Career Is Slavery

CAREER IS JUST A POLITE WORD FOR SLAVERY

In this three-part essay, I strip away the glossy lies around “career” to reveal how it quietly turns into modern slavery — binding you with debt, false dreams of growth, and a lifetime of obedience disguised as ambition. Through real Indian examples and hard truths, I show how careers trap you in cycles of dependence, strip away your time, health, and identity, and reward you just enough to keep you chained. It is not just about jobs or bosses — it’s about the whole system that sells you control as freedom. I have also enlisted traps and escape plans for 50 careers. If you have ever felt that your work owns you more than you own your life, this is the wake-up call you can’t ignore.

1. The Myth of Choice

You think you “chose” your career — engineering, medicine, banking, teaching — but in reality, it was narrowed for you by family, relatives, caste traditions, and market trends.

In India, career choice is often a polite name for hereditary and social obedience.

A farmer’s son is “advised” to join the army, a Brahmin’s child is pushed into academics or government service, a business family’s heir is kept in commerce.

This isn’t freedom. It’s pre-approved life.

---

2. Selling Time is Selling Self

You give 8–12 hours of your day, 6 days a week, not counting travel.

In metro cities, your job owns 14 hours of your day once commuting and unpaid overtime are included.

That leaves you too tired to think, create, or rebel — the exact design of slavery.

---

3. Salary as the New Ration

Slaves were given food and shelter; you’re given a salary and EMI offers.

Your pay is calculated to keep you locked — enough to survive, never enough to walk away.

In India, IT companies lure freshers with free snacks, cabs, and gym memberships, while senior employees are buried under loan traps: car EMI, home EMI, children’s school fees.

Quit? You lose not just your income but your entire fragile financial ecosystem.

---

4. Appraisals = Whips

In the old days, a whip kept slaves obedient. Today, it’s the performance review.

You’re rated, ranked, and compared to others, even if the company made record profits.

In government service, the whip is different — transfers, promotions, and “character reports.”

---

5. Loyalty is a One-Way Street

Corporates love slogans like “We’re a family.”

But the moment profits dip, they cut staff. In India’s 2023 layoffs, even employees with 15 years of service were escorted out by security within minutes.

In government jobs, loyalty is rewarded not with respect, but with more work dumped on you while the politically connected rise faster.

---

6. Replaceable by Design

Whether you are a nurse in a private hospital or a software engineer in Bengaluru, you are replaceable in under 2 weeks.

Companies invest more in onboarding software than in actual human care.

In manufacturing hubs like Pune, entire shifts of workers are replaced overnight by contract labour at half the pay.

---

7. Pseudo-Freedom: Promotions and Perks

In slavery, some were made overseers to keep others in line. Today, promotions do the same.

The title changes, the workload increases, the chains remain.

Indian middle managers spend their time chasing deadlines, approvals, and internal politics instead of actual creative work.

---

8. Career as a Caste Extension

In rural India, caste often dictates your employment ceiling.

Dalits in government offices still get posted to remote, undesirable locations.

Upper-caste candidates in corporates get access to “social capital” — the old boys’ club — for faster promotions.

Career is often just caste in a suit.

---

9. Retirement as the Carrot

Just like a donkey chasing a carrot, you chase retirement benefits, pension, or PF.

By the time you retire, your health is compromised, your energy is gone, and often your savings are eroded by medical expenses.

Many Indian retirees realise too late — their career was their real prison term.

---

10. How the System Keeps You in Place

Fear of Social Shame: “Beta, you left a government job? Are you mad?”

Debt: Loans are marketed as “lifestyle upgrades” but are really anchors.

Education Trap: You spent lakhs on a degree; now you must “recover the investment.”

Job Scarcity Fear: Unemployment rates are high; the fear of being without work is enough to keep you silent.

---

11. The Difference from Old Slavery

Old slavery was physical; modern career slavery is mental.

Old slaves knew they were not free; career slaves think they are free.

The result: less rebellion, more compliance.

---

Real-Life Indian Examples

1. IT Fresher in Bengaluru: Works 12 hours a day including commute, lives in a cramped PG, sends money home. Dreams of “switching companies” every 2 years, not realising it’s the same cage with new paint.

2. Bank Clerk in Bihar: Permanent job, but spends decades stuck in rural postings, handling corrupt local politics, no creative growth.

