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paradox00

macrumors 65816
Sep 29, 2009
1,411
827
Sorkin apologized to Tim Cook

A backhanded apology. He didn't apologize for lying, and he only said he went "too far" with the qualifier that Tim Cook also went too far and demanded and apology from Cook with "your move Tim." That apology isn't worth much.
 
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jlseattle

Cancelled
Jan 9, 2007
501
356
Seattle WA
Tear, tear @Sorkin. I'm not going to see his movie either. I watch the previews and nothing interests me about it. I think Apple is in the forefront of human rights and creating equitable work places for all workers. The countries they operate in may have questionable laws and working conditions but Apple definitely goes above and beyond. Other than accusations (like Mike Daisey's who later announced he had made up the story) I don't see any current charges that make the story interesting enough to cover. But I don't think that an expose on Steve Jobs (if that is what this movie is even about) is interesting. Oh well.
 

paradox00

macrumors 65816
Sep 29, 2009
1,411
827
so Apple isnt being opportunistic by building their products in China? right

Opportunistic in the broadest use of the term, yes. Using hyperbole in that manner is childish and lame attempt at deflection though, even though Cook's comments wen't directed at his movie in particular.When you make claims that are completely false (Wages are an order of magnitude higher, and Apple monitors assemblers to make sure child labour isn't used), no one should take you seriously. Stick to facts if you want to make claims like that.
 

kdarling

macrumors P6
And how does Samsung do in this area? Nobody knows, because they refuse to let regulatory inspections of any of their factories. It's is documented fact that Samsung have employed child labour in the past. Unfortunately you feel they should be held to a different standard.

I never said anything of the sort. In fact, I didn't even bring up Samsung. You did.

Now that you mention them though, they and Apple have the same problem: little real control over what China factories do. China cleans up for audits, then goes back to regular business.

To help fight this, Samsung has paid to install facial recognition at third party suppliers to catch underage workers using someone else's identity, and has even cut off suppliers who still used underage workers. I haven't heard of Apple doing anything except the same old meaningless audits.

Why do you come here again?

Says the newbie whose short history of posts is almost entirely composed of insulting other members. I foresee a ban in your future if you don't clean up your act. Attack facts, not people.

Except no one would care if Sorkin said something about any other CEOs. He's selling his film about the biggest CEO of all time by attacking that CEO's next in line. That's why Sorkin singled him out.

No other CEO insulted Sorkin. If Cook hadn't said something, then Sorkin wouldn't have had a chance to respond.

Of course, it's in Apple's best interests to try to make Jobs' memory more positive. So it's understandable that he said something. Sorkin should not have been surprised.

So Apple switched manufacturers to maximize profits. How do you know that working conditions aren't better in these new factories? You don't.

Strawman. I never said anything about working conditions. Moreover, you don't know that they aren't worse. Now that you brought it up, a quick search finds:

"Long hours of overtime is just one of the many facets of poor working conditions in Apple's supplier factories. On March 9, more than 300 workers from Foxconn factories in Chengdu and Shenzhen were sent to the Quanta factory in Changshu to support the production of the Apple Watch. They were forced to sleep on a bus to Changshu because the factory did not have any space in its dormitory.

In order to get the watches to the markets by April 24, Apple demanded that other manufacturers provide workers to Quanta. Foxconn workers have been at Quanta Changshu since January. These workers, from Shenzhen, have been forced to produce watches in freezing temperatures, wearing only thin work uniforms. A Changshu hospital said that nearly 100 Quanta workers had become sick, among whom more than 10 had developed severe eczema.

Work 12 hours a day, sleep in a freezing dormitory at night. These are the conditions faced by the nearly 30,000 workers brought to Changshu over the past three months. Workers told me they are cold and worried about getting sick. They are also concerned that if they quit, they will not get their due wages."


- http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/newscast/435

Sounds worse than Foxconn.
 
