Slavery can be a Good Thing

[QUINNSCOMMENTARY]

Of course, slavery is never a good thing, it is a horrible thing and yet the long term results may not be as dire as we envision.

Al Roker a popular TV personality in the US is tracing his roots and found that his ancestors were brought to the Caribbean as slaves eventually received their own land and some of the family moved to the US. His story traced the horrific conditions imposed on his ancestors. Yet, as horrible as all that was (and is in certain parts of the world today), in the end is Al Roker and his family better off than if his ancestors were never brought to the Americas as slaves? Mr. Roker is educated, wealthy and a celebrity who has the ability to provide well for his family.

Are the millions of Americans who rightly lament over the plight of their ancestors better off than they would be if slavery had not existed?

Of course, that question can never be answered, but given the past and current state of Africa over the last 150 years it would seem that the price paid by African slaves provided rich rewards for many of their decedents. Even if the answer is yes, no doubt most people would rather have the ability to erase the past. But the question does pose an interesting possibility.

[K.Snyder]

Well I understand what you're saying but the question is mostly non conformative...

Slavery is more about statement than anything else and to associate someones' well being as the result of it is moot in consideration to ideology...That's to say that stripping someones' freedom in my own mind is the worst thing you could ever impose on anyone and the fact that it was done still emphasizes the fact that those to whom were enslaved were subjected to no rights, having their families stripped away from them, and physical harm...

If you were to ask everyone living today, to whom's a direct descendant of slaves, if they'd rather have not been born at all or to have their ancestors subjected to the atrocity of slavery they'd prefer to not have been born...

The fact still remains that there are people to whom do live in Africa with less of a fruitful future than anyone born in America for instance which means the question becomes moot associated with circumstance...

It's not a question of "Slavery can be a good thing" rather "Is sacrifice worth it"...

[Lon]

Originally Posted by QUINNSCOMMENTARY

Of course, slavery is never a good thing, it is a horrible thing and yet the long term results may not be as dire as we envision.

Al Roker a popular TV personality in the US is tracing his roots and found that his ancestors were brought to the Caribbean as slaves eventually received their own land and some of the family moved to the US. His story traced the horrific conditions imposed on his ancestors. Yet, as horrible as all that was (and is in certain parts of the world today), in the end is Al Roker and his family better off than if his ancestors were never brought to the Americas as slaves? Mr. Roker is educated, wealthy and a celebrity who has the ability to provide well for his family.

Are the millions of Americans who rightly lament over the plight of their ancestors better off than they would be if slavery had not existed?

Of course, that question can never be answered, but given the past and current state of Africa over the last 150 years it would seem that the price paid by African slaves provided rich rewards for many of their decedents. Even if the answer is yes, no doubt most people would rather have the ability to erase the past. But the question does pose an interesting possibility.

You are right, the question can never really be answered, but it's almost like saying that the "HOLOCAUST" was beneficial in that it really demonstrated well to people man's inhumanity to man. The thing is----------the slaves and the Holocaust victims never had a choice in the matter.

[QUINNSCOMMENTARY]

Originally Posted by Lon

You are right, the question can never really be answered, but it's almost like saying that the "HOLOCAUST" was beneficial in that it really demonstrated well to people man's inhumanity to man. The thing is----------the slaves and the Holocaust victims never had a choice in the matter.

Don't think they are the same thing at all. Mans inhumanity to man goes much further back than the Holocost. The examples are too numerous to mention and cover every century since recorded time and before that. My example directly related the benefits derived by a group of people from the misfortune and extreme sacrfice (unwittingly) by others.

[QUINNSCOMMENTARY]

If you were to ask everyone living today, to whom's a direct descendant of slaves, if they'd rather have not been born at all or to have their ancestors subjected to the atrocity of slavery they'd prefer to not have been born...

That's a pretty general statement that no one can possibly know is true. Besides the absence of slavery does not mean anyone would have to not been born, but rather where they were born, here or in Africa, that is the real choice if it could be made.

Of course, as I said slavery was never a good thing, but some good things may have come from it for some people.

[K.Snyder]

Originally Posted by QUINNSCOMMENTARY

That's a pretty general statement that no one can possibly know is true.

Well I was speaking in terms of empathy...Those to whom would choose to not care what their ancestors were subjected to would give credence to their not being different than those to whom subjected said peoples to slavery......I'm wondering how many African Americans you'll find to say that!!!......

Originally Posted by QUINNSCOMMENTARY

Besides the absence of slavery does not mean anyone would have to not been born, but rather where they were born, here or in Africa, that is the real choice if it could be made.

Of course, as I said slavery was never a good thing, but some good things may have come from it for some people.

My emphasis is more so that "Slavery can be a good thing" is imprudent to those that are not effected at the same time those to whom are do not wish to be..."Slavery can be a good thing" is irrelevant because descendants to whom are not subjected to slavery know no different by virtue of their inability to relate to those prior to enslavement...The difference being the populations in said countries would remain the same rather at different intervals...

"Slavery can be a good thing" is a proposition giving credence to "Sacrifice: Is it worth it"...

[Nomad]

Using convoluted reasoning I can think of dozens of ways rewards offset tragedy.
Example:
Family of 5 gets strapped in to a mortgage they can no longer afford when the balloon payment pops up. 1 spouse suddenly dies in a horrific car wreck leaving the other with a life insurance pay out thus saving the remaining family from losing their home and they get to go furniture shopping.
Good Times !

[QUINNSCOMMENTARY]

Originally Posted by Nomad

Using convoluted reasoning I can think of dozens of ways rewards offset tragedy.
Example:
Family of 5 gets strapped in to a mortgage they can no longer afford when the balloon payment pops up. 1 spouse suddenly dies in a horrific car wreck leaving the other with a life insurance pay out thus saving the remaining family from losing their home and they get to go furniture shopping.
Good Times !

This could go on forever and it is not that important, the only point is that everything has consequences, many unintended. I am sure that everyone would agree that we would all be better off if slavery never happened, but it did. Most of the consequences were bad and we suffer from them to this day. But some of the consequences though unintended were positive and thus lead to more positive results both for individuals and for society.

[hoxtonchris]

the "pros" and cons of slavery can never be considered ,one ancestors misery can never be thought worth it if new generation benefited.also i always consider the right to birth as well as the rite to life,if the slaves had stayed in africa chances are they would have met different partners and therefore had different children.so the children that would have been born have been denied life.,i know the children born today in the actual circumstances wouldnt have been born but the rite to birth must be with the kids born free from the tirrany

[QUINNSCOMMENTARY]

Originally Posted by hoxtonchris

the "pros" and cons of slavery can never be considered ,one ancestors misery can never be thought worth it if new generation benefited.also i always consider the right to birth as well as the rite to life,if the slaves had stayed in africa chances are they would have met different partners and therefore had different children.so the children that would have been born have been denied life.,i know the children born today in the actual circumstances wouldnt have been born but the rite to birth must be with the kids born free from the tirrany

There are of course no pros to slavery and certainly that is not implied, but there are consequences. Millions of Americans are Americans because of slavery and that is simply a fact. Whether they would rather not be so if slavery could have been wiped out retroactively is an unanswerable question.

But what is very clear is that America would be the worse off if many of these people were not Americans because their contributions to the Country would be lostl.