3. Nurse in a Chennai Private Hospital: Paid less than a waiter in a decent restaurant, bonded by a 2-year contract with penalty if she quits.

4. Govt. Teacher in Uttar Pradesh: Spends years bribing for a posting near home; gets transferred far away when she refuses a politician’s demand.

5. Factory Worker in Pune: Hired as a “trainee” for 5 years, never made permanent because permanent staff get benefits.

---

Why People Stay in the Cage

Fear of the unknown

Social validation from titles and salaries

Inability to create alternative income sources

Addiction to lifestyle spending

Family pressure to maintain status

---

Breaking Free – Not Easy, But Possible

Live well below your means.

Avoid debt like a plague.

Build skills that work independently of employers.

Create small income streams outside your main job before you quit.

Be willing to accept a simpler lifestyle for more autonomy.

---

Career is Slavery – 50 Indian Proofs

---

A. Corporate IT & Private Sector

1. Unpaid Overtime: “Flexible hours” means the company decides the flexibility.

2. Bond Periods: Leave before 2 years? Pay a penalty.

3. Fake Family Culture: HR calls you “family” until you’re laid off.

4. Annual Appraisal Anxiety: Your pay depends on a manager’s mood.

5. Always On Call: WhatsApp pings at midnight are “urgent client needs.”

6. Promotion as Punishment: Higher title, bigger workload, no real pay rise.

7. Bench Shame: Put on “bench” to scare you into accepting worse projects.

8. Caste Networks: Promotions often decided over caste-based social dinners.

9. Layoffs Without Warning: Even during profit years.

10. Skill Decay: Years spent on one outdated tool leaves you unemployable elsewhere.

---

B. Government Jobs

11. Transfer Blackmail: Speak against corruption? Get transferred to a remote corner.

12. Political Obedience: Career growth tied to pleasing ministers, not merit.

13. Promotion Delay: 10+ years in same post despite “time-bound promotions” promise.

14. Tokenism in Reservation: Reserved candidates often given postings with no real influence.

15. Corruption Pressure: Refusing to take bribes can make your work life hell.

16. Workload Dumping: Seniors dump files on you without responsibility sharing.

17. Retirement Before Relevance: Promotions arrive just before retirement.

18. Character Reports: Your file can be ruined by a single vindictive superior.

19. Political Sacrifices: During elections, you’re made to do non-job duties.

20. Stalled Pay Commission Benefits: Promises delayed for years.

---

C. Healthcare

21. Bonded Doctors: Forced rural postings under threat of license cancellation.

22. Nurses Underpaid: Paid less than clerical staff despite high risk.

23. Shift Exploitation: 36-hour shifts “because patients need you.”

24. Internship Slavery: Zero or token pay for full-time work.

25. Pharma Pressure: Doctors pushed to prescribe based on company tie-ups.

26. Skill Narrowing: Repeating same procedures for decades — no innovation freedom.

27. Hierarchy Abuse: Junior doctors treated as servants by seniors.

28. PPE as Pay: During COVID, hospitals offered PPE kits instead of hazard pay.

29. No Mental Health Support: Expected to “toughen up” under trauma.

30. License Blackmail: Any complaint can suspend your career instantly.

---

D. Teaching & Education

31. Contract Teachers: Paid less than government minimum wage.

32. Private School Tyranny: Teachers work 10 hours but are paid for “teaching hours” only.

33. Exam Paper Exploitation: Paid ₹20–₹50 per paper for corrections.

34. Political Transfers: Govt teachers moved based on MLA’s interest.

35. Fee Chain: Private colleges milk students but underpay faculty.

36. No Research Freedom: Syllabus locked by authorities; no room for creativity.

37. Mandatory Extra Duties: Teachers used for census, election, and polio drives without choice.

38. Management Politics: Promotions based on loyalty to chairman’s family.

39. Job Insecurity: Private school staff fired before summer to avoid paying vacation salary.

40. Toxic Parent Pressure: Teachers blamed for everything except poor parenting.

---

E. Manufacturing, Retail & Blue-Collar

41. Contract Labour Loopholes: Workers kept “temporary” for 10+ years.

42. 12-Hour Shifts: Legal limit ignored with fake attendance logs.

