4 ms·

The data probably doesnt exist because no one was studying people under indentured servitude. The best you get is the slave owners or holder of the servitude co

The data probably doesnt exist because no one was studying people under indentured servitude. The best you get is the slave owners or holder of the servitude contract going "its great, they love it! Look at my paternalism! Hey slave! Get back to work before I tear skin off bone with a lash!"

Amezarak 4y ago
Indentured servants were largely literate. [NB: Even under slavery, American slaveowners frequently completely disregarded late-stage laws passed against slave literacy in a bout of political hysteria because not only were slaves commonly traditionally taught to read and write, slaves were much more useful if they could read and write. So you can find firsthand accounts from slaves throughout American history as well.] You can read what they thought for yourself. I have been long thinking about how to address comments in this general style. You can see how they happen - we all agree indentured servitude and certainly slavery are fundamental moral wrongs, so grand historical narratives get crafted where each individual as part of the collective suffers all the worst wrongs of the institutional system, rather than accurately representing the average life. "Read more primary sources" is obviously not a feasible solution for a general audience. But briefly, I would say that people can suffer, be unhappy, and feel and be terribly wronged without anxiety and depression, which become more common when basic social needs aren't met. It isn't surprising that anxiety and depression are on the rise when fewer and fewer people live consistently in the same household with the same people embedded in the same community with strong real-world social networks. People can thrive in crushing poverty of the likes the average American has never imagined when those conditions are met. If you aren't satisfied by that, take this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_r... and compare it with: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nomi... In terms of material comforts and opportunities, it seems doubtful that the average American is worse off than the average Congolese, but the American is more likely to kill himself. Some of these countries with lower suicide rates have de facto slavery. And again...a fifth of Americans are also on psychiatric medications that a lot of people can't afford and we're still killing ourselves at this rate.
- boppo1 4y ago
  >a fifth of Americans are also on psychiatric medications that a lot of people can't afford and we're still killing ourselves at this rate. I wonder if anyone has done any sort of study/sample to see if people who take psychiatric meds are more or less likely to voluntarily check out.

Amezarak 4y ago

Indentured servants were largely literate. [NB: Even under slavery, American slaveowners frequently completely disregarded late-stage laws passed against slave literacy in a bout of political hysteria because not only were slaves commonly traditionally taught to read and write, slaves were much more useful if they could read and write. So you can find firsthand accounts from slaves throughout American history as well.] You can read what they thought for yourself. I have been long thinking about how to address comments in this general style. You can see how they happen - we all agree indentured servitude and certainly slavery are fundamental moral wrongs, so grand historical narratives get crafted where each individual as part of the collective suffers all the worst wrongs of the institutional system, rather than accurately representing the average life. "Read more primary sources" is obviously not a feasible solution for a general audience. But briefly, I would say that people can suffer, be unhappy, and feel and be terribly wronged without anxiety and depression, which become more common when basic social needs aren't met. It isn't surprising that anxiety and depression are on the rise when fewer and fewer people live consistently in the same household with the same people embedded in the same community with strong real-world social networks. People can thrive in crushing poverty of the likes the average American has never imagined when those conditions are met. If you aren't satisfied by that, take this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_r... and compare it with: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nomi... In terms of material comforts and opportunities, it seems doubtful that the average American is worse off than the average Congolese, but the American is more likely to kill himself. Some of these countries with lower suicide rates have de facto slavery. And again...a fifth of Americans are also on psychiatric medications that a lot of people can't afford and we're still killing ourselves at this rate.

boppo1 4y ago
>a fifth of Americans are also on psychiatric medications that a lot of people can't afford and we're still killing ourselves at this rate. I wonder if anyone has done any sort of study/sample to see if people who take psychiatric meds are more or less likely to voluntarily check out.