Servants - yes or no?

[nnmartin]

What do you think of the idea of having servants?

If you could afford it , would you have them?

I am thinking of servants such as butlers, cleaners, chefs, door openers etc..

Would you really want to have these people in your home attending to your every need, and what do you think of those people that have such staff?

another question, should they be allowed at all in the first place?

 

[Revoltingest]

Servants should be allowed.
I have a cleaning lady.
I allow her to clean.
She allows me to pay her.

You really want a valet, don't you.
I imagine that this is the life you seek.....
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Downton Abbey: Top 10 Maggie Moments - YouTube

 

[bobhikes]

My dream is to one day have enough money to have a chauffer or be able to buy a car that drives itself other than that a Maid to help for big ocassions would be nice.

 

[4consideration]

What do you think of the idea of having servants?

It proves employment for one and a service for the other.

If you could afford it , would you have them??

I would probably not have a large staff, as I value my privacy. I would probably be uncomfortable with a bunch of people attending to me. It would depend on the circumstances.

When both my husband and I were employed full-time we had a lady come in to do the heavy cleaning once a week. It was a valuable service, as it then allowed us to do the small stuff (like laundry, etc.) in the evenings and then actually have weekend time to spend with our children. We appreciated the work that the lady did for us, and she appreciated being able to earn more per day working for several people once a week than she could have made as an employee of a company.

I am thinking of servants such as butlers, cleaners, chefs, door openers etc..?

I would probably not wish for a huge staff, unless I had a huge house that required that much attention.

Would you really want to have these people in your home attending to your every need, and what do you think of those people that have such staff??

Again, I would probably not want people attending to my every need. However, if I was running a large company (or several) I can certainly see value in paying someone else to handle the other details of life -- so I could spend my time in other ways.

Regarding what I think of people that have such staff. I don't think about them much at all. What they do with their money is their business.

another question, should they be allowed at all in the first place?

Of course they should be allowed. It provides employment for people. It is a service that someone wants to pay for. What basis would anyone have for maintaining that it should not be allowed? Do you think it is demeaning? People often take great pride in their work and have a sense of accomplishment from doing a job well -- no matter what they are doing.

 

[Kathryn]

I have some landscapers working in my yard as I type this. My husband and I use them several times a year - in fact, anytime we have a large yard project to do. I could go out there and ask them to do just about anything in the yard - paint my fence, pull weeds, you name it - and they'd do it for me. Then I'd pay them.

I don't need a maid now that I don't work outside the home, but I've employed a maid service in the past when I was working full time. As others have said, this allowed me to spend more quality time with my family when I was off work.

When I was a child living in Japan, we had a maid, a seamstress, and a gardener. It was great - they were paid generously, and I have very fond memories of them.

My family also had a maid who stayed with our family (our extended family - we have a homestead that has been used by our extended family for over 100 years running) for decades. She cooked and cleaned for us - and also nurtured, spanked, and loved on three generations of kids in our family. She came to work about 10 am every day and stayed till about 4 - and she ruled the roost. If she didn't enjoy her job, she sure faked it well. What a treasure she was! We miss her to this day.

Are these servants?

 

[HonestJoe]

I think it's interesting that you use the words "servant" and "staff" interchangeably in your OP. I think the word servant carries different connotations, notably of subservience. Obviously "staff" in a more general context is perfectly reasonable (most of us will be staffc ourselves).

I don't see a problem with someone being employed to clean a house, cook meals or drive a car for someone else as long as it's managed as any other employment (legally and morally). After all, we don't have any objection to people employed on our behalf to clean the streets, cook in restaurants or drive busses.

The only issue is when employees are treated like servants (or slaves), but that can apply in any context.

 

[Vinayaka]

I think many of us are servants in some way, certainly anyone working in the public SERVICE sector are, almost by definition.

 

[Father Heathen]

If they willingly offer such services for being paid fairly in exchange, what would be the problem?

 

[YmirGF]

If you mean "servants" as being some lower class muffin to service my every need, then, no. If you are meaning "staff" whom I pay according to their merit, then, most certainly.

 

[Madhuri]

I would have servants if I could afford it. These are people in need of employment who I would respect as my employees. Not my slaves. So why not?

 

[CynthiaCypher]

People who can should be allowed to hire help but everyone should clean their own toilets because everyone should be brave enough to clean up their own ****

 

[Octavia156]

my grandmother always says that if you can afford "staff" you are socially obligated to employ them. I agree.

having "servants" (dont' like that word, prefer "staff") is an important way of spreading wealth.

i hire my friend as a cleaner, one because I can't quite manage on my own, and two because she was a friend who was in finanical trouble and need of work.
It is a win-win situation all round.

if i had a garden i would employ a gardener, if i had kids and a spare room I'd employ an au-pere, if I had a mansion I'd need a housekeeper or few.

totally normal, nothing wrong with it imo.