43. Unsafe Conditions: Workers risk injury because safety gear is “costly.”

44. Hostel Captivity: Factory hostels far from towns keep workers dependent.

45. Strike Retaliation: Union leaders harassed or blacklisted.

46. Wage Theft: Overtime not recorded or paid in full.

47. Seasonal Firing: Staff laid off right after festival rush.

48. No Skill Growth: Same repetitive task for decades kills ambition.

49. Bonded by Debt: Company-linked loan schemes tie workers permanently.

50. Retirement Without Dignity: No pension, no healthcare — just a handshake.

---

The Pattern Behind All 50

The goal is dependency — never letting you be free enough to walk away.

The methods change by sector, but the chains are the same: debt, fear, replaceability, and social conditioning.

Your career is not your life. It is the cage you’re trained to decorate.

---

Career is Slavery – Indian Survival Manual

---

A. Corporate IT & Private Sector

1. Unpaid Overtime

Why it works: Fear of being marked “non-team player” in appraisals.

Survival: Track your work hours, limit free overtime, negotiate deliverables instead of blindly accepting extra work.

2. Bond Periods

Why it works: Threat of penalty makes you tolerate abuse.

Survival: Avoid companies with long bonds unless training value is high; save enough to pay the penalty if needed.

3. Fake Family Culture

Why it works: Emotional loyalty tricks you into ignoring exploitation.

Survival: Remember it’s a contract, not kinship. Keep updating your résumé annually.

4. Annual Appraisal Anxiety

Why it works: A single number decides your raise.

Survival: Document all your work wins; build internal allies before review season.

5. Always On Call

Why it works: IT culture glamorises availability.

Survival: Silence work chats after hours unless it’s crisis-level urgent.

6. Promotion as Punishment

Why it works: Your ego wants the title.

Survival: Weigh if the extra stress is worth the pay; decline politely if not.

7. Bench Shame

Why it works: Fear of being fired makes you accept any role.

Survival: Use bench time to learn in-demand skills, not to sit idle.

8. Caste Networks

Why it works: Invisible privilege gatekeeps promotions.

Survival: Build alliances across groups; keep evidence of bias in case of formal escalation.

9. Layoffs Without Warning

Why it works: Most live paycheck to paycheck.

Survival: Keep 6–12 months’ expenses in liquid savings; side income is non-negotiable.

10. Skill Decay

Why it works: Company doesn’t train you for the outside market.

Survival: Learn tools/skills outside company hours; take online certifications.

---

B. Government Jobs

11. Transfer Blackmail

Why it works: Disrupts family stability.

Survival: Maintain a minimal lifestyle; be mentally prepared for sudden relocation.

12. Political Obedience

Why it works: Career growth controlled by political bosses.

Survival: Stay neutral publicly; avoid being anyone’s “pet officer.”

13. Promotion Delay

Why it works: Slow bureaucracy normalises stagnation.

Survival: Use free time for skill-building or a parallel qualification.

14. Tokenism in Reservation

Why it works: Assignments without influence keep you sidelined.

Survival: Network beyond your department; document discrimination.

15. Corruption Pressure

Why it works: Refusing bribes makes you a threat to corrupt seniors.

Survival: Keep work transparent; use written communication to avoid verbal traps.

16. Workload Dumping

Why it works: No one questions “responsibility distribution.”

Survival: Politely refuse non-essential work; seek written instructions for unreasonable demands.

17. Retirement Before Relevance

Why it works: Delays make promotions useless.

Survival: Plan your post-retirement income early; don’t bank on government pension alone.

18. Character Reports

Why it works: Subjective reports can ruin careers.

Survival: Maintain cordial relations, but keep a paper trail of achievements.

19. Political Sacrifices

Why it works: Law allows misuse of staff during elections.

Survival: Keep a low profile; execute tasks without unnecessary visibility.

20. Stalled Pay Commission Benefits

Why it works: Govt delays benefits without resistance from employees.

Survival: Maintain low fixed expenses; avoid relying on future arrears.

---

C. Healthcare

21. Bonded Doctors

Why it works: Legal threats scare fresh graduates.

Survival: Complete bonds in smaller institutions where workload is humane.

22. Nurses Underpaid

Why it works: Oversupply of nursing graduates.

Survival: Learn specialty skills (ICU, OT) that pay better abroad or in private care.

23. Shift Exploitation

Why it works: Guilt of “patients first” over self-health.

