There is a lot to learn from the relationship between an employer of a
maid and how the rulers relate to the people. The relationship between
an employer and maid is a contractual one, for a fixed duration to
perform certain duties for a remuneration. In many unfortunate cases,
the atrocious employer turned that contractual agreement into a master
and slave relationship where the employer could abuse the maid to the
extent of physical harm and deprivation of human needs and dignity.
The employer maid relationship often starts tentatively with the
employer showing some respect and decency to the maid. There could even
be some semblance of kindness and compassion. Once familiarity sets in,
the relationship takes a new form and the employer takes on a new
personality. Even the children of the employer feel entitled to treat
the maid like slave instead of just a servant. The employer will take
the maid for granted and only thinks of his own interest.
The maid no longer just provides a service but more. The maid is
expected to do everything and not just a service, or like Shanmugam
wrote in his facebook, ‘it is sad some parents are not conscious of
their own role as transmitters of the value system….They are more
focused on their children achieving results rather than on the softer
skills.’ It is a case of once a master/servant relationship is
crystallized, the master forgets that the servant is also a human bean
with human needs, aspiration, desires and expectation. And the servant
needs not be servant for life.
The servant is now expected to be a piece of cog in the economic
machinery, to get the machine turning non stop, at the lowest pay
possible, and to work till they drop dead. The thought of a retirement
and golden year is non existent, not relevant and to be dismissed. And
the servant must not only work for life to service the master’s
extravagant needs, but must also produce children to continue to be
servants to the masters. It is the servant’s duty to produce babies to
prolong the luxurious existence of the master.
Does a master ever reflect on the correct relationship, to treat the
servant with more kindness and compassion, to know that there is a
contractual relation and obligation, and the relationship can be ended?
Does the master ever think of what the servant really wants, what are
the needs of the servant, that the servant wants a better life too, and
not to live and work for an existence without much meaning in life? But
of course the master will think that he has been thinking and thinking
for the good of the servant, by giving the servant meaning work to live
with dignity but without the time to enjoy the dignity.
Kopi Level - Red
But why the maid become a maid in the first place?
ReplyDeleteAnd after become a maid, why the maid let herself become a slave?
Why Sinkies let WP Teochew Ah Hia become the leader of the strongest Sinkie opposition party?
And after become leader, declared that WP is not ready to be govt? And some more even praised PAP as a competent govt?
Why, u tell me lah?
Because the maid is daft, don't know how to complain lah, that's why become slave.
ReplyDeleteBecause the Sinkie opposition is daft, don't know how to become govt, that's why PAP can win.
Hi RB...
ReplyDeleteI can't help but noticed IBs pouncing immediately the moment you post... I only praise them for the patience... That's probably was is left in them...
Haha, kindness and compassion, non confrontational, integration etc etc have to be both ways. It is not something that must be imposed on one party while the other party can indulge in all the vile and despicable activities.
ReplyDeleteRB
ReplyDeleteSurprise that kopi level is RED must be delivering
To the wrong counter. Should have permanent pointer or indicator
Weekends quite often falls to red. People tend to read but often forgot. Sometime 10 sec seems so long to spend.
ReplyDeleteIt is just like that: )
RB, try to make a similar relationship between a cancerous cell and other healthy cells in our body, and a cancerous leader and his fellow citizens.
ReplyDeleteWhen someone has a cancerous disease, even though "cured", some cancerous cells still remain in the body. These cancerous cells will inevitably influence the psyche, thinking, attitude and behavior of the person, therefore needless to say, his decisions also.
How does a cancerous cell behave?
First of all, it wants to grow and grow (eg grow the GDP at all costs).
Secondly, it sucks as much nutrients as possible from the body (eg increase mini$terz pay and bonuses and perks exponentially out of this world).
Thirdly, it deprives the other healthy cells of nutrition (depressed wages, higher CPF minimal sum and medisave ceilings, higher cost of living, higher COE, higher cost of housing, education and transportation, etc.)
The list goes on ....
Am I right? Is there a co-relationship? You tell me lah.
It is pointless having a contract unless you have the means to ENFORCE a contract when it is necessary.
ReplyDelete>> Does the master ever think of what the servant really wants
No required, unless it is in the contract.
In this world there are 2 types of people: one type is the person who can give others a job, and the other is a person who has no other means of "cash flow" other than selling his labour services to the guy who is giving out jobs.
The relationship is asymmetric. If you don't own capital, then your survival and existence will depend on the people who have capital which they direct to PRODUCTION of goods and services -- which is where your J.O.B. (Just Over Broke) comes from.
The person with the capital calls the shots. aka "The Golden Rule" : he who has the gold makes the rules.
All masters know this - no one wants to be the maid and everyone wants to be the master. In order to continue to enjoy the privilege of being a master, masters all over the world have to mean to the maids. This is human nature. Some masters are more evil (e.g. physical abuse) than others.
ReplyDelete