Is there any better way to empathize with a bird who has just gotten her wings clipped than succumbing to working in an office? The bird owner, like the employer, chooses to just “ever so slightly” nick the wing of a bird to keep her from flying seamlessly–injure her just enough to keep her reliant. This then makes it impossible for the bird to fly without remaining in the proximity of its owner, rendering it just scared enough to never leave the premises.
The clipped wing bird and the office worker, similarly, can be easily trained to perform tricks and forced into socialization with their owners. The key is complete and total dependence, after all. The free, functional bird is of no use to a master–they can’t be controlled with half as much ease.