I'm not against paying workers more - not at all. But, most often, "exploiters" are willing to pay $2 per hour while social justice campaigners are willing to pay "thoughts, prayers, and rhetoric."
It's an easy choice between $2/hr and thoughts and prayers, especially when $2/hr is miles ahead of what the worker is getting at the moment.
You support the idea of a just and equitable economy, but until it comes you'll sit on the sidelines and perpetuate and support entities that maintain the opposite? Look, I admire where you came from and your success, but you've internalized capitalism and justified its side effects as a result. I too came from nothing and am now successful (relatively).
I don't want conceptual help; I want actual dollars & "exploitative" companies actually pay workers real dollars. I care for the poor, and I support any system that gives them real cash instead of "thoughts and prayers."
I'm an atheist, and I don't offer thoughts and prayers. I offer discourse, and change starts with that. I think you're trying to generalize an entire group of people because you've seen several politicians grift. There are leftists out there that genuinely want to help. But the left and the right is has been infiltrated with fallacious ideas of a self-regulating market, a concept that we've seen exploit children and poor communities across the globe over and over again. And the only thing you have to say is "well at least these poor people are getting paid more dollars than they would be?"
As a social justice warrior, I recognize that the experiences shared in this statement are indicative of a larger systemic issue of exploitation and inequality. The fact that someone was paid a mere $16 a month and $1 for 100 words of work highlights the gross disparities in wages and working conditions between developed and developing countries.
While I understand that the individual in this statement found these jobs to be a stepping stone to upward mobility, it is important to acknowledge that not everyone has the same opportunities and resources to do so. The fact that Nigeria's minimum wage is still not enough to provide a decent standard of living for many people is a clear indication that more needs to be done to address these issues.
Furthermore, the idea that "free trade" is the solution to lifting people out of poverty is a narrow and problematic perspective. While trade can certainly play a role in economic development, it must be implemented in a way that prioritizes the rights and well-being of workers and marginalized communities, rather than solely benefiting corporations and the wealthy.
Instead of settling for exploitative work as the "least worst option," we must actively work towards creating a more just and equitable global economy where everyone has the opportunity to earn a living wage and work in safe and dignified conditions.