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Re:The Three Year Myth by keybored on Saturday February 14, 2026 @09:22AM (#47014755)
That employment is exploitation is evidenced by profits. Employment is a commodity. Any business expects to get more value out of a commodity. Not to break even.

> If employment is violence, we should end it. But then almost everybody would die.

Everyone would die? Are you assuming that employment gets eliminated and nothing is replaced by it?

Anyone who is against the employment relation wants something different. Not something farcical like voluntary self-elimination.

Re:The Three Year Myth by JackFr on Saturday February 14, 2026 @11:16AM (#47015666)
Can you accept that two parties can make an exchange that leaves them both better off? If you can’t accept that, there’s no real point in any further discussion.
Re:The Three Year Myth by K0balt on Saturday February 14, 2026 @03:00PM (#47017818)
Of course! I don’t think I said it couldn’t be mutual.
Re:The Three Year Myth by keybored on Monday February 16, 2026 @04:33PM (#47040617)
> Can you accept that two parties can make an exchange that leaves them both better off?

Yes.

> If you can’t accept that, there’s no real point in any further discussion.

There’s a lot of assumptions packed in to this statement.

But you can be the arbiter of the Overton Window. I know that I am swearing in church.

Re:The Three Year Myth by badpun on Sunday February 15, 2026 @07:17AM (#47023121)
Part of the profits come from employment of capital. Almost no company relies solely on labor, they typically rely on both labor and capital (machines, buildings etc.). Owner of capital wants compensation for their investments, and he gets it via profits. Meanwhile, workers want compensation for their work, and they get it via wages. The exact split between compensation for capital and for work is a subject of negotiation (and often laws).
Re:The Three Year Myth by keybored on Monday February 16, 2026 @04:32PM (#47040605)
The capitalist has more assets and commodities than just the labor commodities? So what?
Re:The Three Year Myth by jtbayly on Sunday February 15, 2026 @03:50PM (#47027400)
It is correct that the business expects that your time and energy is worth more to them than it is to you. Profit.

But then literally every trade between two people—trading four sheep for one cow, say—is exploitation in both directions. I expect to benefit more from the product I receive than I can profit from what I give away. I have plenty of milk but need some wool for clothes. But to improve my own situation is somehow to abuse the other person!?

You’ve seemingly declared every form of economic transaction immoral.

Re:The Three Year Myth by keybored on Monday February 16, 2026 @04:29PM (#47040578)
> But then literally every trade between two people—trading four sheep for one cow, say—is exploitation in both directions.

No. That could be a win-win. One might be a sheep farmer, the other a cattle/cow farmer. They both gain from exchanging these livestocks.

For an employee? See the value produced versus the wages earned. There’s the exploitation.

The nice thing about one single universal value—money—is that it makes things like this obvious. Just look at the numbers. It’s just one, single currency. Much easier than comparing livestock...