Modern Slavery
Plantation Slavery ended many years ago , however many people seem to still be trapped in slavery…Modern Slavery. Are you stuck in modern slavery? This is how it works. Many people who are high school drop outs, or have only a high school diploma end up working at fast food or retail stores. These stores pay the workers the minimum wage. After working hard, their pay can barely meet their bills and there is little or nothing left to allow them to save. So they think by working longer hours or getting a second job, and working harder, they will be able to pay their bills. So they work these 16 hour days, when they get home, they are so tired, they can hardly relax or spend time with their family. They fall exhausted in their beds then wake up the next morning to rush to work again.
Someone at their job quit, got fired, or called in sick (because of that same job) and so they end up working harder, doing the job of two people. Then their manager convinces them that it is a good idea to come in on their day off or to work time and a half on a public holiday, so that day, when they had planned to stay home and relax with family, they end up working 6 or maybe 7 days a week , with the idea that they are making “more money”.
Some people want to go back to school to finish their education, but when they get home, they are so tired that they have no time to get registered for classes or to study, if in school. No time to sit quietly and plan for the future, as many have to deal with the demands of their family in the little time they have when they get home.
So with little or no education, they remain stuck in a dead end job, never getting that promotion, and they are scared to leave their present job because they have all these bills, and they have no time for themselves, no time to go job hunting, no time to plan ahead.
They work hard every day for long hours, then they get sick because their body is over-stressed. Then that money for which they have been working so hard, they use to pay their medical bills, and some don’t get paid for days when they are sick. Some work “part time” (even they they work over 16 hours every day) for many years and never get “full time”, because as long as they are “part time”, the company does not give them benefits like health insurance, dental insurance, paid holidays or sick leave.
So they work long hours, have no day-offs, their pay goes directly to their bills, they are stuck in a dead end job. They have no control over their time. They don’t have control of their lives. They are a slave to their job, the bank and to the creditors. They are trapped in Modern Slavery.
Dear friends, don't get stuck in modern slavery and don’t get jealous of people when they start to move ahead in life. If things are not working out for you, learn some new skills. If you are 30 yrs old and older, you are from my generation where you learned that if you study hard and get a degree life is set for you. Unfortunately modern times and CoVid-19 have shown us this is not true. Many of us have to learn new skills to survive in these new times. Don’t give up on your degree just yet, how about you find creative ways to use your degree that your parents sold their house and land and the cow 🐄 and two goats 🐐 🐐 for you to get and apply your knowledge to the new unique situations that 2020 has thrown our way. Sometimes you have to swallow pride and be willing to try something new...
