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My Family’s Slave

theatlantic.com

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Re: My Family’s Slave

#11

Post by r00fus »

GuB-42 wrote: post #9

One thing that I find somewhat surprising will all stories involving slavery is how masters are consistently portrayed as assholes in a way that goes further than what would be a "normal" master/slave relationship. Even if you think as a slave not as a human being but as, say, a working dog, or even a nice tool, it is not proper treatment. Most dog owners genuinely love their dogs and don't punish them more than what…

Exactly for those reasons. With a pet or tool there is no existential question whether the master could in another universe be the slave instead.

Thus a worldview of superiority is cultivated to prevent the illusion from fading that slaves could be non-slaves or even the masters.

Re: My Family’s Slave

#12

Post by barsonme »

neaden wrote: post #5

A well written story. I'd be interested in hearing from any Filipino commentators how common this practice still is/is perceived to be in the Philippines today. It's ranked 33/167 by Global Slavery Index[0] as compared to the US at #52. [0] https://www.globalslaveryindex.org/country/philippines/

for people who don't click the link: a larger number is better.

it's ranking by prevalence, so countries like North Korea (rank #1) worse than countries like the U.S. (#52) and Australia (also #52).

I couldn't find a country that was ranked #167 out of #167, though. I think #52 is as high as it goes.

Re: My Family’s Slave

#13

Post by ben_jones »

GuB-42 wrote: post #9

One thing that I find somewhat surprising will all stories involving slavery is how masters are consistently portrayed as assholes in a way that goes further than what would be a "normal" master/slave relationship. Even if you think as a slave not as a human being but as, say, a working dog, or even a nice tool, it is not proper treatment. Most dog owners genuinely love their dogs and don't punish them more than what…

Slaves often serve as a reference point for social standing in society. If you can push the bar lower, you can effectively raise your own position. I also imagine the standard appeal of bullying others and holding power over others played a role.

Just to be clear I think this behavior is abhorrent, this is just my attempt to understand the mindset.

Re: My Family’s Slave

#15

Post by briholt »

barsonme wrote: post #12
neaden wrote: post #5

A well written story. I'd be interested in hearing from any Filipino commentators how common this practice still is/is perceived to be in the Philippines today. It's ranked 33/167 by Global Slavery Index[0] as compared to the US at #52. [0] https://www.globalslaveryindex.org/country/philippines/

for people who don't click the link: a larger number is better. it's ranking by prevalence, so countries like North Korea (rank #1) worse than countries like the U.S. (#52) and Australia (also #52). I couldn't find a country that was ranked #167 out of #167, though. I think #52 is as high as it goes.

Yeah, looks like most of the West is tied for #52.

Re: My Family’s Slave

#17

Post by gorbachev »

iaw wrote: post #8

Apparently the author, Alex Tizón died days after finishing the story and never knew it was chosen for the June cover. He was 57.

I read a lot, but I don't usually pay attention to who the writer is, so I wasn't aware of what he has written. I've read a lot of his articles. They're just exceptional pieces of writing. The last one I remember keeping me reading almost to a point of missing my train station is his article about the missing in Alaska:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/04/in-the-...

Re: My Family’s Slave

#18

Post by codehusker »

barsonme wrote: post #12
neaden wrote: post #5

A well written story. I'd be interested in hearing from any Filipino commentators how common this practice still is/is perceived to be in the Philippines today. It's ranked 33/167 by Global Slavery Index[0] as compared to the US at #52. [0] https://www.globalslaveryindex.org/country/philippines/

for people who don't click the link: a larger number is better. it's ranking by prevalence, so countries like North Korea (rank #1) worse than countries like the U.S. (#52) and Australia (also #52). I couldn't find a country that was ranked #167 out of #167, though. I think #52 is as high as it goes.

It seems that a higher ranking is worse.

> The Index presents a ranking of 167 countries based on the proportion of the population that is estimated to be in modern slavery. [0]

North Korea, with 4.37% in slavery, is ranked 1.

India, with 1.4% in slavery, is ranked 4.

Philippines, with 0.4% in slavery, is ranked 33.

China, with 0.25% in slavery, is ranked 40.

USA, with .02% in slavery, is ranked 52.

[0] https://www.globalslaveryindex.org/findings/

EDIT: number -> ranking

Re: My Family’s Slave

#19

Post by smhenderson »

codehusker wrote: post #18
barsonme wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

for people who don't click the link: a larger number is better. it's ranking by prevalence, so countries like North Korea (rank #1) worse than countries like the U.S. (#52) and Australia (also #52). I couldn't find a country that was ranked #167 out of #167, though. I think #52 is as high as it goes.

It seems that a higher ranking is worse. > The Index presents a ranking of 167 countries based on the proportion of the population that is estimated to be in modern slavery. [0] North Korea, with 4.37% in slavery, is ranked 1. India, with 1.4% in slavery, is ranked 4. Philippines, with 0.4% in slavery, is ranked 33. China, with 0.25% in slavery, is ranked 40. USA, with .02% in slavery, is ranked 52. [0] https://www.g…

How is a higher number worse if there is less slavery in countries with a higher number?

Re: My Family’s Slave

#20

Post by lordnacho »

I had a terrible "Billy" moment a few years ago.

I was travelling and a friend said I could use her house, because it was empty. This was perfect for me, since I had a wife and kid.

It turns out there was a housekeeper. She did everything for us, made us feel very comfortable, cooked, served, helped with the kid, etc.

Then one day I found out she didn't have her own room, despite the place being a multi storey mansion. In fact, she slept on a mat in the kitchen. And not only that, there would be a phone call each morning to wake her up, from the master of the house. He didn't want her to get too comfy while the family was out.

It was all a bit shocking. I still haven't chatted to my friend about this, because what on earth do you say? And otherwise ordinary western educated person -in fact a feminist, globalist, left-leaning idealist- who has a slave? What if I've misunderstood something? Maybe my friend didn't approve of it? Maybe he did? I'd never be able to talk to my friend again.

I got the housekeeper a present when we left, as she'd been so good at taking care of us. But naturally I didn't enquire any further into her relationship with the family.

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My main thought is there's a sort of Stockholm syndrome going on. Lola still had thoughts for her family back home, but she was so integrated in the new family it became part of her life, too. I guess it's a coping mechanism. Even slaves need meaning in their lives, and taking care of kids is meaning.

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Ok, enough of moralizing. Actually I find it comforting that there is at least some sympathy for my predicament. At least one or two of you think it is possible that they would behave similarly. Or at least acknowledge the awkward situation.

I will talk to this friend in person next time I'm in that part of the world, which should be soon, about this incident, and get the full story of how their housekeeper lives.

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