But not if they have deodorant in them.

While what you’re saying is typically true, it’s not inherently built into the system. I work in a company owned by two friends. They own the company because they took out loans with their houses as security in order to finance the lease of an office space, buying work stations, and hiring themselves and me. I work on the same stuff as them, for the same hours, and make the same salary as them.

If the company goes to shit, they have craploads of debt, while I don’t. We have a contract ensuring that I get a fair share of whatever comes in, including options to buy myself into the company at the same rate as what they initially invested once I can afford it. Nobody here is making excess money of others work. I have no reason to believe I’m being scammed.

Again, what you’re saying is true in 99+ % of cases, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s nothing preventing a company from deciding that profits are split evenly among all employees (with the owners also acting as employees).

I agree with pretty much everything you’re saying here, I still want to comment on

Middle class does not exist

I do think it’s a reasonable term to separate those that actually make a decent salary, are self-employed, own their own company (at which they work) together with others, etc. from the more clearly exploited workers that have far too few rights and are not compensated fairly.

I have no problem with selling my labour for money as long as I’m fairly compensated for it. Historically, the working class has not been.

I use a buff to keep warm in winter, couldn’t imagine wearing one in summer!

a backwards hat to protect from the sun realistically offers dubious protection unless you are always walking directly away from the sun.

I typically flip it depending on sun direction. I’ve found the neck to be most critical though, I don’t seem to burn as easily on the sides/front.

I was out hiking a couple years ago when I suddenly realised that I had become the guy with shades and a backwards cap. It’s practical: I want to prevent a sunburn in my neck (the backwards cap) and also not have the sun in my eyes (shades). I spent some time coming to terms with it, but now that’s how I’m regularly equipped in harsh sun in the mountains. It’s simply the optimal solution to sun protection while hiking (I’ve tried wide-brimmed hats, but they get caught in the wind too easily in my experience).

Anyone who makes their living by working, either for salary or hourly rate, is working class. Let’s just be on the same page about that.

Aha! That’s where you got me! I was thinking “working class” in the more classical sense, referring to typical lower-paying jobs. I work for a living, but I’m definitely closer to what is typically considered “middle-class” in the sense that I make enough money that I feel well-off, but not enough that I could buy a new sofa just because moving the old one is too much hassle.

Obligatory “Fuck the wealth-class”. “Passive income through ownership” is a convoluted way of saying “parasitic”.

I don’t see what about this that makes it a “working-class” thing? I thought it was common practice to help each other out in exchange for pizzas and beer in any part of society where people have friends? I see it primarily as an excuse to hang out while doing something together.

Societies that run on neighbours, friends, acquaintances, and that guy over there helping each other out in exchange for sharing pizza and beer afterwards are wholesome societies.

One thing is the 58 000 that have to re-take the exam. I’m just as interested in the 2% of exam-takers that were terminated due to “unspecified conduct issues”, and how many of those were unfairly thrown out for cheating without having done anything wrong…

In October 2020, a paleontology conference’s virtual meeting platform blocked various words including “bone” (…)

There’s a lot of gems here