Survival: Demand proper rest breaks; document unsafe scheduling.

24. Internship Slavery

Why it works: “Experience” is seen as payment.

Survival: Network aggressively during internships for better post-internship jobs.

25. Pharma Pressure

Why it works: Pharma money influences prescriptions.

Survival: Maintain ethical records; never be financially dependent on pharma perks.

26. Skill Narrowing

Why it works: Same procedure repeated for decades.

Survival: Attend workshops/conferences beyond your specialty.

27. Hierarchy Abuse

Why it works: Indian medical hierarchy protects seniors.

Survival: Keep patient interactions transparent to avoid scapegoating.

28. PPE as Pay

Why it works: Safety framed as a privilege.

Survival: Demand hazard pay; unite with colleagues for group bargaining.

29. No Mental Health Support

Why it works: Culture sees burnout as weakness.

Survival: Create peer-support circles; seek counselling outside work.

30. License Blackmail

Why it works: Medical councils hold absolute power.

Survival: Keep thorough patient records; avoid verbal-only medical advice.

---

D. Teaching & Education

31. Contract Teachers

Why it works: Govt saves money by keeping staff temporary.

Survival: Upgrade qualifications; aim for competitive exams for permanent roles.

32. Private School Tyranny

Why it works: Low pay justified as “service to society.”

Survival: Consider tutoring as side income — often pays more than the school.

33. Exam Paper Exploitation

Why it works: Teachers can’t refuse official duty.

Survival: Set correction speed limits; don’t subsidise the system with unpaid time.

34. Political Transfers

Why it works: Teacher postings are political currency.

Survival: Keep transfer requests backed by strong personal/medical reasons.

35. Fee Chain

Why it works: Management hoards profit; teachers see little.

Survival: Build online teaching brand — YouTube, courses, coaching.

36. No Research Freedom

Why it works: Syllabus frozen by boards.

Survival: Conduct independent projects with students after class hours.

37. Mandatory Extra Duties

Why it works: Govt treats teachers as free admin staff.

Survival: Document non-teaching hours to negotiate lighter teaching loads.

38. Management Politics

Why it works: School owners favour loyalists.

Survival: Stay cordial but non-dependent; avoid gossip circles.

39. Job Insecurity

Why it works: Contracts designed to avoid paying benefits.

Survival: Have alternate income streams to survive summer layoffs.

40. Toxic Parent Pressure

Why it works: Parents see teachers as full-time babysitters.

Survival: Use parent meetings to set clear boundaries of responsibility.

---

E. Manufacturing, Retail & Blue-Collar

41. Contract Labour Loopholes

Why it works: Saves company benefits cost.

Survival: Join unions; push for regularisation after legal limit.

42. 12-Hour Shifts

Why it works: Fake logs hide violations.

Survival: Demand overtime pay or refuse double shifts unless paid upfront.

43. Unsafe Conditions

Why it works: Cost-cutting on safety gear.

Survival: Use personal protective equipment if employer doesn’t provide.

44. Hostel Captivity

Why it works: Isolates workers from other opportunities.

Survival: Build local contacts; learn local language for mobility.

45. Strike Retaliation

Why it works: Blacklisting breaks worker unity.

Survival: Document retaliation; seek NGO/legal help for labour rights.

46. Wage Theft

Why it works: Workers fear job loss if they complain.

Survival: Keep written records; unite with co-workers to raise issues.

47. Seasonal Firing

Why it works: Companies avoid paying year-round salaries.

Survival: Learn a secondary skill for off-season work.

48. No Skill Growth

Why it works: Same task repeated for years.

Survival: Learn machines/skills from other sections informally.

49. Bonded by Debt

Why it works: Company loans tie you to job.

Survival: Avoid employer-linked loans; use cooperative banks instead.

50. Retirement Without Dignity

Why it works: No pension schemes for most workers.

Survival: Start small savings early, even ₹100/week; invest in gold or land if possible.

---

.end.

Hello Seeker

If my words or work have helped you heal, think, or simply slow down for a moment, I’ll be grateful if you choose to support me. I live simply and work quietly, offering my time and knowledge freely to those who seek it. Your contribution—no matter how small or big — helps me keep doing this work without distraction.

Your contributions will be a secret. You can pay using any UPI app on my ID - madhukar.dama@ybl

Thank you