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[-] unfreeradical@lemmy.world 24 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Different kinds of labor take different skills, not more or less, better or worse.

[-] Saledovil@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 year ago

Some skills do take more time to learn. And sometimes, the job is safety relevant, meaning that it could cause harm to property and/or life if done poorly. If I was told that the guy who flips burgers at McDonalds had 1 month of training, I'd not be concerned. But if I was told that the surgeon about to operate on me had one month of training, I'd be freaking out.

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[-] canni@lemmy.one 8 points 1 year ago

Except some skills are much harder to learn and some skills are much more valuable to society than others. I would argue the hard to learn, more valuable to society ones are "better". I don't think the people performing them are better or worse, but it's fair to elevate and celebrate certain jobs over others.

[-] unfreeradical@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Some skills are associated with greater barrier to acquisition, or are considered as higher in social value, but both attributes are inherently nebulous and overall unquantifiable.

Characterizing certain skills as better, though, based on such comparisons, even if, for the sake or argument, the validity of such comparisons were conceded, is simply a subjective appeal without any meaning deeper than personal preference or bald assertion.

Within the current system of labor organization, by which labor is commodified within the relations between worker and business, labor is valorized not by value to society, with every member of society participating equally in resolving a value for each kind of labor, but rather by the value of workers' labor toward business interests captured beneath the profit motive, that is, value expressly to the owners of business.

[-] canni@lemmy.one 7 points 1 year ago

My man, this is not an argument for or against capitalism.

If two skills are of relatively close societal value, and one is harder to do, learn and master, that craft deserves more respect.

This is not a reflection of any individual.

[-] unfreeradical@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Society is not uniform or monolithic. Society has structure, including various relations based on interests that may be shared or antagonist.

Social value is not intrinsic to skill, nor to any other target of valorization, but rather determined from processes of valorization bound to the surrounding social systems.

It is unequivocal that our society valorizes labor not for benefit shared generally across the public, but specifically for its value to private business.

It is also questionable that a skill itself may carry a demand for respect that is separable from respect as understood by having a personal target.

[-] slackassassin@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 year ago

You sound like a drunk person at a party arguing with the wall.

[-] unfreeradical@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Between us, I am the only attempting to provide a meaningful contribution.

If you have one of your own, please offer it. Otherwise, stop making noise.

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[-] SuperSaiyanSwag@lemmy.zip 8 points 1 year ago

Idk what takes more skills, but I sure as hell know that you won’t catch me dealing with fast food customers ever no matter how much you pay me

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[-] xxcarpaii@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

While I see your point that all labor has value, skills can be significantly more or less involved to learn and master. There are labor jobs that require certification or ongoing licensure to perform and those that do not. There are roles that involve the health and safety of others and those that do not.

I think the skills involved between fast food and warehouse packing are probably pretty comparable overall, but a blanket statement of "all labor is equal" really doesn't hold true.

[-] unfreeradical@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It was not implied that all labor is equal.

Much to the contrary, every kind of labor is qualitatively different from another, and bound to skill that is qualitatively different from other skill.

Several other contributors to the discussion have conflated various measures related to investment for acquiring a particular skill, with the skill itself.

Skill is not a quantity, nor may it be quantified, nor emerges a natural ranking for skill of various kinds.

this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2023
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