My patience had paid off.
Torrential downpour flooded my temporary living quarter. We had to evacuate immediately or risk drowning. Because my plant body was technically no longer there other than just some clones or scattered, I couldn't return my fey body into my plant body. Basically I was stuck outside with nowhere to hide. It sucked but what could I do about it?
What was terrible was that if I stayed at the surface, the stupidly massive rain droplets came crashing down like a meteorite shower, the water version. They hurt like hell and I couldn't dodge them at all. I might as well be dodging thousands of bullets coming at me.
What were those beetles doing? They were digging some more like some drones each carrying an air bubble under their head like oxygen tanks.
It can't be? Are they smarter than me? I know I'm a plant but this is a disgrace. I'm lower than insects now?
I couldn't replicate what they were doing. I just felt that was too suicidal for me. My body wasn't built for that. Instead, I decided to run to the nearest shelter, under that burnt fallen tree from earlier.
Ready.
Set.
Dash!
I flew at top speed. Believing I was some fighter jet, I zoomed toward that tree. Did I make it? No. I got smacked down in less than two seconds after I took off. Basically, it was face plant.
God, why!? We could have gotten along so well. We really could have.
As much as I wanted to cry, plants couldn't cry and nor could a green little imp like me cry. That feature, it wasn't added to this body.
Cough. Cough.
You know what, I've had enough. Do what you please!
Poke.
What's this?
I was completely soaked and my body hurt everywhere from constant water bombs. Without a giving me a cue, something made the muddy earth bulge, pushing me up.
Are you trying to send me to heavens? Is it that time already?
On a serious note, I knew what it was. One of my root pieces or clones was growing and sprouting. It was as if I was some kind of root vegetable, or worse, those undying weeds found in lawns. Regardless, this growth was way too quick. Perhaps that trait "rapid growth" had kicked in? I didn't know. There was no one to answer any of my questions.
[Level 1 Fey Plant (clone);
Species: Strawberry Imp (lesser);
Traits: Bewitching, Devious, Rapid Growth, Cloning;
Abilities: Absorption, Charm;
Description: A dangerous plant fey that lures their preys before leeching all of their life force.]
It was too painful to be in my fey body. Even if I was to become level one again, I was okay with it. It didn't too long for me to level up, and leveling up really didn't do anything for me as far as I was aware other than opening up evolution paths.
Argh! I'm merging.
It actually allowed me to merge easily into this sprout. My pain was gone too. It was truly just the miracle I needed other than removing this stupidly heavy rainfall. It showed no signs of letting up.
I'm feeling better already, phew. I did not buy into the "no pain no gain" shenanigans. No pain, all the gain!
I checked my status again to see if there were any changes to the clone body.
[Level 7 Fey Plant (main);
Species: Strawberry Imp (lesser);
Traits: Bewitching, Devious, Rapid Growth, Cloning;
Abilities: Absorption, Charm;
Description: A dangerous plant fey that lures their preys before leeching all of their life force.]
Neat, I can convert clones to main bodies? I wonder if there's more to it.
For now, I waited for the rain to pass.
What's this faint pulling sensation?
It wasn't just from one direction but multiple directions. I could feel this gentle tugging sensation from the ground around my burnt plant body. I didn't have to wait long to see the cause.
That was because the rain actually passed not too long after, thankfully. Seven sprouts had broke through the surface.
More clones. I'm officially a ninja now. Hmm... Maybe I should start spreading my bodies as an insurance? I don't want to be burnt up again.
Thinking along that line, I came up with a list of body parts that might make this work. Roots were tested and okayed. All that was left was everything else. I really wasn't sure seeds worked since they might end up becoming new individuals. What I wanted were clones which had nothing to do with babysitting.
While I was pondering about life like a melancholic philosopher, the beetles had all resurfaced like miners that had just resurfaced. I was flabbergasted with their survivability.
"How did you all survive? Is your cousin the cockroach? I don't know what I would do with you all if you gain a 'survivor' trait of some sort."
I wasn't exasperated or anything but rather intrigued. They would make the perfect slave workers if I could command them.
No, no, no, I'm not like that.
I corrected my thoughts before I could deviate too much. I still wanted to keep my humanity even though I was in this state. From an outsider perspective, I was probably just a lunatic talking to itself.
