From the latest New York Times report on Apple in China:
“We’re trying really hard to make things better,” said one former Apple executive. “But most people would still be really disturbed if they saw where their iPhone comes from.”The details are horrific.
In a related story, a nationwide Times survey found that owners of Apple products are largely unaware of where those products are manufactured. Only eighteen percent knew (or thought?) that Apple products are made abroad.
comments: 3
I am familiar with what you are quoting here, but not with the astoundingly low percentage of Americans who are aware that EVERYTHING (well, nearly everything which is described as "imported") comes from China–only eighteen percent!?
Fifteen years ago (a little over half my present years), I didn't care if the products I was interested in were imported. I felt I had a more worldy mindset, and that adults and politicians bellyaching about American jobs and etc had to "run with the big dogs or stay on the porch". My interests were Asian culture and language, music, and art (the latter two unlimited to only Asia).
In the intervening years, I feel that I have seen a a landslide of more-and-more stuff of exponentially decreasing quality pouring out of China. Add that to "growing up" and I don't have much taste for it anymore.
As for the life and situation of a Chinese worker, I never did think it was quite like ours. But, then again, neither is ours anymore remotely what was advertised to us as adolescents. I didn't think they had health benefits, vacation, and retirement worth writing home about, and I thought it possible that they would put in a 10 or 12 hour day about 3/4 of the time. "Everyone knows the Chinese work harder and are more disciplined than Americans."
Now, I when I think of the reports surfacing of Foxconn and etc. in recent years–-some things are beyond the pale. You can call the difference between an eight a ten hour day a cultural one, but shouldn't standards approaching OSHA be required? Can work under astounding conditions where employees are legally banned from unionizing be called diversity?
As citizens of the modern world residing in America, our only choice is to join up and buy into the technological march, or get left behind. A new system has been ushered in under which you are either a slave owner or a slave; a consumer, or the consumed.
For my part, I have never owned a smartphone, but my contract is up for renewal and my Feature Phone (conveniently) began disintegrating last week. I had been mulling over the iOS vs Android choice for a few months, but now I only see "atrocity vs. atrocity".
But, we are the last of our family and friend set who do not own and use one. Professionally speaking, Marc is the last of his office not to own one, and has been for many years (He is a programmer). Not unlike many of those workers, I don't think we have a choice anymore. I maintained we did for years, but either the rope ran out or I was pretending all along.
Berit, the 18% referred to Apple owners and Apple products: 18% of Apple owners know (or think, or guess) that Apple products are made overseas.
No smartphones here either, but like you, I think it’s only a matter of time before we get them. I am already dreading the day when we have to buy a new television: I don’t care enough about television to think it’s worth the trouble.
Daughter Number Three suggested in a comment on a previous Apple/China post that China needs unions. Amen to that.
I just revised for greater clarity.
Before:
In a related story, a nationwide Times survey found that owners of Apple products are largely unaware of where those products are manufactured. Only eighteen percent knew (or thought?) that their products were made abroad.
After:
In a related story, a nationwide Times survey found that owners of Apple products are largely unaware of where those products are manufactured. Only eighteen percent knew (or thought?) that Apple products are made abroad.
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