Dehumanization of workers from "summary" of Hard Times by Charles Dickens
In Coketown, the workers are treated as mere machines, devoid of any human emotions or needs. They are expected to work tirelessly, without respite or care for their well-being. The factory owners see them as a means to an end, a way to increase their profits without any regard for the workers themselves. The workers are reduced to mere numbers on a ledger, easily replaceable if they become sick or injured. The dehumanization of workers is further exemplified by the harsh working conditions they must endure. They are forced to work long hours in dangerous environments, with little regard for their safety. Any attempts to unionize or demand better treatment are met with swift reprisals, further reinforcing the idea that they are nothing more than cogs in the machine. The workers themselves internalize this dehumanization, coming to see themselves as nothing more than their labor. They have lost touch with their own humanity, becoming numb to the suffering and exploitation they face on a daily basis. They have been conditioned to believe that their worth is tied solely to their productivity, and any deviation from this is met with scorn and punishment. In this bleak and soulless world, there is little room for compassion or empathy. The dehumanization of workers has created a society where greed and profit reign supreme, at the expense of the workers who toil endlessly to line the pockets of the factory owners. It is a stark reminder of the dangers of treating people as mere commodities, rather than as fellow human beings deserving of dignity and respect.
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