Modern Slavery

I am now reading the chinese version of a book called "Nickel and Dimed". It talks about a writer who hides her real identity, and try to experience the life of very low income workers in America. The situations which are experienced by her, were gross, and reminded me of its similarity to my retail experience many years ago, at a shop selling clothes. I cannot understand why work has to be like this. They pay these workers very low amount of money(just enough to survive), and expect them to do long hours of work. In Singapore, normal retail work is from 10am to 9.30pm. Imagine that you cannot SIT during the work, and have to repeatedly do machine-liked work, like folding endless tons of clothes, serving hungry customers etc. The worst thing is how they treat people who are working so hard already.

From what I studied previously, I can understand the need for companies to profit, by giving workers only sufficient pay, but not enough to make them rich. It's pure selfishness, but it's logical.

But it is totally inhumane when they make profit in a way that is exploiting others!! Even though slavery sounded like something from history, but modern man have made it come back, and persist in a way so subtle, that some people don't really know they are having a life like a slave.

Many illogical things are made to seem normal, and tolerated. For example extra work, long working hours, rigid rules(NO SITTING) that will cause health hazards etc. Work achievement was glorified, the possessions you have was encouraged by the mass media that portrays them in a way that brainwash people, to think that there is only one kind of success and one kind of good life. Some people compete like crazy without thinking what they really want in their life(And they thought they knew what they want, but what they wanted are what other people told him that he should want). Some people sacrifice they physical and mental health due to work.

It is important to be aware of work related effects that are subtle. Here's one mentioned by the writer, which is a good reminder:
“许多勇敢的人在战俘营里被淘空了勇气，而也许，类似的事情也发生在整体环境有如战俘营的美国低薪工作场所。”

I am very fortunate to be educated, fortunate to enjoy reading, and fortunate to be a little unconventional. Because considering my 心机 level, I would never have figured out what the society is doing to me, or the rights that I should have, or the very fact that the negative emotions that I experience is sometimes redundant and unfair.

Maybe even now, I have beliefs that help me adapt to this society, but at the same time trap me, as a human being.

I would like to end this entry with a 静思语：
生活若简朴，人生就幸福。

Leading a simple lifestyle, with less desires, would make us feel happy and light.

Therefore, I will try to rmb how I felt when I was in Uni.

Reading, being with friends and family, helping people, made me happy.

And at that time, I was only earning less than 500bucks.

胡适：一个人应该有他的职业，又应该有他的非职业的玩意儿。不是为吃饭而是心里喜欢做的，用闲暇时间做的。 （《一个防身药方三味药》）

Read胡适's 文章here:http://vip.book.sina.com.cn/book/chapter_56234_39784.html
There are a few pages, so click on 下一章when you finished the first :)
His article will prompt us to think that life shouldn't end after Uni~

P.S. Coincidentally, Servbot also wrote about freedom in Uni life. haha.. Abit related~
Everyone from NUS, please take Sociology of Work. It's very interesting!

Reiko