I've noticed for a while now that in one of the local Rite Aid's I go to on occasion, the worker at the checkstand nearest the entrance always says "Welcome to Rite Aid" no matter how busy they are or what they're doing. This morning I was in there early to check my vitals on their blood pressure machine. But I told them that they do not have to say. "Welcome to Rite Aid" to me unless they really wanted to. I promised that I will put this in writing if they want so they don't get in trouble. It was half jokingly as the boss will still make them say it because it's about control not being pleasant.
It is natural to greet each other in such a friendly way under normal conditions. I mean, I'm sure Afghani's or Iraqi's don't greet occupying troops that way when they see them but that's a different objective situation they are in, "Welcome to my country" would not be an appropriate greeting there I don't think.
The workers' were very cautious as they always are, after all, who might I be? This shows how oppressive the workplace is that we are forced to say what would come naturally to us under different circumstances. One of the workers who knows me was not so cautious and I talked with her about how this environment makes us sick, it is hostile to human beings, it is wage slavery of that there is no doubt. How can it not be when we are forced to do this. Forced under threat of punishment to be nice by those who destroy people's livelihoods, deprives them of their benefits and rights, and exploits those same workers day in day out.
It's one of those little details that puts to rest the silly idea that we are free souls, that the capitalist system of production is an egalitarian one free from class oppression.
The first step on the road to liberation is to recognize in one's own mind that we are not free. The second is to make a conscious decision to do something about it.
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