bench was just as good or being a barfly was just as good. Why not get there first before they put me there? Why wait?

The full letter: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/10/people-simply-empty-out...