this post was submitted on 21 Nov 2023
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A Boring Dystopia

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[–] confusedbytheBasics@lemmy.world 158 points 11 months ago (10 children)

Of course crime is a social construct. No examples are necessary. What else could it be?

[–] dustyData@lemmy.world 70 points 11 months ago (6 children)

People tend to forget that social constructs are very very real things that can have major material impacts on our lives. Those who don't understand this use “it's just a social construct” to dismiss the importance of certain concepts or abstract ideas. But most of human's reality is made out of social constructs.

[–] SkyeStarfall@lemmy.blahaj.zone 26 points 11 months ago (7 children)

For another very clear example, money is a social construct. But people live and die by the hands of it.

[–] deweydecibel@lemmy.world 8 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

These constructs are often based on something concrete at their core as well.

Money, or currency in general, is a social construct that was built on top of the basic idea of trade or exchange. Reciprocity is a very basic behavior found in all kinds of animals, especially us primates.

Likewise, social constructs like "crime" tend to be tied to ethics, another social construct, but that too can be tied back to some basic ideas like harm, which, again, is something animals often form their social norms around.

So, yes, social "constructs", but that doesn't in anyway mean society constructs them out of thin air.

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[–] confusedbytheBasics@lemmy.world 10 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Yep! Like gender. It may be a social construct but obviously that social construct is very important.

The only reason I can think of to remind people that something is a social construct is to help them remember change is possible and entirely within our control as a society.

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[–] gmtom@lemmy.world 10 points 11 months ago (2 children)

If crime is a social construct struct then how come we have laws of nature and laws of physics. What do you think happens when you break a law?

[–] Sotuanduso@lemm.ee 36 points 11 months ago

The gravity police are always bringing me down.

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[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 10 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Ask Chimpanzees, Orcas, Elephants, or many other advanced natural societies that have evolved over the last few million years. They absolutely have a definition of crimes that they will punish if their members engage in those behaviors. Shunning would be the least brutal of their punishments. Capital punishment is far more prevalent.

[–] TimewornTraveler@lemm.ee 14 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (4 children)

Those animal crimes are still socially constructed among those various species! Social construct means some thing or dynamic or situation that is created through interaction between numerous actors rather than something extant in the physical world.

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[–] deikoepfiges_dreirad@lemmy.zip 36 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Of course it's a social construct, just like everything else that matters is. If you don't want your live to be determined by social constructs, you would have to live alone in the woods.

[–] Ookami38@sh.itjust.works 24 points 11 months ago (5 children)

I think the broader point is that, if crime is a social construct, it's not natural and unchanging, we can redefine what crime is.

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[–] AFaithfulNihilist@lemmy.world 10 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Things that are social constructs can be modified with the social contract and should be modified to suit the will of the governed.

Social constructs that operate without the approval of the membership seem to be bad constructs that should probably not be built that way.

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[–] deweydecibel@lemmy.world 29 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Counterpoint:

Failure to pay someone money they are owed resulting in jail time only sounds good when you imagine employers being carted off for not paying employees what they're owed.

It's not so fun when you consider a mother of 2 carted off for missing a car payment.

[–] ignotum@lemmy.world 19 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Good point, let's not bring jail into the equation and just do it how it's done today:

If a mother of 2 misses her car payment, they take her car

So if your boss misses their payment for your labour, you should take back your labour, destroy whatever you've made but not been paid for

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[–] bort@feddit.de 13 points 11 months ago (1 children)

my last boss still owes me >6000€ in wages. I have been struggling for half a year now to get him to pay.

meanwhile: When I order something from amazon, and the bank-transfer bounces, I am in for new kind of hell of late-fees and incasso-mail.

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[–] WhyDoesntThisThingWork@lemmy.world 21 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Crime is a social construct = wage theft is a social construct, and according to the law of internet arguments something being a social construct means it doesn't matter and/or it's dumb to complain about it, so don't worry, it's all fine.

[–] Ookami38@sh.itjust.works 10 points 11 months ago

I think the broader point is that, if crime is a social construct, it's not natural and unchanging, we can redefine what crime is.

[–] fne8w2ah@lemmy.world 16 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Wage fucking theft, everyone.

[–] Patches@sh.itjust.works 10 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

The largest theft by the numbers in the United States. Also the least prosecuted crime by the numbers.

[–] count_dongulus@lemmy.world 13 points 11 months ago

The quote is still in the wrong mindset with bad use of language.

It's not withholding. It's stealing. It's thievery.

[–] Something_Complex@lemmy.world 12 points 11 months ago

The place burns down misteriously in both cenarios?

[–] recapitated@lemmy.world 11 points 11 months ago

Setting aside morals and ethics for a moment, intent (and malice) is a key component of crimes. Unfortunately it's easier to show in some cases than others. It's also worth noting that the at-will contract goes both ways in this case. Unfortunately there is an insurmountable power imbalance in this situation.

I was about to say I'm glad I was never in this situation, but I just remembered a time where I switched from an employee to a contractor and stopped getting paid.

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