I feel like in this capitalist system we aren’t so much slaves as we are the plant that produces the fruit (money) and the harvesting method is completely automated.
I like this analogy, but I dont think the fruit is money. Money can be created at will. Money as a service and its also some currencies that are desired. Accounting is more narrative than maths
I’ve definitely over simplified it, and you’re right money can be made at will, but the overall bulk of it comes from the millions and billions of people that generate it over time, the more people you have the more money that can be made. It’s all a probability game, same reason farmers plant in such mass quantities, so they have the highest probability of a productive crop.
The video makes the point that every past system had flaws and had to be replaced. This one (enslavement through consumerism) has flaws too, ones that are beginning to flourish now.
First, the rich never stopped being greedy, and they're now trying to take alllll the stuff. That's how we end up with trillionaires (plural, because let's face it, more are coming). In economics terms: the rich-poor gap is widening alarmingly. The number of poor is growing, and their access to "stuff" is dwindling.
Second, resources are finite and we've found ways to extract them so effectively that they're hitting limits. Oil is the central one, of course, and we're now starting to see major oil wars as the overall oil supply is hitting its economically-viable maximum.
Third, the climate, the land, the water, the air are all dying. All the living things are dying. Most of the world now is just humans and their livestock. This is not a system that can go on forever.
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The end of the one earner family was feminism, including the increase in the rate of divorce and out of wedlock children. There still are plenty of families where one parent works ad the other takes care of the kids.
Unions reduced GM, Ford and Chrysler to a total of 40 percent of the US market, eventually closing about half of their factories. The UAW wages and work rules gave a permanent cost advantage to the non union companies, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Tesla, and the US located factories of Volvo, BMW and Mercedes, which also are non union. A union in Sweden put Saab out of business. In the early 1960s, the UAW put Studebaker out of business.
There once was a UAW organized factory for Mitsubishi in Normal, Illinois. It built the Mitsubishi Galant. It closed. Now you can buy a Mitsubishi Mirage from Thailand.
You can't claim to be a supporter of unions, and then purchase a car from a non union brand.
we can create alone time for ourselves, doing whatever we want to do and going where ever we want, eating what we want. food is made to order for us. we aren't forced in a lot of areas of our lives. there's nothing to escape from, or escape to. if you can contribute to society and have some semblance of work ethic you can have a life that isn't awful and oppressive. the less liberated you are from childish narcissism, the tougher that will be, the more likely you'll contribute to the evil that's in this world, or unwittingly foster its spread, being completely enslaved to little more than your own preferences. even then, it's fine for you. the distress is of the mind
Consumerism is not slavery if you are rich. Anything is slavery when you are poor.
There is no slavery for people who are even worth just a few million when they do not have to work, and can just enjoy life and buy whatever they want. I suppose in any system with slavery, there are always masters.
not true. Consumerism is the reason a lot of rich people lose their wealth. Being wealthy doesn't protect you from going broke. Especially when you buy and buy and buy and buy. Ask Nick Cage. That dude lost hundreds of millions because he consumed too much.
This is a disgusting comparison. Enslaved people were treated as less than human and had no control over their life. They were mistreated, raped and families torn apart. Don't tell me, buying too much stuff on Tiktok shop is the same.
What's disgusting is jumping to conclusions based on titles/headlines. It's 2026, try to hold your outrage in at least long enough to properly understand what you want to criticise.
Yeah I’m not watching something that equates our (admittedly shitty) capitalist system with the torture and murder of enslaved people. Capitalism is not literally raping you and selling the resulting children to someone so far away you’ll never see them grow up even if you survive that long. Yuck.
And capitalism does, in fact, facilitate rape and the selling of children. I would have thought that from women pimped on street corners to the Epstein files that would be clear.
Comments Section
Question, is this content AI generated?
You'll have to ask the creator directly. My ability to spot AI generated content is as good as yours.
The content was Sociology 101.
It's a great video.
Ironically, it had 4 ad breaks when I watched it.
There are browser extensions/browsers/apps to avoid the ads!
Such as - https://vanced.to/
I feel like in this capitalist system we aren’t so much slaves as we are the plant that produces the fruit (money) and the harvesting method is completely automated.
