Uploaded March 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This video is an attempt to showcase the problem with the classic argument "Capitalism is fine because it is voluntary" by locking one of the characters in a dungeon as a metaphor for the ways capitalism threatens people with poverty and hunger in order to force them into wage labor.
Subreddit: reddit.com/r/viki1999
Patreon: patreon.com/viki1999
Twitter: twitter.com/Viki1999Yt
Transcript:
…and that’s why no matter how well intended your employer is you will always be exploited by them because of the way capitalism is structured, the labor theory of value basically proves this beyond doubt. You can never get paid the true value of your labor because the employer always takes you surplus value. And this is why employer/employee relationships are always unjust!
Yea you say that but what you neglect to mention is the fact that the employee has consented to this relationship. If both employer and employee agree to it then it has to be, If not just, at least voluntary and if people want to work this way there is no reason to prohibit it! You can’t prevent other people from making consensual choices!
Yes we can, sometimes we have to prohibit some things to protect people form themselves, like for example you cannot consent to selling yourself as a slave and some people are too young or uninformed to consent, for example children cannot consent to having sex because they are not ready to make that decision.
Well actually I think that the age or consent shouldn’t be quite as restrictive as it is right now after all why should the government have the right to restrict what two consenting people are doing?
No, stop it.
Why?
Because the ancap pedophile joke is not funny anymore and actually kinda tasteless.
Alright. Anyway, I think capitalism is just fine because in the end someone who doesn’t want to doesn’t have to be an employee.
Well, if you think that I don’t think I can change your mind. See ya.
*scene transition*
*ancap wakes up in a dungeon*
W…wait what?? WHERE AM I?
Oh, hey you woke up, nice to see you ancap. You are my guest now, you live here.
What is this? Is this some sick joke? You can’t trap me here, it violates the NAP and you can’t keep me here against my will!
Oh I am sorry ancap but there is nothing I can do about that, yes it’s true, I have the key to the door and I could let you out but I am afraid that would mess with the natural order of things, you know, humans are actually surprisingly similar to lobsters and a strong lobster would never give a key to a weak lobster. And Right now I am the super lobster. To let you out would violate natural hierarchy.
You can’t do this! I demand to be let out of this place! Just wait until my private security cooperation hears about this!
Hmm let’s see, I can’t just let you out, that wouldn’t be fair to those who are still trapped in dungeons, but we can make a deal! You work for me and in exchange I will provide you with food and water. Of course, I keep most of the value you produce but eventually if you have saved up enough you will be free of this place! No pressure of course, it’s completely voluntary and you can choose not do it as well. It’s just an offer.
What is this supposed to be? Is this supposed to be a bad metaphor or something?
That’s a bingo! You see the dungeon represents different problems unemployed people have to deal with like a loss of most luxuries of modern life as well as trouble fulfilling their basic needs like eating and drinking. Now you, much like an unemployed person, have to work for someone who is in a position of power over you. And while I am not technically forcing you to work for me, the situation you are in means you have no other option than to engage in the unjust contract I am proposing. That’s the same way that the free market forces workers to work on pain of poverty and even starvation.
W…what? No. This simile is all wrong! I have no choice here, I have to work for you or else die in this dungeon, the free market isn’t like that. You get to choose your employer, there are many ways out of poverty!
Oh, fair point, let me change this up a little. Look, now you have choice, not only can you work for me but also for my trusty friend here who will offer you very similar but technically different contract. Now you have a choice.
But that doesn’t make sense. I still have no meaningful choice and no matter who I choose I am still in an unjust power structure and have no way not to change this system built on exploiting the ones who are trapped in hopeless situations.
Hey, I think you might start to get it!
NO! This simile is still wrong! In capitalism you have more choices than working for different employers! You can choose to start your own business and be your own boss!
Well if you want to do that I will sell you this old spoon for only half a year of labor!
This video is an attempt to showcase the problem with the classic argument "Capitalism is fine because it is voluntary" by locking one of the characters in a dungeon as a metaphor for the ways capitalism threatens people with poverty and hunger in order to force them into wage labor.
Subreddit: reddit.com/r/viki1999
Patreon: patreon.com/viki1999
Twitter: twitter.com/Viki1999Yt
Transcript:
…and that’s why no matter how well intended your employer is you will always be exploited by them because of the way capitalism is structured, the labor theory of value basically proves this beyond doubt. You can never get paid the true value of your labor because the employer always takes you surplus value. And this is why employer/employee relationships are always unjust!
Yea you say that but what you neglect to mention is the fact that the employee has consented to this relationship. If both employer and employee agree to it then it has to be, If not just, at least voluntary and if people want to work this way there is no reason to prohibit it! You can’t prevent other people from making consensual choices!
Yes we can, sometimes we have to prohibit some things to protect people form themselves, like for example you cannot consent to selling yourself as a slave and some people are too young or uninformed to consent, for example children cannot consent to having sex because they are not ready to make that decision.
Well actually I think that the age or consent shouldn’t be quite as restrictive as it is right now after all why should the government have the right to restrict what two consenting people are doing?
No, stop it.
Why?
Because the ancap pedophile joke is not funny anymore and actually kinda tasteless.
Alright. Anyway, I think capitalism is just fine because in the end someone who doesn’t want to doesn’t have to be an employee.
Well, if you think that I don’t think I can change your mind. See ya.
*scene transition*
*ancap wakes up in a dungeon*
W…wait what?? WHERE AM I?
Oh, hey you woke up, nice to see you ancap. You are my guest now, you live here.
What is this? Is this some sick joke? You can’t trap me here, it violates the NAP and you can’t keep me here against my will!
Oh I am sorry ancap but there is nothing I can do about that, yes it’s true, I have the key to the door and I could let you out but I am afraid that would mess with the natural order of things, you know, humans are actually surprisingly similar to lobsters and a strong lobster would never give a key to a weak lobster. And Right now I am the super lobster. To let you out would violate natural hierarchy.
You can’t do this! I demand to be let out of this place! Just wait until my private security cooperation hears about this!
Hmm let’s see, I can’t just let you out, that wouldn’t be fair to those who are still trapped in dungeons, but we can make a deal! You work for me and in exchange I will provide you with food and water. Of course, I keep most of the value you produce but eventually if you have saved up enough you will be free of this place! No pressure of course, it’s completely voluntary and you can choose not do it as well. It’s just an offer.
What is this supposed to be? Is this supposed to be a bad metaphor or something?
That’s a bingo! You see the dungeon represents different problems unemployed people have to deal with like a loss of most luxuries of modern life as well as trouble fulfilling their basic needs like eating and drinking. Now you, much like an unemployed person, have to work for someone who is in a position of power over you. And while I am not technically forcing you to work for me, the situation you are in means you have no other option than to engage in the unjust contract I am proposing. That’s the same way that the free market forces workers to work on pain of poverty and even starvation.
W…what? No. This simile is all wrong! I have no choice here, I have to work for you or else die in this dungeon, the free market isn’t like that. You get to choose your employer, there are many ways out of poverty!
Oh, fair point, let me change this up a little. Look, now you have choice, not only can you work for me but also for my trusty friend here who will offer you very similar but technically different contract. Now you have a choice.
But that doesn’t make sense. I still have no meaningful choice and no matter who I choose I am still in an unjust power structure and have no way not to change this system built on exploiting the ones who are trapped in hopeless situations.
Hey, I think you might start to get it!
NO! This simile is still wrong! In capitalism you have more choices than working for different employers! You can choose to start your own business and be your own boss!
Well if you want to do that I will sell you this old spoon for only half a year of labor!
