Modern slavery?

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And yet their player is THE most expensive out there...wonder where the iPod-buyers' cash goes? Capitalist pigs :(

Not that many other businesses are any different I'm sure :( :(
 
flameandthefire said:


Hide it as soon as possible!


No, just that the fact that U2 have an iPod doesn't necessarily make a story about iPods also about U2. :shrug:
 
flameandthefire said:


I'm afraid you are right about that.

I wonder what Bono would think about this if he knew?

I do wonder what his reaction would be. Do you think he'd make a big issue of it, or maybe not since his first priority (politically) right now is the dire situation in Africa?
 
I can bet that over half the things in your home are made by people living and working in these same exact conditions. There's only so much you can take on at a time. :(
There are people that earn far less, actually.
 
I've been to a lot of these types of places in Asia, by local standards many, if not all, actually offer standards of living higher than they's have in their villages.

Not only is room/board included, but typically medical care and education too.

Oh, and how exactly do you think your computer/computer components were made ? Your t-shirts ? your non-ipod mp3 players ? etc.

I can't speak for the garment industry, but the high tech subcontractors do offer a better overall deal than many of these would otherwise have
 
tpsglick2424 said:
Wasn't there something with Nike too?

Yes, with Air Jordan kicks (other styles too I'm sure)...I seem to recall some press went to MJ for comment and got nothing.

People love to spring the sweatshop stories on celebs who slap their name on products...their reactions make good copy but really don't mean a thing. But that stuff sells...

And as I said it's far from an Apple issue, it's a capitalism issue...if you're poor, you get a shit deal, wherever you happen to live & work. It's economics...money doesn't grow on trees, so if somebody's sitting on a pile of money while doing next to nothing, you can bet somebody else is working and getting screwed. Zero-sum baby.

And ya I think this probably fits better in FYM...
 
toscano said:
I've been to a lot of these types of places in Asia, by local standards many, if not all, actually offer standards of living higher than they's have in their villages.

Is this supposed to make me feel any better? Somehow I don't feel any better.

They have rooms/accomodation onsite. You finish your shift, you eat & sleep just to start your next shift. Those people basically work to survive.
 
flameandthefire said:


Is this supposed to make me feel any better? Somehow I don't feel any better.

They have rooms/accomodation onsite. You finish your shift, you eat & sleep just to start your next shift. Those people basically work to survive.

bullshit. They are typically supporting families back home in their villages also. I don't care if you feel better about it, it's better than t-shirt makers, or coffee workers, etc will make.
 
toscano said:


bullshit. They are typically supporting families back home in their villages also. I don't care if you feel better about it, it's better than t-shirt makers, or coffee workers, etc will make.

FSCK YOU! All I got to say.
 
Hrrrm , this is gonna be locked now.

Why cant we debate without this language
 
flameandthefire said:
I'm not reading this thread any more - I've contacted some persons who can get Bono to say his opinion on this.


While you're at it, ask him about the new album.
 
Do we know what the cost of living is in those situations? The dollars and cents of it, while horrific, would make more sense if it cost $500 a month to live and they're only making $50.
 
CTU2fan said:
And yet their player is THE most expensive out there...wonder where the iPod-buyers' cash goes? Capitalist pigs :(

Not that many other businesses are any different I'm sure :( :(

Apple charges what they charge because people will pay it.

Personally I wouldn't touch an apple/ipod/mac, i can get similar products for less which perform the same function.

and since I have a brain, I can use a PC instead of buying a mac.
 
flameandthefire said:

You finish your shift, you eat & sleep just to start your next shift. Those people basically work to survive.

It's sad, but I'd agree. Most Americans too, live on paycheck to paycheck in order to survive. Below the poverty line isn't restricted to outsourced persons anymore sadly.
 
Wasn't able to view the links but here's a harsh reality.

The comfortable "normal" standard of living that those of us in the west enjoy (and I'm not talking rich, just "normal") is built on the backs of the majority of the world's population which endures a much lower standard of living.

The hard question is this: Is it actually feasible for every person in the world to have the standard of living we consider normal here in the West?
 
Economic inequality is worse in many western countries. As for the comfortable "normal" standard of living, is it really what we claim it to be? How many of us, or in the US cannot afford health care? The cost of education is killing young people and the families who are trying to support their kids. We live in a credit card 'interest free period' world and most of us struggle daily, weekly, monthly. How many of us will pay off a mortgage in our lifetimes? How many of us can envision the day we even get a mortgage? We're choking on our own flashy excess, yes, but we're also relatively fucked, comparatively, and not exactly living in ideal conditions others should strive for. I think the way many of us live is ridiculous - which then makes how some others live just criminal.
 
A_Wanderer said:
So is inequality better than everyone being poor but equal?

Because we're not allowed a choice C I suppose?

And if I'm poor then yes I'd rather everyone else is too, frankly.
 
CTU2fan said:


Because we're not allowed a choice C I suppose?

And if I'm poor then yes I'd rather everyone else is too, frankly.

But if you had the opportunity to earn more money, even if meant putting up with harsh or restrictive conditions in order to do so, would you choose to take the offer up?
I read something a while ago about the situation in China. Rural areas are stricken with poverty which has led to many people choosing to move to the cities to take up factory jobs where they do get paid a lot more money than they would otherwise earn in villages but the working conditions are not always great. Many then send the extra money they earn back home to help their families.
The situation isn't dissimilar in some respects to England where there is a huge number of unskilled/semi-skilled migrant workers moving here from abroad because they can earn a helluva lot more than in their home countries. In a lot of cases they are being exploited to some degree by their employers who put them up in cramped housing and work them long hours but they put up with it because of the financial benefits. Noone is forcing such workers to move here -it's their choice. Isn't it human nature for most to want to improve their lot?
 
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