wage slavery is a state of mind
What I learned from 6 weeks of chasing my dreams
Wage slave is such a harsh term.
In the 21st century, no one wants to think that slavery is still happening, even though we all know it’s happening everywhere around the world.
What many people don’t know (or maybe choose to ignore) is that they’ve probably been a victim of it.
We have this frankly old-fashioned view of slavery.
We think of people of color doing exhausting back-breaking work for hours with little to no pay.
Although that still exists in today’s world, “modern” slavery often looks like someone hunched over at a desk or cleaning the floors in an office building.
Yes, the ladder may be getting paid, but rarely is it enough to live, especially in the States.
The intensity may be different but they all share the main factor of slavery: exploitation.
Delivery driver for Dominoes, slavery.
Driving for Amazon, absolute slavery.
Managing a Walmart, yup…slavery
I know this is hard to hear.
No one wants to think they’ve been exploited.
But the quicker you realize you’re being exploited the easier escaping it will be.
And believe me, I understand that jobs like these are unavoidable for most people. Hell, I'm right there with you.
I’ve been working since I was 16 which is the average age people get their first job.
We don’t have wealthy parents to pay for our lives or successful relatives to work for.
We have to make money so we take the low-hanging fruit.
But here’s where the problem arises.
We think that taking the low-hanging fruit now will eventually bring higher on the tree.
If I just work here long enough, they see my value and promote me.
Or, if I dedicate years of my life to learning about this industry, I’ll eventually get into the big leagues.
I’m here to tell you, that thinking like that is a pipe dream.
Don’t believe me?
Look at the record number of layoffs.
Look at the thousands of graduates still looking for jobs years after college.
Look at these CEO let their masks slip further and further showing how little they care about anyone who doesn’t make as much money as them.
These companies don’t care about people regardless of what all their advertising says.
And here’s where “being a wage slave is a state of mind” comes in.
If after reading all that, you still think your best shot is solely relying on some corporation to come and save you, then in the words of J.Cole:
“You don’t want to be saved.”
Instead of investing in yourself, working on your dream, or trying to figure out your passions. You’re going to let a corporation dictate the trajectory of your life.
That’s what a wage slave is.
Not someone who works a 9-to-5 and works into the night trying to turn their dreams into a reality.
Not someone working a part-time job who takes courses trying to learn new skills.
A wage slave is someone who’s content with less than the bare minimum. They face a challenge.
They don’t better themselves. And they’ll take whatever scraps a corporation will give them, not just because they have to, but because they are too lazy to look for another way.
So, with knowing all that.
Are you a wage slave? Or do you want something more?
Till next time xx