Right on the heels of the whole Bangladesh situation, I’m having my own moral dilemma.
I asked Mr. B for an iPad for my birthday, because I want to be able to share large online pictures with my grandpa, cook by an online recipe without printing it, read The Economist everywhere, read books on my commute, and send those “Sent from my iDevice” smug little emails to everyone, because I have too many friends right now. He was happy to oblige because, as I have a feeling, it will become the family iPad. Also, I totally need it as an investment into working on my novel. Yes.
He IMed me yesterday to let me know that it is on its way, and I tracked the shipping:
which made me sad. I mean, I know that Apple products are manufactured in China, but somehow the fact that it’s being shipped directly from China reminds me that Apple products are manufactured by a sweatshop where people kill themselves because of the work of assembling electronics but have no real choice because they are getting paid. Plus, not only are people committing suicides, there was an explosion at the place my iPad is being shipped from not too long ago.
However, not to worry, because all the workers are being replaced by robots soon!
So, my question is this. By buying an iPad, am I voting with my money and letting Foxconn know that it’s ok to continue treating their workers as such? But wouldn’t the iPad be made anyway, therefore it doesn’t matter whether I or someone else bought it? Is it ok that I’m sending money to China, which contributes to overall economic growth and a gradual increase in living conditions for all, or is it worse because my actions directly pressure peoples’ lives? Are the robots better? From an economic standpoint, it doesn’t matter. As long as the work is more efficient, that’s the way the markets will swing. But what are the moral implications? Especially since this evil, I know. But what about the rest of the things I consume that come from nameless factories in Southeast Asia?
I’m very conscious that boycotts are not effective, simply because we sometimes don’t know everything that’s going on. For example, boycotts often don’t go the way they intend to (PDF) (Israel, Iran, Cuba, etc.)
I’m not going to start asking for Colin’s papers anytime soon, but I want to know how other people think about this.
I know, this is such a first-world problem. But as someone from a country whose fate was very similar to China’s under communism, I’m conscious that people elsewhere live like crap, and maybe something I do can change it.
Edit: A friend on Facebook just sent me this story, so throwing it in there for discussion.
Sort-of relevant: Wasn’t there a woman who blogged and then wrote a book about not buying Chinese for a year and how much effort that required?
Was it this one?
Yup. I was just too lazy to google. Sorry.
I see there are a couple of books along the same topic, so that’s why I was wondering. Guess this is a growing concern.
I remember being in high school and refusing to buy clothes that were made in sweatshops. No GAP for me! I’m nowhere near that committed now, but I do have twinges sometimes.
While sweatshops are undeniably bad, it’s hard to say if they aren’t moving these societies in a better direction.
From the NYTimes article you linked to:
“But even in a nation as corrupt as Indonesia, he says, industrialization has reduced the portion of malnourished children from more than half in 1975 to a third today.”
Right? Doesn’t that sound like it’s slightly less lousy for them? Moving in the right direction, maybe?
Also, the Wal-mart Effect, a really interesting read, partly explained why so many things are made overseas.
So, while I wouldn’t go around espousing the beauty of nameless Southeastern Asian factories, I wouldn’t stres either. It’s a beast which is far beyond our control. I’d focus on the moral battles that we can actually win.
So what did you buy if you didn’t buy sweatshop clothing. What else is there left?
” I’d focus on the moral battles that we can actually win. ”
I like that.
I shopped a lot at Goodwill. It was probably also made in a sweatshop, but I was one more step removed from it, so I could still feel superior.
One thing I thought of that’s sort of related: Whenever I see the label say “made in Israel,” I’m much more likely to buy the item. I’ve got several shirts that I like (but not love) that I bought simply because of that. I don’t know if they’re made in Israel proper or the West Bank. I don’t know who the people are who made them — Jews, Arabs or Asian migrant workers. I don’t know what the conditions are like.
Speaking of made in Israel, don’t know if you saw this one. Do you ever have loyalty to products that were developed in Israel but not manufactured there? Does buying them help the Israeli economy by bringing profits to the team that developed them? I buy these products, sometimes. I also buy stuff that says it’s “Made in Israel,” but, like you said, no way to know for sure. I mean, Sabra Hummus is Israeli, but they make it in Virginia, which seems kind of inauthentic to me, even if logistically sound.
This stuff is sooo compliiicated.
It would probably make you feel better to send the iPad to me. Then you would have bragging rights. And I’d have the burden of the sweatshop iPad.
You are so kind. Thanks for volunteering to take this problem on.
Clearly, you need to start growing your own cotton, so you can manufacture your own clothes. I’m pretty sure the full instructions can be found in Richard Scarry’s “What Do People (in 3rd world countries or 1950s era America) Do All Day?”
As a rich American, your money can buy a lot more good in foreign countries than it can at home. If you just want to assuage guilt, set aside some portion of your annual tech-toy budget as a donation to organizations doing good in another country. Skip a few apps, and instead buy a child a year’s supply of food or schoolbooks.