Collectively to hundreds of millions of buttholes. But not yours. Even he had standards.
I drink your milkshake! a metaphor for capitalism
- Thread starter rickyb
- Start date
The average American worker takes less vacation time than a medieval peasant
Plowing and harvesting were backbreaking toil, but the peasant enjoyed anywhere from eight weeks to half the year off.
In fact, economist Juliet Shor found that during periods of particularly high wages, such as 14th-century England, peasants might put in no more than 150 days a year. As for the modern American worker? After a year on the job, she gets an average of eight vacation days annually.
A history of dwindling vacation days
It wasn't supposed to turn out this way: John Maynard Keynes, one of the founders of modern economics, made a famous prediction that by 2030, advanced societies would be wealthy enough that leisure time, rather than work, would characterize national lifestyles. So far, that forecast is not looking good.
When workers fought for the eight-hour workday, they weren't trying to get something radical and new, but rather to restore what their ancestors had enjoyed before industrial capitalists and the electric light bulb came on the scene.
Go back 200, 300, or 400 years and you find that most people did not work very long hours at all. In addition to relaxing during long holidays, the medieval peasant took his sweet time eating meals, and the day often included time for an afternoon snooze.
Some blame the American worker for not taking what is her due. But in a period of consistently high unemployment, job insecurity and weak labor unions, employees may feel no choice but to accept the conditions set by the culture and the individual employer.
Plowing and harvesting were backbreaking toil, but the peasant enjoyed anywhere from eight weeks to half the year off.
In fact, economist Juliet Shor found that during periods of particularly high wages, such as 14th-century England, peasants might put in no more than 150 days a year. As for the modern American worker? After a year on the job, she gets an average of eight vacation days annually.
A history of dwindling vacation days
It wasn't supposed to turn out this way: John Maynard Keynes, one of the founders of modern economics, made a famous prediction that by 2030, advanced societies would be wealthy enough that leisure time, rather than work, would characterize national lifestyles. So far, that forecast is not looking good.
When workers fought for the eight-hour workday, they weren't trying to get something radical and new, but rather to restore what their ancestors had enjoyed before industrial capitalists and the electric light bulb came on the scene.
Go back 200, 300, or 400 years and you find that most people did not work very long hours at all. In addition to relaxing during long holidays, the medieval peasant took his sweet time eating meals, and the day often included time for an afternoon snooze.
Some blame the American worker for not taking what is her due. But in a period of consistently high unemployment, job insecurity and weak labor unions, employees may feel no choice but to accept the conditions set by the culture and the individual employer.
PREACH
Jeffrey St. Clair liked
Richard D. WolffVerified account @profwolff 9h9 hours ago
Freedom is not just about getting beyond master vs slave or lord vs serf. It is also about getting beyond employer vs employee. That's why people yearn and then fight for worker coops instead.
11 replies 141 retweets 463 likes
Jeffrey St. Clair liked
Richard D. WolffVerified account @profwolff 9h9 hours agoFreedom is not just about getting beyond master vs slave or lord vs serf. It is also about getting beyond employer vs employee. That's why people yearn and then fight for worker coops instead.
11 replies 141 retweets 463 likes
In all of my years you're the only one I've come across yearning for coops.PREACH
Jeffrey St. Clair liked
Freedom is not just about getting beyond master vs slave or lord vs serf. It is also about getting beyond employer vs employee. That's why people yearn and then fight for worker coops instead.
11 replies 141 retweets 463 likes
thats because you've been hanging out with the wrong crowd
theres actually alot of people in favor of worker self determination. im sure martin luther king was in favor of it. bernie sanders. the fact that people are so unfamiliar with coops is a sign of major economic illiteracy. low unionization rates is another sign.
yea i dont know how to explain that completely: alot of people wanting to be told what to do all day at their jobs. OR people not liking their jobs but liking capitalism. people dont like their jobs because capitalism doesnt work, but they dont have the perspective or maturity to make that connection
first time i heard it was in 2009 michael moores capitalism movie. the matrix was a critique of capitalism as well, but without spelling it out.
its like everyone used to think the planets revolved around the earth, and everyone was wrong.
marx says those who control the means of production also control the means of mental production. thats also how you get consumerism.
this system keeps us in a state of perpetual fear, because when you make people afraid then you can control them. thats what border patrol does and cops to get intelligence. people are afraid of economics, but less so than in the past.
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teleSUR English @telesurenglish 3h3 hours ago
Malcolm X was born on this day in 1925. He would have turned 93 years old today. On this day, we salute the Malcolm X who saw that racism was connected to capitalism. http://tlsur.net/1zv9SkE
Malcolm X was born on this day in 1925. He would have turned 93 years old today. On this day, we salute the Malcolm X who saw that racism was connected to capitalism. http://tlsur.net/1zv9SkE
that logically makes no sense. i can see them paying competitive wages with capitalist enterprises, but with coops you've taken out the capitalist profiteer, and turned all the workers into profiteers.
1989
Well-Known Member
But factually true.... why did you not work at a co op?
That dude is obsessed with chain restaurant food (probably what happens when you’ve never had a real family or marriage).
His current health conditions are not a surprise.
Your obsession with my eating habits is unhealthy too.
DriveInDriveOut
Inordinately Right
funny that the same people who complain about lazy welfare queens, are also draining the government provided health care systems dry because of decades of lazy health choices in regards to diet and fitness.
And yet young adults who think they're going to stay fit for never end up heavy because of sedentary jobs and highly processed food. It's everywhere. Don't worry, you'll be able to stay fit even as your body changes as you get older. That's what everyone says.
DriveInDriveOut
Inordinately Right
'everyone' lol
education is the biggest part of a healthy lifestyle
willpower is probably the second biggest
you were probably just ignorant and weak
glad you're getting it together buddy
I've seen plenty of cows in pastures and first thing that comes to mind is great steaks.
1989
Well-Known Member
I’m always thinking.... better eat em, before they destroy the planet.
too much alienation just driving by
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