are humans a commodity?

[SAV1OUR]

this was brought up during history class at school today and has been on my mind. so as per title says are humans a commodity? all we do is serve a job for a period of time then move on a well die. personally i think we are whats your opinion and please dont start a flame war thats the last thing i want

[coen113]

i agree, i dont think humans live for a greater good

[ShiverMePenguins]

humans are humans. you do not measure a tiger nor a giraffe as a commodity so it is improper to measure human kind as one as well. the end.

[TheNinjaNextDor]

Wouldn't we have to be the commodity of another human or species?

 

But yeah I do, life kind of sucks when you think about what fills up most of it.

[Createinator]

Yes Humans are a commodity. Expendable made for the use of the ambitious.

[Jogostar]

The concept of live is stupid anyway. You start working at 16-18 and end working at 65-70.

All is left are a few years with little money and energy.

[mr moose]

Yes we are.  we are a commodity because as a customer base we can be bought and sold (1st world slaves), in some countries we are just slaves.  A commodity is anything that has value that can be traded. We can be traded as a work force.  therefore it can be that your job is the commodity for your boss (without a human the job is not filled, thus not a commodity).   

[Volbet]

Seeing people as a commodity (in the perspective of history), is a very marxist way of looking at history.

My guess is that your teacher got his/her education in the 1970's or 80's, since marxist history theory was very popular at the universities in that era.

 

My personal opinion would be: Not necessarily. As humans, we, to a certain extend have the choice to not be a commodity to anyone. We can live outside of history if you will.

But if we have to lead a regular life, sure we have to become a commodity, but there is still have a say in how we are a commodity. So seeing humans purely as a commodity is wrong, in my opinion. 

[SAV1OUR]

Yes we are.  we are a commodity because as a customer base we can be bought and sold (1st world slaves), in some countries we are just slaves.  A commodity is anything that has value that can be traded. We can be traded as a work force.  therefore it can be that your job is the commodity for your boss (without a human the job is not filled, thus not a commodity).   

im not saying that human are bought but they are hired to serve a job for a period of time then be done and not needed

[AnotherTechGuy]

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[ShiverMePenguins]

From a business perspective, yes

In certain countries slavery still exists, so yes

It's all about where you stand in the world.

I would hazzard to say that it is less about where you exist in this world and more about your ethics and morality. Some people just downright refuse to use others in such a manner, and live to a high code of ethics.

[bbqsauce]

If you approach it from a basic economic standpoint : Humans = labour

Since ownership of humans is illegal, aka slavery. Labour is a flow variable, not an economic good / commodity. 

 

However, leisure is considered an economic good since it is scarce and desirable.

I feel humans are more of a resource than a commodity

[mr moose]

im not saying that human are bought but they are hired to serve a job for a period of time then be done and not needed

And for that period of time they are a commodity.

[ZetZet]

Since every human is it evens out 

 

but I do believe we live for greater good, we live so that our kind can live too, live better, longer, explore more, learn more about the world we live in. I don't believe we live to score points though.

[Almercenary]

As our basic form, no, i think humans are a vital part of the food chain, BUT. As power hungry, greedy, stupid and uselass to the environment as we are today, yes, we are a commodity and the world would live on easily with all of us dead.

[MuffinTopMike]

According to economics a commodity is defined as "a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper or coffee." So I believe humans aren't are a commodity as they aren't bought and sold (not legally at least). 

[Blade of Grass]

I don't believe that humans are a commodity, we don't seem to be on any exchanges for it

[Nineshadow]

Humans are made to look like a commodity,even though they shouldn't.

 

Momento mori is true though.

[Hikaru12]

Humans are just like all other animals. There really is no other job other than what's encoded in our genetic code billions of years ago. Very depressing and narrow way to look at things though. That type of thinking really makes human life seem easily expendable.

[Jaybird]

in a crazy way. yes. you are bought with a salary for the work you provide. 

[Yoinkerman]

Sure, just look at Walmart or how often certain industries get legislated back to work for wanting to better themselves. At that point they cease to be human in the eyes of employers, they're just costs to be ironed out any way possible.