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How can we separate politics from work when making products for people? Being ideological neutral is still a political stance, because it's an implicit backin

How can we separate politics from work when making products for people? Being ideological neutral is still a political stance, because it's an implicit backing of the status quo.

Nasrudith 6y ago
That "with us or against us" status quo stance is sophistry not logic. At very best it may be strategy. One example that is should be especially obvious in the era of a pandemic that some tasks are effectively neutral because everybody needs it to not die. Food production, limiting the spread of disease and treating it, etc. Even those "against the status quo" don't usually support everyone dying of starvation. Putting aside that said binary is useless as a descriptor. Where Q = the status quo !Q includes all of "pay workers more","steal the businesses and give a share of the profits to the workers instead of a paycheck" ,"enslave the workers" , and "kill literally everyone" as against the status quo. I guarantee that those related !Q are not one big happy family.
- GaryNumanVevo 6y ago
  Nowhere did I mention "with us or against us". The status quo is a multi-dimensional set of normative values. Being "apolitical" is still a political stance, you're signaling that the current set of norms is acceptable.
  - machinehermit 6y ago
    What am I signaling if I say I don't believe in Santa Claus?
- throwgeorge 6y ago
  >limiting the spread of disease and treating it ...are you completely unaware how politicized treatment of covid has become in the united states? if your response is "well it shouldn't be" then you've simply dodged addressing "all work is political".
- whytaka 6y ago
  But food production during the pandemic was and is a matter of political discussion. Canada and Mexico recently came to an agreement to accept Mexican labourers due to the shortage. This means migrants and this scares some people. The demand for meat (though nutritionally unnecessary) and the potential anger from citizens denied the option to buy meat rendered meat plant workers essential workers and thus put at risk for covid. Food production and delivery is a matter of political deliberation also because we have to ask, "Who works?" It would've been neutral if everyone got time off work, got stimulus checks, and a rotation of ALL people of working age worked at the grocery store to shelve and man the cashiers. But that's not what happened. The political nature of work isn't only on the material nature of the task but on the people involved.

How can we separate politics from work when making products for people? Being ideological neutral is still a political stance, because it's an implicit backing of the status quo.

Nasrudith 6y ago

That "with us or against us" status quo stance is sophistry not logic. At very best it may be strategy. One example that is should be especially obvious in the era of a pandemic that some tasks are effectively neutral because everybody needs it to not die. Food production, limiting the spread of disease and treating it, etc. Even those "against the status quo" don't usually support everyone dying of starvation. Putting aside that said binary is useless as a descriptor. Where Q = the status quo !Q includes all of "pay workers more","steal the businesses and give a share of the profits to the workers instead of a paycheck" ,"enslave the workers" , and "kill literally everyone" as against the status quo. I guarantee that those related !Q are not one big happy family.

GaryNumanVevo 6y ago
Nowhere did I mention "with us or against us". The status quo is a multi-dimensional set of normative values. Being "apolitical" is still a political stance, you're signaling that the current set of norms is acceptable.
- machinehermit 6y ago
  What am I signaling if I say I don't believe in Santa Claus?
throwgeorge 6y ago
>limiting the spread of disease and treating it ...are you completely unaware how politicized treatment of covid has become in the united states? if your response is "well it shouldn't be" then you've simply dodged addressing "all work is political".
whytaka 6y ago
But food production during the pandemic was and is a matter of political discussion. Canada and Mexico recently came to an agreement to accept Mexican labourers due to the shortage. This means migrants and this scares some people. The demand for meat (though nutritionally unnecessary) and the potential anger from citizens denied the option to buy meat rendered meat plant workers essential workers and thus put at risk for covid. Food production and delivery is a matter of political deliberation also because we have to ask, "Who works?" It would've been neutral if everyone got time off work, got stimulus checks, and a rotation of ALL people of working age worked at the grocery store to shelve and man the cashiers. But that's not what happened. The political nature of work isn't only on the material nature of the task but on the people involved.