87: Slavery

Contraband and chattel are not property by any right, so we maintain them only by secrecy, violence, and social approval. Deceit masquerades as duty, as respect of property, as employment in which provision of daily necessities depend on compromises that any enlightened person would emphatically reject if unafraid of the consequences. No one is free, except to suffer the consequences, although anyone can deny this. Slaves to our bodies, slaves to our beliefs, hopes, fears, slaves to greed, pride, vanity, stubbornness, slaves to ignorance, apathy, slaves to ambivalence— those who permit it, those who inflict it, and those who suffer it are all slaves. We deny it. We don’t understand it. We don’t have a choice. We don’t know how. We don’t have the talent. We don’t make the rules. We’re only following orders. We have wives and kids to support. We’re too tired after work. If we don’t, someone else will.

Sticker and stamp