this post was submitted on 16 Apr 2026
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All workers deserve more than just the cost of their labor power

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[–] Aralakh@lemmy.ca 2 points 31 minutes ago* (last edited 29 minutes ago)

This meme is even better knowing that the Ron Swanson character is unapologetically libertarian.

edit: spelling is hard

[–] Soapbox@lemmy.zip 8 points 3 hours ago

Pay me enough to thrive, not just survive.

[–] canniest_tod@lemmy.world 10 points 4 hours ago

Chef's kiss emoji on this one. Absolute legend.

[–] Ildsaye@hexbear.net 20 points 14 hours ago (3 children)

Workers are, as a rule, not paid the cost of their labor power. The scam of capitalism is that workers are usually paid a small fraction of the value they generate for the company. Some of that value must necessarily go to material inputs, maintenance, and upgrades of the workplace, as well as contribution to necessary public services; some goes to the worker; but the bulk of it goes to owners and shareholders for no good reason.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 10 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

Labor-power is paid its value, which is the cost to reproduce a day of labor. The problem is that workers work beyond the number of hours needed to do so due to capitalist relations. In other words, a worker sells their labor power for 1 day to earn the ability to survive another day, but the capitalist gets out of it more commodities than the worker needed and thus comes the profit, this surplus value creation. Commodities are sold at their value, not above it, to still make a profit.

Huge simplification though, there exists super-exploitation of the global south via imperialism, there's also the reserve army of labor and intentional homelessness to force lower wages, and the struggle for higher wages by workers.

Might need to re-read Capital tho, I've been focusing on DiaMat and hismat and am a bit rusty economically.

[–] sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml 8 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (1 children)

Labor power is not the same as labor. The price of labor power is the minimum cost of reproducing labor. That's enough money to provide food, water, and shelter. The quality of your shelter is up for debate though. Effectively, the price of labor power is how much it cost for you to be able to come to work the next day. VPP covers the topic in detail

[–] Ildsaye@hexbear.net 7 points 5 hours ago

I appreciate the correction. That's my signal to do another push into the books.

[–] balderdash9@lemmy.zip 6 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago)

The exploitation is baked into the very foundations of capitalsm. Another scam is that the workers, who are the ones actually making all the useful commodities we need (e.g., food, clothing, housing, etc.)--as well as the infrastructure that keeps production operational (e.g., roads, bridges, electricity, etc.)--cannot access those commodities without an exchange of money. We create all the necessities of life, we create more than enough to provide for everyone's needs, but we cannot access those necessities outside of a fucking paywall.

Even worse, the capitalists that produce commodities in search of profits are independent; but the realization of the value embedded in those physical objects depends on an exchange at the market which is outside the capitalist's control. So the conjunction of the profit motive and the paywall (i.e., exchange-value standing in the way of the use-vale) leads to much overproduction and waste. Even when labor has gone into agriculture, for example, the capitalist would rather dump tons of fresh food than lose money. It's an idiotic system and yet people will defend it to the death.

[–] SapphironZA@sh.itjust.works 50 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (3 children)

Its also about more than just payment. Treat people like humans.

[–] BeardededSquidward@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Remember a discussion amongst the wealthy with one guest telling them some hard truths that they don't listen to. You have to provide your workers with positions that not only pay well to live but also decency and respect. Second is pay your damn taxes.

[–] SapphironZA@sh.itjust.works 4 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

We dont ask much of the wealthy.

Leave the world better than you found it. Dont be a dick.

You might as well be asking them at this point to end themselves then destroy their immortal souls if they believe in that.

[–] Tenderizer78@lemmy.ml 8 points 17 hours ago

First things first they need to just hire my autistic ass for something.

[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 3 points 17 hours ago

It’s all awkward psychological bullshit games. Always has been.

[–] HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml 23 points 16 hours ago

Y'all get paid enough to survive?

[–] CyroSignal@lemmy.world 9 points 15 hours ago

That's capitalism...

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 35 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Ron Swanson would hate this. But Nick Offerman would approve.

(If he’s not a bootlicker.)

[–] swab148@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

Nick Offerman only licks Megan Mulally's boots

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 14 points 20 hours ago

As well he should

[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 6 points 17 hours ago

I’m tired and at first this looked like a Riker meme.

[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 6 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Panel two should be “pay me minimum wage”

[–] knotRyder@lemmy.ca 1 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

What you said and what the panel does say is the same thing

[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 6 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

No, because I don’t think minimum wage is enough to survive in a lot of places.

[–] knotRyder@lemmy.ca 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Exactly my point it should be high enough so that people can live

[–] mrmisses@lemmy.world 3 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

No you're missing the point, minimum wage does neither

[–] knotRyder@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 hour ago

And minimum wage should be at living a life level, but there still needs to be a minimum and a maximum cuz we can't give all work the same reward