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Jackson Dozier

Tom Marshall

English 1A Wed. 11:15-2:15

February 27, 2013

The Same Slaves:

A Cycle of Inherited Power and Poverty

The word ‘utopia’, originating in Greece, is a combination of the syllables ou- and

topos, meaning ‘no’ and ‘place’ respectively, and with the phonic eu- at the front of word,

meaning ‘good’, it shows us that the nonexistence of utopia is even embedded in the

origin of the word itself. As Mosley reviews his work he says, “Reading back over these

words, I see that I’ve crossed over from idealism to utopian thought.” This clearly dem-

onstrated to me that even he realizes how unrealistic some of the actions he advises us

to take in his book are. Mosley’s book, Workin’ on the Chain Gang, offers a reproachful,

although in my opinion, accurate view of American society, as well as an optimistic dia-

logue on how we can change certain aspects of both ourselves, and the world around

us. I say optimistic because Mosley presents us with propositions to take action against

our corporate slaveowners and “shake off the dead hand of history”, yet at the same

time tells us that the injustice we know is inherited from those same bonds. The hand of

history is never dead, the events of the past will always govern our systems, our culture,

and our perception of the two.

Mosley tells us we are “slaves” to executive “slave owners” and that we must cast off

their shackles to correct our society. However, this is no easier to do now than it was
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200 years ago on the plantation, or for that matter, 2,000 years ago on a farm in the

Roman Empire. The entire course of human history has been the same story of the few

powerful elite ruling over the impoverished masses, even today in our democratic soci-

ety, a person with a million dollars has more of a voice than a person with a thousand,

and I wouldn’t expect it to change now. Even aside government bodies and manufactory

laborers, I believe we can clearly observe, that the ‘haves’ versus the ‘have-nots’ is a

deeply ingrained part of our human nature.

The book tells us how our history and the political/cultural climate of the past affects

our perspectives presently. Yesterday’s contempt breeds today’s prejudice. The previ-

ous match’s winners keep winning and vice versa. We’re all just looking for some sort of

advantage over our neighbors, we celebrate events of which we’re the benefactors, and

commune with likewise individuals to condemn those who believe something different

than us. I think mankind has always been this way, we’re a very selfish people, and our

constantly, recycling rat race has brewed us an environment in which we compete for a

few thousand dollars a year difference while we pull the yoke for ‘boss man’ with his six

(or even seven) figure salary. But this isn’t anything new, it’s the same history which

handed us the situation, and the singular reason it hasn’t changed already, is because

there is no full recourse outside complete revolution. Even then, things always seem to

have a way of finding their way back to the same tyrannical scenarios.

All the while there’s a hand on our puppet strings, brandishing our “spectacle and

illusion” in our faces to keep us pacified. Mosley tells us to take action to change our

system, tells us to go out and vote, but is even our democracy anything more than spec-

tacle and illusion? A candidate each from the two same parties, both are always moder-
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ates, they support one of two agendas for national policy, and the one with the most

corporate money in his pool wins. The only thing we decide is whether to switch back to

the other party after four years, or eight. I just don’t understand how Mosley can offer

mostly the same view and still be confident about making a change.

The hand of history will always be grasping us in some way. Whether it’s the veins of

prejudice that run through our society from past racial injustice, or simply a few decades

old piece of legislature that affects our taxes or funding. Changing the flaws inherent in

our society is a feat too great for an individual to accomplish; however, that doesn’t

mean one shouldn’t act to stray away from the sometimes neoliberalist views that

surround our politics. Overall, Mosley’s book gave me a stark reminder of the callous-

ness of the world we live in today, and although I don’t share his optimism in regards to

changing our systemic problems, I do in changing how we should see each other and

ourselves.