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Cake day: March 8th, 2025

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  • SaltSong@startrek.websitetoComic Strips@lemmy.worldViolence
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    6 minutes ago

    I agree with you that the systems we have built keep the powerful in power. That’s what they get out of the deal.

    But the point of civilization has less to do with them, and more to do with interactions between regular people. If I have a dispute with you, for example, over some property, we can call on lawyers, police, regulatory bodies and similar to help us settle our dispute. We maybe don’t like the resolution, but, by and large, we accept it.

    Without those systems, I could just beat you up, and take the property for myself. You’re only real option would be to kill me, and take it back.

    Similar, we can do things like vote out our leaders, or move to other places. We have options besides burning down the castle, or setting up a guillotine.

    Civilization is about giving us that alternative.



  • SaltSong@startrek.websitetoComic Strips@lemmy.worldViolence
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    15 hours ago

    Nothing got hijacked, “civilization” structured around the threat of violence was exploitative from the start.

    It’s not a threat of violence, it’s a preferable alternative to violence, for both sides. Revolts aren’t great for those in power, but they are catastrophic for a significant number of those not in power.



  • SaltSong@startrek.websitetoComic Strips@lemmy.worldViolence
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    23 hours ago

    The government gives the working class a way to have their grievances heard and addressed in a way other than starting a rebellion.

    Yes, it serves to keep the powerful in power, but that’s irrelevant to my point. It also serves to make sure the little people get taken care of well enough that we don’t kill the ones in power.

    For a more specific example, see unions. The alternative to unions is plant managers getting killed.








  • As I understand it, these sweatshop jobs do resist the standard of living in the areas they are in. The people there don’t have the option to work a job that we would consider good. They work the job we consider terrible, and they get paid more than they would doing other jobs.

    To make a moral judgement, we must balance between “terrible working conditions, no protections, maximum wealth extraction,” on the one hand, and “no infrastructure, no job, no money” on the other. Sadly, there is no profit in making the world better for everyone.