small moment i liked in murderbot ep 5. when leebeebee says she was brought along to do laundy. the presaux team all reacts in loud disdain at the idea of a survey group bringing someone along to do laundry, and leebeebee snaps at them that she can't study anything like they have while she's on indenture contract; of course she's doing laundry. the group is quick to clarify that they think she's fine, that there's nothing wrong with doing laundry, that it's the company and the system they're disgusted with.
i believe them about not having meant any ill will towards leebeebee. but that moment does remind me a lot of conversations ive seen a few times here on tumblr. where people look at underpaid, underrespected jobs, accurately see that there's a problem, but misunderstand where the problem is. they imagine a world where no one has to do "demeaning" jobs instead of a world where every job is respected and enough to live off of. not every housekeeper or sanitation worker dislikes their career. plenty of people are genuinely passionate about work in those fields; they need rights and wages, not to be pushed out into something else.
the problem with bringing an indentured worker along to do your laundry is that you have an indentured worker. while the presaux crew is able and happy to do their own laundry and cleaning, wanting to hire someone else to do it instead doesn't automatically make you cruel or exploitative. the indenture is what makes leebeebee's treatment wrong.
presaux accidentally making leebeebee feel looked down on for not having a more impressive job, when they were trying to do the opposite and be upset on her behalf, feels like a very real kind of clumsiness. they have their convictions and their broad beliefs. they're just stumbling over the reality of putting those ideals into practice. aside from gurathin, i assume they've only had to face these injustices in abstract, removed forms until now.
