The new form of slavery

It’s article number four of the universal declaration of human rights that says slavery shall be prohibited in all its forms. I used to think why it is still there (isn’t it supposed to update?!) while - I assumed - there is no slavery in the world anymore. But later I found that we can’t really say that we have completely eliminated slavery from the world. Once I heard someone was saying that the man didn’t stop the traditional slavery because of his change of opinions and ideas; but it was a result of the fact that the traditional way of slavery wasn’t economical and acceptable anymore! Therefore man found a better solution! If you force someone to be your slave, you will face lots of problems such as legal problems or public opinion, while you still need to give the slave food and shelter, but what if you force someone to work for you most of his life and instead you give him just enough money for basic needs (or a little more!). Isn’t it just the same thing as slavery?! Although this way is legal, acceptable and no one can protest against you. This is the story of our lives, even though we call it work!


This is what actually happens in reality: You have to work to make a living, you have to work something like 40 hours a week, you get enough money for your basic needs or a little more, you don’t have any time for yourself, and you are doomed to this for the rest of your life!


The routine working hours is about 40 hours a week or as they say, 9-to-5. It means that as you wake up in the morning you have to leave for work and you will get back around 6 o’clock - considering the time you need for transportation - and on the other hand you should be in your bed soon enough to wake up on time in the morning again and this goes again and again forever! To be more clear, let me put it this way that you actually have around 4 hours a day for yourself which is after a day of working with all the tiredness. Even if you get a good salary, when are you going to spend it?! And spending on what?! For example you might buy a bicycle but can you ride a bicycle at 6 o’clock after a day of working hard?! It’s like a joke! You can just lie on a couch and be a couch potato like others!! Let’s face it, this is exactly the same thing as the traditional slavery except its name!


I know all of us should work as in some sort of exchange for the services that society provide us, but the amount of work we should do is not reasonable and it prevents us from spending time for ourselves, to improve ourselves and becoming better people.


I remember once I read this quotation somewhere: Some people are just selling their sleep to buy bedrooms!


::samic::

Written on 2011-05-25 by Samic.

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