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Comment by ritchiea | Hacker News Reader

I agree that wage slavery exists but let's be serious, slavery in many societies, including the US was a brutal existence that included beatings & intentional separations of families, often even if you as a slave were compliant in the system. If you weren't compliant you were subject to torture and/or a violent death. The cruelty of slavery stretches far beyond the lack of freedom you're describing here.

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Okay, you have an excellent point that modern slavery is a kinder, more gentle version. Now, instead of being beaten physically, you are gutted mentally via long hours and unreasonable schedules. Now, you "choose" to live away from the rest of your family because a job could earn you so much more money.

Even the punishment has become more moral and more evenly applied to all to of course avoid discrimination. You are subject to mental assault by all others and even by yourself when you do not follow the game of the wage slave. A violent death? A violent death would be a needle prick relative to the 60 years you are expected to slowly break yourself in half.

Indeed, the lack of freedom is but one facet, but honestly, while we have become more free have we really gained anything in terms of long term ability to do what we actually desire or be our own masters?

I have to disagree. Strong people will pursue their passion and find their ways. Weak people will succumb and be scared. It depends entirely on the person. Most people simply prefer stability, that's all there is to it.

Not everybody has this amazing idea they are absolutely passionate about and prioritize above everything else.

I just started working in a corporate environment. I'm the best at what I do. I work beyond hours. I also have a life. I can choose to go home and have a four hour game of thrones session, or I can invest my time into personal interests and developing myself.

It's up to the individual entirely. We live in a world where we are capable of forging our own path.

There is no lack of freedom, there is simply too much of it.

> while we have become more free have we really gained anything in terms of long term ability to do what we actually desire or be our own masters?

YES. You have all the resources at your fingertips. Institutions, counselling, meetups for specific interests, the INTERNET where you can communicate with anybody in a millisecond.

It's up to you what you do with these powers. Will you be complacent, or will you use them to your advantage? It's sad that most people use our new found technological superpowers to bore themselves instead of learn about our beautiful planet and all it has to offer.

The attitude that came through in your comment is exactly what I try to uphold. I say 'try', because after 21 years of complacency the discipline needed to bring this attitude into the next day has humbled me for how often I fail to do so.

I'm in the middle of making monumental changes in my life, and if I had helped ingrain a lesson or mindset into another person as much as your outlook helped me, I would've liked to know.

All the best to you!

Slavery is about having zero other options.

So you are saying it is impossible to escape wage slavery.

It is impossible to live in modern society as people expect to without holding a job, but it is not impossible to live without holding a job.

Call it whatever you want, you're still not free.

The difference is that you have a choice.

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