 

[dust1n]

Now, while I think it is unhealthy for individuals to pass off responsisbilities to others by paying them, to a point where the employer is this old, stuck-up, person as a result. But, I recognize that household helpers not only 1.) legitimately provide work, and I think a very rewarding form, especially if pay is well and 2.) that it isn't necessarily an evil thing what two people agree to do amongst themselves. That being said.. it can be both good and bad, but mostly good results. I think it's a problem when the employer takes advantage of their 'staff', or treat them terribly, etc. etc.

 

[HerDotness]

Yes and no, I'd like to be wealthy enough to live in a fancy house, collect art and rare books, and have servants to do all the scutwork.

Except that I'm so fiercely do-it-MYSELF that it's difficult for me to turn over things to other people who may not do the work as I would. I tend to be too controlling is my problem.

Had a cleaning woman once some years ago when ex-hubby and I were both teachers, both because my teaching job took a lot of my time and energy and also because I hate cleaning. While I enjoyed coming home to a clean house and not having to do all that myself, it was tough for me to allow someone else into my private space when I wasn't at home.

I'm a Scorpio. We tend to be suspicious of people. Makes a good excuse anyway.

 

[Sunstone]

I have a friend who is self employed as a cleaning lady. She's got so much business, she has to turn down people who want to use her services. The only reason she cleans for me, apart from the money, is because we've been friends for years. She cleans, but she's certainly not my servant.

 

[Alex_G]

What do you think of the idea of having servants?

If you could afford it , would you have them?

I am thinking of servants such as butlers, cleaners, chefs, door openers etc..

Would you really want to have these people in your home attending to your every need, and what do you think of those people that have such staff?

another question, should they be allowed at all in the first place?

When i concentrate on selfish ideas, and think of all the things that i not only suck at doing, but also burden my day, such as doing the dishes, the laundry, cleaning the house, keeping my days organised, and paperwork in order, I truly love the idea of being in a position whereby i can get those things done for me, leaving more room to do what i enjoy.

One the other side of this, there does seem to be a potential downside, morally speaking, however it seems quite unavoidable, but that doesnt make it not worth noticing.

On one end of the spectrum there is slavery, and the moral failings of it as an idea are the illegitimate ownership of another person and their inability to change those circumstances.
This is in stark contrast to the idea of servants today of course, as people choose to do the job, and accept the proper payment in return for their work. As with every aspect of the 'working man's life' in the modern day, this seems on the face of it quite liberating and free.
But in reality, i think one must be aware that this perceived 'choice' is not always the case. The fact of the matter is that some jobs suck, and that people do not enjoy them. People are forced into doing these jobs through powerful economic pressures, lack of opportunities, and many other disadvantages and misfortunes on their part. Its no coincidence that you notice a strong demographic presence in those lowest of the low jobs, which is sad.
To have a foreign cleaner that demonstrates this sort of life-misfortune, wound make me feel somewhat sad and uncomfortable, to live a life of luxury so close in proximity to their life of struggle. A certain insensitivity seems unavoidable.

Now not to tar all with this melodramatic view, of course some people do very much enjoy their job, whatever it is, and take great pride in what they do. But sense tells me to be very aware of the likely high number of people who are trapped in a far less than ideal life, struggling with menial work to fight off poverty, and to occasionally realise that the line between what it means to be a slave is not much more than a stone’s throw away.

Alex

 

[The Sum of Awe]

No! Definitely not.

See my signature.

 

[nnmartin]

When both my husband and I were employed full-time we had a lady come in to do the heavy cleaning once a week. It was a valuable service, as it then allowed us to do the small stuff (like laundry, etc.) in the evenings and then actually have weekend time to spend with our children.

that may be pleasant from you but who tends to the cleaner's home and her children whilst she is busy looking after yours?

Of course they should be allowed. It provides employment for people. It is a service that someone wants to pay for. What basis would anyone have for maintaining that it should not be allowed? Do you think it is demeaning?

Of course it is demeaning otherwise you would do it yourself.

It should not be allowed due to the fact that it causes segregation of the classes, and laziness in the employers.

People often take great pride in their work and have a sense of accomplishment from doing a job well -- no matter what they are doing.

ok, so when was the last time you did a full week's work cleaning other peoples' toilets?

 

[nnmartin]

I have some landscapers working in my yard as I type this. My husband and I use them several times a year - in fact, anytime we have a large yard project to do. I could go out there and ask them to do just about anything in the yard - paint my fence, pull weeds, you name it - and they'd do it for me. Then I'd pay them.

I would not categorise these people as servants.

I don't need a maid now that I don't work outside the home, but I've employed a maid service in the past when I was working full time. As others have said, this allowed me to spend more quality time with my family when I was off work.

same question for you here, who allowed the maid to spend quality time with her own family?

When I was a child living in Japan, we had a maid, a seamstress, and a gardener. It was great - they were paid generously, and I have very fond memories of them.

fond memories I'm sure, because you were the boss lording it over your peasants. (figuratively speaking)

 

[nnmartin]

If they willingly offer such services for being paid fairly in exchange, what would be the problem?

the problem is that it fuels arrogance and laziness in the employers.

this gives rise to segregation and places the staff in a position of subservience merely due to the fact that the other person has more money than them.

This is why most societies today are heading towards a kind of neo-fascism.