The Human cost of Apple's success

TarJak · 01-28-12, 07:22 PM

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/tec...126-1qjyy.html

So what will either China or the US do about this? Sod all I'll bet.

CCIP · 01-28-12, 07:32 PM

And let's not solely point the finger at Apple, China and the US here - this is the cost of the globalized economy and the consumer lifestyle that many of us enjoy. Apple is just a good example of how to be successful in creating demand for a moderately expensive luxury (the use value of which is actually low) while manufacturing it at a very low price and with little accountability to the public (who are themselves happy to buy into the product). They win because at the end of the year, everybody still wants one of their trinkets under the Christmas tree. What are we gonna do about that?

Vote with your dollars and don't buy into marketing and peer pressure, that's what I say. But remember that Apple's just a tip of the iceberg here.

Tchocky · 01-28-12, 07:32 PM

More like what will *we* do about it. If we want cheap electronics, then this will continue.

Tip of the iceberg really, when you think about the minerals from DRC that make our mobile phones etc, and Apple are hardly the only company that employs companies like Foxconn.

That said, this kind of story really shuts up the Apple missionaries nice and quickly.

CCIP · 01-28-12, 07:34 PM

...I like how me and Tchocky were thinking the exact same thing at the same time

(what with 'we' and 'tip of the iceberg', even)

krashkart · 01-28-12, 07:47 PM

The early years of the industrial revolution were much like this, right?

Before fire codes and all that...

longam · 01-28-12, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krashkart

The early years of the industrial revolution were much like this, right?

Before fire codes and all that...

My thoughts also, seems to be a rerun of our past. next will come unions.

CCIP · 01-28-12, 08:15 PM

It's not really a rerun, it's just a continuation of the same processes. Unions, workplace safety, guaranteed standard of living are all good, but who is going to pay for it? Who's gonna provide the affordable commodities that a healthy middle class thrives on?

China's already beginning to court Africa, as though almost for the same purpose. And so the cycle of exploitation continues.

It's very difficult to see a sustainable and fair world where everyone owns an iPod and companies like Apple continue to make billions on marginally-useful things that everyone wants to get their hands on, at the expense of cheap labour and others' suffering. But that's nothing new, just a continuation of what's been going on pretty much forever. People have always believed that something - be it power, religion or level of civilized development - entitled them to take advantage of the rest of the world. In a globalized economy, the only difference is scale.

Schroeder · 01-29-12, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krashkart

The early years of the industrial revolution were much like this, right?

Before fire codes and all that...

There's a little difference. Back then the transportation of goods was expensive. Therefore unions could form and force the employers to raise the safety standards, wages etc. because he wanted to produce in his country (mostly at least). If you rise up today your boss will just move to the next low cost country and ship his stuff from there.

Tchocky · 01-28-12, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCIP

...I like how me and Tchocky were thinking the exact same thing at the same time

(what with 'we' and 'tip of the iceberg', even)

Great Scott!

01-28-12, 07:22 PM	#1
TarJak Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17,052 Downloads: 150 Uploads: 8	The Human cost of Apple's success http://www.smh.com.au/technology/tec...126-1qjyy.html So what will either China or the US do about this? Sod all I'll bet.

01-28-12, 07:32 PM	#2
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	And let's not solely point the finger at Apple, China and the US here - this is the cost of the globalized economy and the consumer lifestyle that many of us enjoy. Apple is just a good example of how to be successful in creating demand for a moderately expensive luxury (the use value of which is actually low) while manufacturing it at a very low price and with little accountability to the public (who are themselves happy to buy into the product). They win because at the end of the year, everybody still wants one of their trinkets under the Christmas tree. What are we gonna do about that? Vote with your dollars and don't buy into marketing and peer pressure, that's what I say. But remember that Apple's just a tip of the iceberg here. __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

01-28-12, 07:32 PM	#3
Tchocky Navy Seal Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,874 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	More like what will we do about it. If we want cheap electronics, then this will continue. Tip of the iceberg really, when you think about the minerals from DRC that make our mobile phones etc, and Apple are hardly the only company that employs companies like Foxconn. That said, this kind of story really shuts up the Apple missionaries nice and quickly. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

01-28-12, 07:34 PM	#4
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	...I like how me and Tchocky were thinking the exact same thing at the same time (what with 'we' and 'tip of the iceberg', even) __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

01-28-12, 07:47 PM	#5
krashkart Navy Seal Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 5,292 Downloads: 100 Uploads: 0	The early years of the industrial revolution were much like this, right? Before fire codes and all that... __________________ sent from my fingertips using a cheap keyboard

01-28-12, 08:15 PM	#7
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	It's not really a rerun, it's just a continuation of the same processes. Unions, workplace safety, guaranteed standard of living are all good, but who is going to pay for it? Who's gonna provide the affordable commodities that a healthy middle class thrives on? China's already beginning to court Africa, as though almost for the same purpose. And so the cycle of exploitation continues. It's very difficult to see a sustainable and fair world where everyone owns an iPod and companies like Apple continue to make billions on marginally-useful things that everyone wants to get their hands on, at the expense of cheap labour and others' suffering. But that's nothing new, just a continuation of what's been going on pretty much forever. People have always believed that something - be it power, religion or level of civilized development - entitled them to take advantage of the rest of the world. In a globalized economy, the only difference is scale. __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)