The article that I have chosen to read is “Should you feel guilty for buying your iPhone?” by Steve Kovach, it was published in January 31, 2012. The article is about how are famous IPhones are made and all are the other gadgets we have are made in China. It talks about how the people that work for Foxconn work brutal 12-hour days, six days a week. The worst part of it is that it is kids that are working these ridiculous hours. I work 10-hour days, five days a week in the summer and I come home exhausted. So I can only imagine these children’s pain, not to mention they work in not the best work place. People have heard of this and want to boycott what Apple is going to make because these kids work like that for a living. I recently got an IPhone, not know how it is made and now I kind of feel a little guilt that the poor kids made my phone because it is cheaper to make it in their country. Also, since they are cheap to make, they will not sell for a lot of money in the U.S, therefore millions of people are going to buy them and that is a lot of work those kids have ahead of them. It is unbelievable how far some people will go just to buy their product cheaper, just so they can make a giant profit for their billion-dollar company. If a billion dollars were not enough these days. I bet if the owners of Apple saw their kids working like this, that they would find a way to shut down the company and make a few laws to prevent it from happening again. That is one thing with are society, that no one cares what is happening to someone else until it becomes up close and personal, just like that Kony thing that everyone is finding out about on Facebook. Apple is saying that the people who are making their product is that safety is their number one priority but they are really having a tough time showing it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwfYLWFL4Ys
Nicely said, I agree that it is not fair to make children work such drastic hours because a billion dollar company would like to make even more money. It is unfortunate that Apple purposely has their products made in China simply because it is cheaper for them. But you also have to look at the other side, the owner of Apple is looking out for his company, that is his job, and he is giving many children in China more job opportunities. I think that they should maybe cut down the hours per person and instead hire more people. I also agree with you when you say you kind of feel guilty about having an iPhone because I have one myself. It is sad to hear that children in another country are working 12 hours a day to keep up with all of our countries demands.
ReplyDeleteRory, I don't feel that by buying an expensive phone you should feel guily or penalize yourself in any way. You worked hard for the money that you spend and I don't see how or why that should influence your conscience in any way. I myself, have an anroid it may not have been as expensive as an iphone but it was a pretty expensive phone and that fact that it can operate at the highest level of smartphones (not as effective but similar to the iphone) I feel that what I paid for was more luxury than the product itself. I am not condoing the treatment of the children in China to make this product but I am endorsing the product itself because the assemblence is terrible but the product is head and shoulder above any competitor. The question was should i feel guilty buying an Iphone, and the answer Rory simply is not at all. IF you can afford the product your purchasing of that product has n oweight or bearing on the labor or treatment of the worker that produces that product.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I Dont think that if you buy an Iphone or any Apple product you should feel guilty at all. Although Apple has come under skrutiny about the work place conditions and the hours working, It is probably worse at other companies. I think apple is just doing what is best for their business. Its the nature of business overseas. Just because you buy an apple product doesnt mean that you should feel guilty. They are still getting paid what is normal to be paid overseas. I have an android also and although it was almost as expensive as an IPhone the workers who made the android probably also face the same working conditions that the people from Apple face. Yes the treatment of their workers is not great and their should be a limitation on childrens working ablitity and how long they are allowed to work for. But there is not. Buying or not buying an Iphone will not change the condition that the workers are faceing, Also the U.S. has the highest market for apple, but Apple has products in most contires all over the world. SO yes workers condtions should improve but all contries should step in against the poor work conditions not just the U.S
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