It’s unarguably the greatest moment in time to be alive.
Add to that, we’re Americans. We have, buy, and enjoy the best, newest conveniences of our time. Without a single thought we are living in the single greatest moment in time, strapped with the best gear the world has to offer, on the freest land on the planet.
Unfortunately it would be a downright shame if we never took a single moment to think about the LIVES (yes…. multiple lives)that are affected by this way of life we are so quick to revel in morning, noon, and night.
No, you’re right, you don’t owe anyone anything.
But just take a second, no need to pause the J Beeb, hear me out on this.
Somewhere far, far away in this foreign country they call China there’s this company. And really it’s pretty sweet because young adults get the opportunity to make an honest dollar everyday! No wait one dollar would be ridiculous, make that 9 dollars….Yup- nine dollars a day. And boy, are they lucky because that’s a new pay rate! Foxxconn just raised the pay rate! They raised it from where it was at less than 3 dollars for every day of work.
They figured if they didn’t, there’s a good chance they would have to put up even more anti-suicide nets around the “campus” buildings the factory workers to live in. And having to put up more nets- well that would be horrible, ya’ know?
Yeah, their conditions are so bad; their futures look so bleak that after working here for a few months, they decide it’s just not worth it anymore.
But you rest assured Foxxconn is doing everything it can. They just employed 2,000 on-site therapists! But only after they figured the dorms were possessed and had some monks take a stroll around the place.
Somehow the first whopper of a resolution didn’t work….weird.
One girl, mid-twenties lived in an impoverished area some miles away from the manufacturer, as many of the new employee do before making their way to Foxxconn. She came all this way to work to send money back home to Mom and Dad. Kind of like most young adults do in America today(…or wait?)
Once she got there she was put on iPad shining duty.
Shine, shine, shine all day long.
There is a high demand for these babies, and every single last one had got to be perfect!
She reported to work at 7:30 a.m. for shine duty at 8.
Shine, shine, shine, and then back to sleep for tomorrow.
She needs the sleep if she’s going to do it all over again the next day.
One day this budding professional shiner jumped from the top floor of her dorm.
But she failed at taking her life.
Now Mom and Dad, the same Mom and Dad she moved to help, spend everyday caring after their quadriplegic daughter.
When I neared the bottom of the first article I read about this low in human action, the article came to a picture of the first two girls in American, outside of Apple in NYC to buy THE FIRST iPads in all of America.
They held the iPad, proud. They had them. And best of all they had them before everyone else! Good thing we have businesses like Foxxconn that can pump out iPads fast enough for our American demand.
It’s not the girls’ fault. It’s not my fault. It’s not your fault.
It’s just that we have it all, and there’s a chance we’ll keep getting it.
But how is it possible we can turn away from the truth and enjoy it just as much?
Joshua Alberola
Communication Studies
Wilkes 2011
This issue is definitely something that needs to be made more aware in our country. Some of us don't stop to think how certain products are made. It's difficult to read about that story because a fun gadget created by Apple that has sold millions has a suicidal statistic with the factory workers creating it. I hope others read this and reconsider buying an apple product. Any links to a website where I can read more about this?
ReplyDeleteThis is an issue that certainly needs additional light shed on it. Personally, I had no idea something like this was taking place and I believe others need to be made aware. This is a heart breaking and disturbing story. Just as the Nike Corporation was found guilty of using sweat shops to manufacture their products, Apple is doing the same thing. This issue deserves national attention and a thorough investigation into Apple and its business practices must take place. A human life is far more precious than a brand new iPad. Really puts things in perspective.
ReplyDeleteWe live in America and we value human lives. But not so much in the poor countries such as China and Vietnam. Your body is only precious to the one who created you and the one that you may call family.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, your bosses who pay you see you as a "thing" where you can be replace anytime if your quality and quantity of work doesn't meet the expectation. They don't care if you commit suicide, it would just be a big lost to your family. The only thing they have to do is to throw a little money at your family and use money to buy the law so your family can just shut up and save your bosses some "face."
And what to do? Human nature! we like cheap things! and those countries give the companies cheap labor so they can sale it cheaper!
I am not taking side on those companies that are using the sweat shop labor, but it's really hard to decide who to blame!
I had no idea this was going on. Reading this and learning about how little the workers get paid when they work so hard is devastating. Something needs to be done about this. The company makes so much money off of the iPad so why can't the people working to make them perfect be making more money? It's a shame that people are treated this way. I personally do not want to purchase products that are made this way.
ReplyDeleteMost humans who live in industrialized countries like China and America have this lifestlye. We go to work or school day after day to work towards either a paycheck or a diploma. In both instances we are always working toward something we will obtain in the future. But why do we do this? What are we working for? We go to school to get a degree that will hopfully get us a good paying job. And then we go to work to get money. The money we earn is usually used to buy some material thing society has made us think we need. The only difference between America and China is that Americans have more of a chance to work at the occupation they want. However, it is the majority of the world that constantly works toward the future instead of living for today. And we all dream of something better insead of being happy with where we are and what we have. China may have more extreme measures, but their society is not the only one that spends most of their time doing things they don't want to do.
ReplyDeleteTo live the life we are living in the United States, people need to suffer. There is not a finite way way to fix this problem because manufactures will continue to produce and consumers will continue to buy no matter what.
ReplyDeletePeople live a life where-in they only value themselves. I believe that most people in the United States could care less about the people suffering, they rather get a cheap iPod.
Out of sight, out of mind.