I like this analogy, but I dont think the fruit is money. Money can be created at will. Money as a service and its also some currencies that are desired. Accounting is more narrative than maths
I’ve definitely over simplified it, and you’re right money can be made at will, but the overall bulk of it comes from the millions and billions of people that generate it over time, the more people you have the more money that can be made. It’s all a probability game, same reason farmers plant in such mass quantities, so they have the highest probability of a productive crop.
Very well said.
The video makes the point that every past system had flaws and had to be replaced. This one (enslavement through consumerism) has flaws too, ones that are beginning to flourish now.
First, the rich never stopped being greedy, and they're now trying to take alllll the stuff. That's how we end up with trillionaires (plural, because let's face it, more are coming). In economics terms: therich-poor gap
Second, resources are finite and we've found ways to extract them so effectively that they're hitting limits. Oil is the central one, of course, and we're now starting to see majoroil wars
Third, the climate, the land, the water, the air are all dying. All the living things are dying. Most of the world now is just humans and their livestock. This is not a system that can go on forever.
It's a fucking advert!
Read the rules. Keep it courteous. Submission statements are helpful and appreciated but not required. Use the report button only if you think a post or comment needs to be removed. Mild criticism and snarky comments don't need to be reported. Lets try to elevate the discussion and make it as useful as possible. Low effort posts & screenshots are a dime a dozen. Links to scientific articles, political analysis, and video essays are preferred.
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The end of the one earner family was feminism, including the increase in the rate of divorce and out of wedlock children. There still are plenty of families where one parent works ad the other takes care of the kids.
Unions reduced GM, Ford and Chrysler to a total of 40 percent of the US market, eventually closing about half of their factories. The UAW wages and work rules gave a permanent cost advantage to the non union companies, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Tesla, and the US located factories of Volvo, BMW and Mercedes, which also are non union. A union in Sweden put Saab out of business. In the early 1960s, the UAW put Studebaker out of business.
There once was a UAW organized factory for Mitsubishi in Normal, Illinois. It built the Mitsubishi Galant. It closed. Now you can buy a Mitsubishi Mirage from Thailand.
You can't claim to be a supporter of unions, and then purchase a car from a non union brand.
Thanks for posting, I found it interesting
Ah yes, slavery is just like going to Primark and buying shit.
Some people should be sent to the cotton fields for a few years just to be sure they still think it's a relevant comparison.
this sounds attractive to distressed minds but is based on fallacy imo. freedom is possible, and the only major cost being the ego
Would you mind elabourating?
we can create alone time for ourselves, doing whatever we want to do and going where ever we want, eating what we want. food is made to order for us. we aren't forced in a lot of areas of our lives. there's nothing to escape from, or escape to. if you can contribute to society and have some semblance of work ethic you can have a life that isn't awful and oppressive. the less liberated you are from childish narcissism, the tougher that will be, the more likely you'll contribute to the evil that's in this world, or unwittingly foster its spread, being completely enslaved to little more than your own preferences. even then, it's fine for you. the distress is of the mind
Consumerism is not slavery if you are rich. Anything is slavery when you are poor.
There is no slavery for people who are even worth just a few million when they do not have to work, and can just enjoy life and buy whatever they want. I suppose in any system with slavery, there are always masters.
Seems like you didn't watch the video and are just reacting to the title?
not true. Consumerism is the reason a lot of rich people lose their wealth. Being wealthy doesn't protect you from going broke. Especially when you buy and buy and buy and buy. Ask Nick Cage. That dude lost hundreds of millions because he consumed too much.
Lol ... being wealthy does not protect you from being a sucker. But most millionaires are not stupid.
Beats Republican communism.
This is a disgusting comparison. Enslaved people were treated as less than human and had no control over their life. They were mistreated, raped and families torn apart. Don't tell me, buying too much stuff onTiktok shop
What's disgusting is jumping to conclusions based on titles/headlines. It's 2026, try to hold your outrage in at least long enough to properly understand what you want to criticise.
Yeah I’m not watching something that equates our (admittedly shitty) capitalist system with the torture and murder of enslaved people. Capitalism is not literally raping you and selling the resulting children to someone so far away you’ll never see them grow up even if you survive that long. Yuck.
Way to oversimplify and make assumptions.
And capitalism does, in fact, facilitate rape and the selling of children. I would have thought that from women pimped on street corners to the Epstein files that would be clear.