Plants, why no gender! Why! God, is it because you received too many gender inequality complaints? I promise I won't complain.
Anyway, time passed quite quickly when I was merged with the plant body. Every day, I watched the beetles frenzying around, sometimes fighting one another, or downright unmoving. They really went cold turkeys without my strawberries.
So this is what happens when I take drugs away from drug addicts... How interesting!
That was just a side observation from me but it didn't take long for my clones and main body to grow up nice and healthy. Food sources were scarce but the beetles were generous enough to sacrifice themselves to me. They really loved those strawberries. The only issue was that they didn't know how to pollinate the flowers so I had to do it.
This feels so weird, you know? I'm pollinating myself? I felt like I just lost something important. No. Way. Mind boggled.
It wasn't like I was lazing around either. With no predators around at the moment, I tested cloning myself with every single part of my plant body. And, what did I find out? It didn't make sense, but as long as the pieces were large enough, they were considered clones.
Of course, I didn't plant my clones next to me. I personally carried them as far as I could before dropping them. How I wished that these beetles could make themselves useful as couriers!
I wasn't sure if there was a rainy season here or not, but rain had came almost once every two days. These were the light rain that weren't overbearing for the tiny me. There were no complaints from me. Not only that, I appreciated it since rain really helped my new clones sprout and grow. It was the start of my new empire, my strawberry empire!
"Mwuaahahaha...!"
Oops. No one heard that. I'm a good plant.
Better than the Banana Republic.
@Tsuno that one courage the cowardly dog episode
lol, some plants actually have genders, IIRC.
Also, enslaving things is a part of being human, imo -- Look at history as an example: domesticating animals for uses, actually slavery, then there's also the term wage slave that I feel applies, what with current events.
"Wage slave" in no way applies to actually being property with no say in the matter. Don't equate a hyperbolic idiom to reali slavery. Besides, current events actually prove the opposite is true, with people refusing to return to work in shitty working conditions.
@seelang2 I think they meant it applies in the story, what with the beetles desiring the strawberries so much, it could be seen as their wage, and their addiction makes them very much slaves to it.
@seelang2 Well, not all slavery is the same. Part of Roman slavery could be said to be close to what wage slavery would be. Ofc, there were types of slaves, there are the kind of slaves you would typically think of what slaves would be, where convicts and other such prisoners are basically worked to death with no wages. Whereas other slaves would work much like today's professional employees.
Educated tutors, accountants, bodyguards, scribes, etc. were all typically filled by slaves. These slaves were most often paid wages and some even run their own shops, estates, did business deals at their discretion etc., which would ultimately lead to them purchasing manumission from their master to be released from slavery. Some people even sold themselves to slavery for a determinate amount of time to make a living. So yea, they were basically wage slaves.
Ofc, all of them were still slaves, they were considered property, and all of this was at the discretion of the master. The slaves property was ultimately considered masters too sure, but they were in a sense employees at the end of the day. After all, there is nothing wrong with encouraging good workers to work better and there is no meaning or profit in being a bad master who spreads despair to their workers. Giving real hope to people works way better than hopelessness and despair after all, and romans obviously knew this principle. Not to mention these kind of slaves cost like the equivalent of 10k $ to 100k $, some even more depending on qualifications, so you better keep them healthy and well looked after.
@N0xiety You're really trying to equate slavery/indentured servitude to being free to choose their employment at will? The type of work, working conditions, and treatment are irrelevant. The common denominator is that an actual slave is property and thus has no ability to terminate their servitude at will. Wage slavery is in no way actual slavery, as the person ultimately has choice in their employment, regardless of how difficult or impractical the choice may be. They can leave at any time. A slave cannot. It's an invalid comparison.
@Akajaro The op is presenting the concept of wage slavery as an example of humanity's history of enslavement - which it is not - and not suggesting anything in the story are wage slaves.
@seelang2 The last thing they said was "there's also the term wage slave that I feel applies, what with current events."
So yes, they are definitely suggesting that.
Also, a wage slave doesn't have all that much more choice than a slave does. A slave can always choose to rebel or run. It just probably won't end well. Same as with a wage slave.
You keep saying not to equate them, but the term came about precisely BECAUSE they're so similar. Being trapped in a position where you're forced to work because while you can TECHNICALLY leave, it's fundamentaly more problematic than staying. That's why 'slave' is literally in the name.
