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Could child labor ever be acceptable if it's done consentually? (monyet.cc)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by DragonWasabi@monyet.cc to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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While child labor is viewed negatively, apparently child labor and child slavery aren't the same thing, and child labor though it could still be exploitative/cruel in other ways, can be done voluntarily by the child, and with fair treatment/compensation/etc.

I suppose you could make the argument that any child labor opens itself up to problems, but could it be done responsibly? And if not, then at what age do we draw the line of labor being not ok regardless of consent?

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[–] spitz@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What do you have in mind?

[+] DragonWasabi@monyet.cc -8 points 1 year ago (7 children)

I was wondering if the cobalt mined for smartphones could be done ethically, even if they still needed to use children for it. What if the children clearly consent to working and are treated well in good conditions and paid fairly?

[–] federalreverse@feddit.de 13 points 1 year ago

What..? No. Definitely not.

Having children perform manual labor in a mine is not going to be ethical at any point.

[–] spitz@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 year ago

Well, that doesn't work for sexual consent, and I guess it would be similar regarding this issue. Informed consent requires the person to be of such an age that their consent is valid. I'm no expert, that was just my initial thought.

[–] BrokebackHampton@kbin.social 9 points 1 year ago

Literally advocating for XIX century-style Dickensian child labor.
Yeah Imma go with troll as well

[–] Hexagons@hexbear.net 7 points 1 year ago

I try to stay civil outside hexbear, but this post is testing my resolve on that. Are you really so treat-brained that you're ok with forcing children to mine cobalt so you can have a smartphone?

You should take some time and think about whether that's really the kind of person you want to be

[–] pjhenry1216@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

Ok, this has to be trolling now. This is the career you want them in a headstart in? A dangerous job? All mining has health implications.

[–] aebletrae@hexbear.net 4 points 1 year ago

You wrote this ten minutes after being reminded that "consent" by children is nonsense, in what is still the most approved comment.

If you want to be a successful troll, you are going to have to learn to be less obvious. If you want to discuss topics in good faith, you are going to have to learn that this "just asking questions" approach makes you look like a troll.

[–] NegativeLookBehind@kbin.social 2 points 1 year ago

Great point OP. Really makes you wonder why we don’t have more kindergartners working the oil rigs, or fighting as mercenaries in the Middle East.