Also work does NOT just commodify your time, it literally alienates you from yourself. When you are at work, you are only there to perform a function. You are not permitted to have ideas, to take your time, to engage in dialogue, to contradict the people you come into contact or exchange with.
You literally belong to your job in those hours of wage slavery. There is constant standardization, assimilation, alienation, subordination, etc. You are literally placed in a ‘position’ of dehumanization. You are not just sacrificing your time, but yourself. You are told that your social roles are irrelevant, because when you are a wage slave your social oppression is supposed to be erased so you can perform a function.
However, we know that one cannot escape the social castes and power assigned by the system; we are constantly treated like we are womyn/queer/marginalized peoples, but you cannot speak out against the oppressions you face. We are not just oppressed economically as wage slaves, but oppressed into negating our own relationship and subordination based upon our social roles. Work ends up using our obedience to teach silence about those social roles, to teach us that speaking out will not make us ‘successful’. Because you might lose your job. In that moment, you need only to perform your function, and they will compensate you for your silence.
This is true under capitalism, but I am not anywhere near interested in perpetuating work culture, and it’s alienation, or functionality in general. Abolish Work (TM).
This perfectly describes the conflict of self I’ve been having since I started working again. I can’t consistently represent myself in the way I feel most comfortable, because when at work I have to be a different person. Its not about “being yourself”, its about being the person they want to hire and remaining that person the entire time you work there. People can be rude, insensitive and down right bullies to you and you just have to suck it up and agree with them until they leave the store. Your coworkers and boss may sympathize with you after the fact, but in the moment you have to lie down and take it. Confrontation with a customer could jeopardize my job. And I need my job.
It’s funny that I see this today on my dash. I often post on Facebook and of course here about gay rights, equal rights, women’s rights and a multitude of other very important social subjects.
I feel like SAYING something about these subjects is extremely important especially for those of us who live in areas where people think its cool to hate gay people, women, poc.
Not that ANY area is free of this shit but I know where I live is a homophobia/racism/sexism central.
Well I say something. I won’t let it happen. And today my boss tells me I shouldn’t post those things on my Facebook or tumblr - mind you I’m very “professional” at work. I put up with shit constantly from clients. I keep quiet. I go home. I vent. If I’m not at work I speak up but at work I’m unfortunately and “professionally” silent.
It pisses me off because my employer doesn’t OWN ME or MY VIEWS OR WORDS.
I refuse to be silent and I will probably get fired for this.