You talked about some people refusing to work under bad conditions. Anyone that can afford to do that isn't really a wage slave. Just someone who's paid REALLY badly.
@Akajaro Just because they are similar does not equate them. A motorcycle may be called a bike, but it certainly is not a bicycle, no matter how similar they are. A slave will get severely punished for rebelling or running from their owner because it is the owner's legal right. An employee choosing to quit can't be punished for it by their former employers who have no further stake in their affairs. A runaway slave is a criminal, whereas an employee that quits is not. That 'technicality' is actually a pretty significant thing. That's why equating a wage slave to being an actual slave is hyperbolic, and the term itself is exaggerated, which of course was intended. The term doesn't imply a wage slave is an actual slave.
Also, you can't just cherry pick a single phrase in a sentence, especially when it's a part of a list - in this case, "Look at history as an example:" followed by a list of things used as an example of humans' disposition to enslave others - animal domestication, slavery, and wage slaves, which op asserts is a legit example given current events, which is what I'm refuting.
And again, they're not stating that the beetles are wage slaves. Their point was that enslaving things was a part of humanity, presumably in response to the story MC not wanting to think about enslaving the beetles to maintain their humanity:
They would make the perfect slave workers if I could command them... I still wanted to keep my humanity even though I was in this state
A wage slave doesn't necessarily have to be paid badly, or even be in terrible working conditions. They're mainly stuck with little or no financial leeway, often in a position with little room for advancement. It IS possible to get out from under that, though it is often very difficult. And Just because people refuse to return to a crappy job doesn't mean that they refuse to work entirely. It just means they value their well-being over crappy conditions and seek better ones.
@seelang2
Also, you can't just cherry pick a single phrase in a sentence, especially when it's a part of a list - in this case, "Look at history as an example:" followed by a list of things used as an example of humans' disposition to enslave others - animal domestication, slavery, and wage slaves, which op asserts is a legit example given current events, which is what I'm refuting.
I'm just going to zoom in a bit here.
animal domestication, slavery, and wage slaves
Note that slavery is it's own thing on that list. Y'know, the thing you were talking about. Nobody said that they were the same thing. (Though I can see how my message would seem like that.) They're just very similar, like motorcycles and bicycles. Main difference is what makes them move. It's a fundamental difference that makes them two different things, but there's enough similarity that some people call them by the same name. Very well aware of the difference.
Also, you complained about my technicality, but what you said there wasn't even about it. I said that they can leave, but it would cause problems. Which it would. A slave that leaves faces problems from their owner trying to get them back or punish them or whatever. A wage slave that leaves faces problems from the fact that they have no money, and money is required for a lot of things.
And yes, it it possible to get out of being a wage slave. Just like it's possible to get out of being a slave. If you manage to get yourself other options, then you're not a wage slave anymore. If you manage to escape or buy your freedom, you're not a slave anymore. It's a very similar situation.
@Akajaro The statement the poster made is that animal domestication, slavery (usually meaning chattel but also including indentured servitude), and "wage slaves" are all examples of humanity's history of "enslaving things" as they put it. Thus they are equating slavery and wage slaves to enslavement. My point, which I apparently have not been clear enough about, is that a wage slave is not an actual slave, and should not be equated to nor held as an example of actual enslavement.
The rest of this discussion is derailing from that point by segueing into arguing about how a wage slave is "a very similar situation" to being an actual slave, based on their respective availability of choice. I did address your technicality by pointing out the legal difference between the two, but perhaps that was not clear.
In the broadest sense, your statement that both can leave, which would cause problems is true. However, that is far too general an assessment that ignores a slew of issues which make up the distinction between the two, so I can't agree that they are very similar situations. I guess we'll just have to disagree on that.
@seelang2 lol, I'm getting tried of the pings, and your discussing/debate is running a bit long [As well as going over one another; going in circles] --Enjoyed it though! -- so I'd like to point out: there can be more than one definition for a word.
Enslaving doesn't just mean making someone/thing a slave -.- That's just the looses of it, imo. All three were examples of how humanity, usually, takes away choices of others, and tend to making use of them for themselves. -- This seems to be the main trigger, in that you're trying to equate slavery with wage slave, if I read the discussion correctly.
