Have you noticed?

[Lilith7]

That's the way of it when its down to franchise owners, I think. it depends on them.

[Zurdo]

They make them sign shit Employment Contracts.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Some of them... It isn't all franchisees. And signing employment contracts is a choice remember.

[Zurdo]

Yeah - Next !

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Yeah - Next !

Everything is a choice. We like to pretend there isn't freedom, but there always is. It is simply that some choices are harder than others. Some appear impossible. But they are still choices.

[Lilith7]

Often known as Hobson's choice..

Which I looked up - how interesting.


https://www.theguardian.com/notesandquer...20at%20all.

SEMANTIC ENIGMAS

"What is the origin of the phrase "Hobson's choice"?
Ian Whitehouse, Surbiton UK
Allegedly, this arises from a "hostler" (one who rents horses) named "Hobson" who forbad renters from reserving a particular horse. Instead, renters take to accept the next horse available. Hence "Hobson's choice" means no choice at all.

Hobbson's choice: something or nothing: a choice between what is offered and nothing at all Mid-17th century. Named after the English liveryman Thomas Hobson (1554-1631), who would let his customers take only the horse nearest the door.
Lambert Heenan, New York City"

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Still a choice, because either or is at the heart of choice.

No one promised us a rose garden... 

[Zurdo]

Yes, employed or not, your choice...work for nothing with no holidays, no regular hours. Someone will accept those ridiculous choices and sign on the dotted line. And so the bottom line sinks lower....and lower. And we know whose fault it is...yes, the workers fault for accepting it, not those offering it.

[harm_less]

Yes, employed or not, your choice...work for nothing with no holidays, no regular hours. Someone will accept those ridiculous choices and sign on the dotted line. And so the bottom line sinks lower....and lower.  And we know whose fault it is...yes, the workers fault for accepting it, not those offering it.

Based on how poorly many people read listing details on websites, including Trade Me, the chances of them comprehending an employment contract or even accepting its legal ramification is questionable at best.

[Lilith7]

Yes, employed or not, your choice...work for nothing with no holidays, no regular hours. Someone will accept those ridiculous choices and sign on the dotted line. And so the bottom line sinks lower....and lower.  And we know whose fault it is...yes, the workers fault for accepting it, not those offering it.

I don't buy that - its the fault of those lacking a conscience, who are mean spirited enough to only offer slave wages, long hours & appalling working conditions, so that they can make vast profits. Every man for himself, & devil take the hindmost...

What the hell is it with we humans, that we somehow think 'other people' will survive very well in conditions which we ourselves would abhor.

We're fecking idiots.

[zqwerty]

I think you missed the sarcasm from Zurdo there, Lilith7.

The name of the game is greed, greed, greed, more, better, faster, cheaper.

Trying to live graciously is a thing of the past unless you have a fortune stashed away these days.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Oh .I dunno about that either. I live graciously, and for the most part contentedly, on the smell of an oily rag, and not just as a aged superannuitant either. 

But I have the benefit and privilege of an education - another thing many people choose not to seek out and acquire. More and more I am convinced the key to a half decent life is education.

The other thing we often miss is the need for every thinking person to take a role in civic progress, to vote responsibly, to support policies we believe in, to not be persuaded down strange alleyways by personality and promises that simply do not stack up. And not just to fall back on a diet of blaming someone else for everything that isn't right.

We are lucky to live in this progressive nation with its public health, peace and security, education, and rational politics. Sure it could be improved, but that is really up to us. It is also up to us to protect it, plenty of examples elsewhere as to how easily it can be lost.

[zqwerty]

From this link which I posted before in another part of the forum because it applies to what you said above, Oh_hunnihunni:

https://people.well.com/conf/inkwell.vue...ml#post115

"inkwell.vue.522 : State of the World 2023: Bruce Sterling and Jon Lebkowsky
permalink #115 of 155: Dave Waite (dwaite) Sat 7 Jan 23 13:35

   
Like Groucho, I remain hopeful. 
I will not accept melancholy despair, or irreputable
disillusionment.
There are people who want chaos and thrive on capitalizing on the
events that it brings. 
We can and will overcome those that bring chaos into our lives. It
is not order that is the opposite of chaos, but generosity,
happiness, and love for each other that defeats chaos.  I think we
are learning to strive again and to rise above the noise levels of
circular reasoning, rise above the anguish and fears, rise above the
bottom dwellers of hate and self-interest.
I am hopeful that the bell of justice will ring loud and clear to
help their neighbors rather than enriching themselves."

[Lilith7]

I think you missed the sarcasm from Zurdo there, Lilith7.

The name of the game is greed, greed, greed, more, better, faster, cheaper.

Trying to live graciously is a thing of the past unless you have a fortune stashed away these days.

No, I read the sarcasm, just replied to it.  Neo Liberalism has much to answer for, not least those particular views, that 'the poor are lazy' or somehow 'less worthy' than themselves.
It is A grade bullshit, nothing less.

While there will always be a few feckless people most of us want a reasonable standard of life for ourselves & everyone else.

While it still rankles that Roger Douglas was given a knighthood - on the other hand, perhaps we all owe him & his fellow greed-crazed followers a great debt for the extremely vivid lesson on what happens when greed is allowed free rein.

---

Oh .I dunno about that either. I live graciously, and for the most part contentedly, on the smell of an oily rag, and not just as a aged superannuitant either. 

But I have the benefit and privilege of an education - another thing many people choose not to seek out and acquire. More and more I am convinced the key to a half decent life is education.

The other thing we often miss is the need for every thinking person to take a role in civic progress, to vote responsibly, to support policies we believe in, to not be persuaded down strange alleyways by personality and promises that simply do not stack up. And not just to fall back on a diet of blaming someone else for everything that isn't right.

We are lucky to live in this progressive nation with its public health, peace and security, education, and rational politics. Sure it could be improved, but that is really up to us. It is also up to us to protect it, plenty of examples elsewhere as to how easily it can be lost.

Definitely agree - imagine, if every person around the world had access to free education throughout their entire lives, what a difference that might make. It could help to stave off dementia, for starters & for those on their own, widen their circle of both friends & ideas.

 It might even, eventually mean an end to poverty, an explosion of the arts & that most feared of all things, ( at least by arms manufacturers) an end to wars.