Servant or Helper?
By udaymohan
@udaymohan (437)
India
August 17, 2010 1:45am CST
While initiating a discussion, I had used words 'male and female servants. It appears that use of word 'servant' was not liked by some friends who felt that use of the word 'servant' degrades an individual and the word 'helper' should be used instead.
I find it really funny to know that this word degardes an individual as if use of the word 'helper' for him or her would upgrade the same individual. In various Countries, different words are used for same class of people. I understand that in US or Britain and also in some European Countries the word 'helper' is used but in what way the word 'servant' degrades the 'helper'.
Servant is a person who serves an individual or a family or an institution or the Government. We all are servants to some other offices or institutions or the Government. Even a Chairman of a Company is the servant of that particular Company. A government-servant is a person who holds position in Governement by appointment or by election. Even the person holding the highest position in that Government is a servant of that Government. Religious leaders are Servants of God.
So, I do not think that using the word 'servant' for such domestic helpers degrade them in anyway. Besides, in my Country, these persons are given special status and they become part of the familiy, they become a member of the same family and the family shares all his grief and happiness. You would be surprised to know that some of such persons are working in particular families for generation. They are treated with full respect and, as pointed out to me in one of responses, they are never treated as Slaves.
If I am wrong please let me know. I fully agree that all of us should do our work ourselves and if we employ a person for domestic help, we should treat such person with respect and dignity. Anyway, I could be wrong also in the eyes of certain persons.
3 people like this
11 responses
@frontvisions101 (16043)
• Philippines
17 Aug 10
'Servant' is a more degrading word compared to 'helper'. I'd choose 'helper' everytime over 'servant'. I don't wanna offend people as much as possible unless it's needed. Lol
1 person likes this
@udaymohan (437)
• India
18 Aug 10
I am sure you would never adress them as 'helper or servant'. You would always address them by their nick name only.
@srjac0902 (1170)
• Italy
17 Aug 10
As the civilization is marching towards the refinement of personality, today the terms such as maids, servants, helpers all disappear. Today the terms are popular which denote dignity and nobility of the family who has them. They are called as assistants or collaborators. These collaborators are treated democratically with respect and dignity in their bearing, in the way of acting or working with self confidence, giving out their opinions but subjecting themselves to the last verdict of the employer. They are admitted in the common sittings, and express themselves as the real members of the household.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
17 Aug 10
hi udaymohan this depends on the kind of people who hired the helper
do they look upon the helper as a beneath comtempt lower class servant
or as a respected and welcome worker, even maybe like a member of the
family. I have seen even here in mylot some discussions branding the
servants as lower class people who lie,cheat and steal so yes some use
the word servant to mean that lower class person who they think are lazy and lie and cheat and steal.Yes some do treat them as virtual slaves so we who do not care to use servants as we feel we can darned well do our own work feel for those who are exploited and treated liked second class
citizens. Yes in some ways we who work are all servants to the pub lic. As a page in the library before I retired the thing that really irked me was this lady who said, move ou t of my way, I pay your wages, and I need to get to that book. I looked at her, and said no you do not paymy wages,m the county of orange pays me, and if you had asked me politely I wou ld be more than happy to help you get that book. I handed that book and several others to her and moved my book cart. she wanted me to know she thought I was the lowest of low, and I wanted her to know that she was really very rude to me and I was just as good as she was.The fact that she was mrs got rocks from Lido Island did not cut any ice with me at all. to me she was just a nother patron and a very rude one at that..
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
17 Aug 10
Nice discussion friend
To be frank i will vote for servant, i don't have male servant but female servant, maid-servant rather, inspite of all facility given to her like breakfast, tea 2 times, saree blouse twice a year, tips on every festival, she keeps absent 5-6 days a week, threatens to leave job..
where from respect or sympathy will come for her?
Thanks for sharing.
Welcome always. 
Cheers.
Professor
Cheers.
Professor
@udaymohan (437)
• India
18 Aug 10
Thanks, Professor. Similar situation prevails everywhere in our Country.
@gnomeland (421)
•
18 Aug 10
i think to use the word servant is very un p.c, and gives an illusion of power over another human being. assistant gives respect to a person or even home helper/carer/butler (being a specific 'trade'. i worked as a civil servant in the u.k. and this is a respected position but this job title is a hangover name from the past.
@MidniteBabe (21)
• Philippines
18 Aug 10
I'd rather call them "helper". More appropriate since in our family we only want them to assist/help us on household chores. But nothing wrong with calling them servants coz we employed them publicly or privately for perform services and it is not degrading them unless you will treat them as your propertya and force them to work without paying them and that is slavery. It does'nt matter how you call them... It's how you treat them.
@udaymohan (437)
• India
18 Aug 10
You are right. How we behave with them and treat them is more important. We never call them as 'helpr' or 'servant'. Rather, we address them them by their nick name only.
@Kumar1232009 (1215)
• Spain
17 Aug 10
back in spain when i was younger, we don't feel as in we are king and queen if we treat our maid as long as she is honest and reliable... my mom is an indian and she recruited this muchacha when she came back from a vacation in bengalore.. well she had everything in her room except freedom perhaps because we are disturbing her at times during her siesta in terms of household chores.
anyway udaymohan, servant is not good for my ears... i am also an indian (half) working abroad and i came here to help the locals not to be their servant... i could slap someone who will call me servant! at least i am much more lighter than some in fairness!
@udaymohan (437)
• India
18 Aug 10
Thanks for your response. However, please be sure that nobody would call you as servant or helper evenif you are working somewhere. They would always address you by your nick name only.
@Cutie18f (9551)
• Philippines
17 Aug 10
Well, servant should not be mistaken as "slave". In our country our government leaders are called public servants because they are there to serve the public. Anyone who is in the business of serving people can be called a servant. Slave is the one that offends and should not be used today because it only means service without pay.
@udaymohan (437)
• India
18 Aug 10
Correct. I do not think that in today's world any one can dare to call his assistant as slave.
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
17 Aug 10
My mother also didnt want us to use the word servant for the person who is working for us and helping us do household chores. We dont call her helper either cause sometimes it projects difference in status or something like that. Anyway, we just call them by their first name and not really treat them like a servant or a helper. We always treat them like a sister though my brother finds it difficult to do that.
@udaymohan (437)
• India
18 Aug 10
Well said. I fully agree with you that such person deseves respect as they help us in various ways.
@zralte (4178)
• India
17 Aug 10
Very interesting discussion.
I do understand what you are saying, but I also understand the points the other members make.
'A rose by any other name would still smell good and still be beautiful'. Whether we call it 'servant', or 'helper', it still means the same thing, in my opinion. I call them by whatever terms would be understandable to the people I am talking to. For eg. if I am talking to my friends from the US or Europe, they would definitely find it degrading if I call them 'servants'; so I would use helper or housecleaner, etc. But if I am talking to my neighbour and she refers them as servant, I would say servant too.
We are living in a world where political correctness is given importance now. There is no point in giving anything a certain term unless we change our attitude towards it. What is the point of just giving a respected name if the respect does not go with that name?
'They are treated with full respect and, as pointed out to me in one of responses, they are never treated as Slaves.' - That may be true in some cases, but it certainly is not in general terms. I have seen too many families abusing their 'helpers' and not giving them enough wages.
@Segerer (53)
• Argentina
17 Aug 10
Well actually i belive that the difference between the two words its that servant its a person that has to do as his master wishes no matter the circunstances or even if hes willing to do so and helper on the other side is a person that assist another one with his own will and can stop doing so whenever he wants.