Wage slaves are dependent on income, from employment, thus they tend to not have a choice but to do the job, or starve/lose their home/etc, similarly to how slaves tend not to be able to choice their employment, and that's why the term/concept is even there in the first place.
Btw, some points I'd like to make:
The mass of quitting actually shows why wage slaves are a thing, imo. They can either continue working there for little pay, and maybe lose their home/go into debt/starve/etc or find other jobs.
This just shows how some employers are forcing the employees into a set of choices.
Especially true when they don't change afterwards, and have to close down.
previous employers can make trouble for you going forward, even if you quit.
Two examples being:
1. References & defaming you (aka lying) -- Even if you don't place them in your resume, some places can do a background check and find out.
2. There's also something I read recently about how they'd be incompetent/petty and not writing/logging it into their system, so they can try to get you back to work and/or fire you for no show, etc.
So yeah, they can make it hard for you to get more work and/or make money, if they are petty enough.
@Yamemai Yeah it was interesting for a moment, then got old because of the circles.
And no, there is no alternate definition of enslaving/enslavement, per every major dictionary. It's pretty concrete. "To make a slave of, to hold in bondage; subjugate..." "to cause someone to lose their freedom of choice or action."
The term wage slave is a figurative (hyperbolic) use of the term slave and isn't directly related to human enslavement. Thus it doesn't work in your statement that the three are examples of humanity's propensity for enslaving others. The fact that you used domesticated animals and "actual" slaves (which I presume mainly referred to chattel slaves and not indentured servants), which are both treated as livestock property with no rights, as your other two examples made the "wage slave" stand out even more as not belonging. (The song from Sesame Street keeps ringing in my head, "one of these things is not like the others..." :) )
By the way, I wasn't and am not equating slavery with wage slave. I literally said to not equate the two, as your statement appeared to implicitly equate them as examples of human enslavement nature.
The idea of wage slaves, hyperbolic as it is, is definitely a thing. However, it fails as one of your examples because it is generally not a direct result of a boss or employer deliberately holding the person down. Evil, petty, exploitative companies and bosses certainly exist; however, they are by far exceptions when you look objectively, especially given the number of people the term "wage slave" can be applied to.
People fall into wage slavery largely because of their circumstances that cause them to live paycheck to paycheck with no savings or "golden parachute" to fall back on.Things like illnesses, deaths, downsizing, economic depressions. It's part of what's fueling the living wage argument in the US. And while you could generalize and then say that wage slavery is then the fault of society's greed and cultural values at large, to say it's an example of deliberate enslavement is moving into Evil Shadow Overlord territory imo.
BTW, Your first point is a bit contradictory. If the whole idea is that wage slaves can't leave their jobs because the negative consequences outweigh the pain of staying in the job, they wouldn't leave. I believe it's more that they've had enough of poor treatment, pay, or conditions, and are taking advantage of some of the current opportunities to move to better positions.
@seelang2 You just listed the definitions I used: "to cause someone to lose their freedom of choice or action."; along with: "[b]To make a slave of[/b], to hold in bondage; [b][u]subjugate[/u][/b]..."
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/slave
1A person who is forced to work for and obey another and is considered to be their property; an enslaved person.
1.1A person who works very hard without proper remuneration or appreciation.
1.2A person who is excessively dependent upon or controlled by something.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/slave#
1 a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another and forced to provide unpaid labor.
2 [u]a person entirely under the domination of some influence or person:[/u]
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/subjugate
1Bring under domination or control, especially by conquest.
1.1subjugate someone/something toMake someone or something subordinate to.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/subjugate#
1. [u]to bring under complete control or subjection; conquer; master.[/u]
2. to make submissive or subservient; enslave.
Ps. What dictionary are you using? Mine are some online sites, and though they give similar meanings, some expand on it while others don't. Some are even like this discussion/debate, going around each other lol
Like a lot of the definition for bondage are either sexual or "state of being a slave" for a couple of them.
Thus, by all appearances, it seems like you're ignoring what I had just pointed out:
All three were examples of how humanity, usually, [b]takes away choices of others[/b], and tend to making use of them for themselves
And yes, domestication does also take away choices for the animal/plants/etc, because a part of domesticating something is selectively breeding it to be more inline with your wont/their new purpose.
Whoops, my bad, not equate.... line of thought.... not sure the right word/phrase, basically your thoughts were trapped/boxed/gravitate towards it.
Edit: Fixated! You're fixated on my use of the phrase.
While I agree that when the term wage slave first came up it was hyperbolic; as it currently stands, it tends to be used as criticism more [and sometimes even in a joking manner]
The term is sometimes used to criticise exploitation of labour and social stratification ..[snipped].. The criticism of social stratification covers a wider range of employment choices bound by the pressures of a hierarchical society to perform otherwise unfulfilling work that deprives humans of their "species character"[7] not only under threat of starvation or poverty, but also of social stigma and status diminution.
Which does cover what you've been saying--"I believe it's more that they've had enough of [b][u]poor treatment, pay, or conditions[/u][/b]"-- The current event had shown how much of the term "wage slave" was actually happening, and may be progressing towards a fix now.
Ps. Looking back, yeah, I probably should have used a semicolon instead of comma. Similar topics, but not part of the whole.--Especially with how it ties with both the story and 'history'.
Edit: Ps2: And the listed also ties into the story, now that I think about it: domestication and wage slave for the beetles, and how he was thinking of turning them into slave workers.
Ps3. Huh, we ended up inflating the word count for 'slave'; 102 total pings with Ctrl+F.
@Yamemai I mainly reference Oxford, Mirriam-Webster, and Cambridge as they're generally recognized as leading authorities, everything else being mostly derivative works, though I don't outright ignore them. But in this case all definitions of [b]enslavement[/b] all essentially mean the same thing.
And yes, we are continuing to go around each other, which is somewhat amusing but mostly tiresome.
You appear to think that I'm fixated on your use of the phrase "wage slave." You also appear to think that I'm ignoring what you've been stating from the start.
Regarding the former, I'd say that's partially correct, but not in the way you appear to be thinking. Amusingly enough, because you appear to yourself be fixated on the term "slave," as evidenced by your bolding and replacement of the term in your statement.
I can take some of the blame for that, as my response said not to equate slavery (and domestication, which is essentially animal slavery) with wage slavery. But as the discussion began to derail, I repeatedly attempted to clarify the initial point I was trying to make (admittedly still taking part in the derailed convo, though):
The op is presenting the concept of wage slavery as an example of humanity's history of enslavement - which it is not - and not suggesting anything in the story are wage slaves.
which op asserts is a legit example given current events, which is what I'm refuting.
My point, which I apparently have not been clear enough about, is that a wage slave is not an actual slave, and should not be equated to nor held as an example of actual enslavement.
Thus [wage slavery] doesn't work in your statement that the three are examples of humanity's propensity for enslaving others.
Edit:
to say it's an example of deliberate enslavement is moving into Evil Shadow Overlord territory imo.
As to the latter point, I'm not sure why you think I've ignored what you said when I directly addressed it in my response to you as well my attempts to clarify as shown above. On the contrary, it feels as though you are ignoring what I've said, and thus we continue to circle.
I can only guess it's because of your own fixation on the misguided belief of my fixation (lol), so let me attempt to clarify a bit better by moving your emphasis to the important bit:
All three were examples of how humanity, usually, [enslaves] others, and tend to [b]making use of them for themselves[/b]
Let's backtrack for a moment:
In the story, MC muses about enslaving the beetles, but discards the thought because he is trying to hold onto his humanity - so in his mind slavery is inhumane. Which suggests thinking more towards chattel slavery over domestication or employment, as neither are generally considered inhumane, unless domestication is done towards those of equal status (for lack of better phrasing), such as humans domesticating other humans.
Your original comment stated that enslaving things was a part of human nature. The point you appear to be making is that thinking about enslaving the beetles doesn't make him lose his humanity, rather, it's part of it.
My point is that wage slavery doesn't fit as an example of human nature to [b]enslave things for their benefit[/b] because [b]employers are not directly turning their employees into wage slaves for their benefit. [/b]
Employers are NOT deliberately enslaving their employees for their benefit, literally, figuratively, or otherwise. Not as a general rule, anyway.
I have repeatedly agreed that wage slavery is a thing. However, it is simply not the case that people become wage slaves through the direct intent and actions of their employers in the vast majority of cases. It is certainly true that they are a contributing factor, but [b]they are not the direct cause.[/b] Wage slavery is a much larger issue than that.
Which is why, as I've now stated several times, it doesn't fit as an example of humans enslaving things to suit their needs.