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gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,565
a Hollywood writer using hyperbole and sensationalism in a dramatic response to something that has upset him?

no
(gasp)

;)

Sorkin's lies were taken at face value by many here on MacRumors. Even by Apple "fans" who defended 17 cent per hour wages - when clearly 17 cents per hour, if it wasn't a lie, would be (1) undefendable, and (2) would leave employees literally starving. Sorkin intended to cause damage with his lies, and he achieved it.

They both are "right" and entitled to their opinion. However, Tim shouldn't "judge" a movie without seeing it. I'm sure he wouldn't like people commenting on a new iPhone before using it themselves and referring to Apple as opportunistic.

Sorkin just goes in for the kill.

Sorkin just went for telling lies. Which lots of people here without any thought of their own accepted as truth.
 
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Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,421
As this has offended so many apple fans, how about this.

Sorkin gives his movie free to all apple fans that were offended

Cook gives all the offended fans a free iPhone.

So.... Who more concerned about $$$?

FYI: the reason i see this as comical is cause Cook has not even seen the movie...

And it's not libel, cause apple has cut ties with 3rd parties who used underage kids as a result of audits, and no doubt will continue to... You cannot say that kids have no or not working in apple sponsored factories at the moment.

I think most people are offended at the lie. Have you been at Foxconn? Do you honestly think Apple would knowingly work with a company that employed children for 17 cents an hour?
 
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gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,565
Holy crap If that statement about 17 cents an hour is true, something really needs to change.

Seriously. Use Google (or Bing) and search for information about wages in China. If I told you that McDonald's pays 50 cents an hour to employees in New York, would you say "Holy crap If that statement about 50 cents an hour is true, something really needs to change." or would you say "that's utter rubbish, there is no way that anyone in New York could live on 50 cents an hour". That's what it is. Utter rubbish. And if you did the slightest amount of informing yourself, you would know that.
 
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ErikGrim

macrumors 603
Jun 20, 2003
6,464
5,084
Brisbane, Australia
What an extremely petty and juvenile response from Sorkin. Cook was clearly talking about the Gibney hatchet job, and not this one. But seeing that he trudges out the patently false child labour accusations, I'm guessing this will be more of the same.

Really soured me on this movie, and I was even willing to look past the casting.
 
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MH01

Suspended
Feb 11, 2008
12,107
9,297
I think most people are offended at the lie. Have you been at Foxconn? Do you honestly think Apple would knowingly work with a company that employed children for 17 cents an hour?

Of course apple would not. Apple has cut ties with parties in the past who supplied underage labour.

The 17 cents if a plucked out of air number, it does not represent actual wages.
 

MH01

Suspended
Feb 11, 2008
12,107
9,297
And hence, a lie.

Given it was a verbal smackdown..... Yes!

Though, and I stress this, in a verbal smackdown it's the message that's important and not the facts. The message here is, wages are very low compared to US, hence opportunistic .

The 17cents is a made up figure on the spot. though does not matter, even if he quoted the exact number, people on here would be disproving it. Let's just assume the amount is X and way under the US average hourly wage.
 

warrior2000

macrumors 6502a
Sep 12, 2015
916
463
Given it was a verbal smackdown..... Yes!

Though, and I stress this, in a verbal smackdown it's the message that's important and not the facts. The message here is, wages are very low compared to US, hence opportunistic .

The 17cents is a made up figure on the spot. though does not matter, even if he quoted the exact number, people on here would be disproving it. Let's just assume the amount is X and way under the US average hourly wage.

Wrong. Any smack down that includes lies is simply.....lies.

Anyone can smack down by telling lies about someone. A true smackdown is when you Burn someone without LIES or EXAGERATIONS. Sorkin failed.
 
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Michael Goff

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Jul 5, 2012
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Given it was a verbal smackdown..... Yes!

Though, and I stress this, in a verbal smackdown it's the message that's important and not the facts. The message here is, wages are very low compared to US, hence opportunistic .

The 17cents is a made up figure on the spot. though does not matter, even if he quoted the exact number, people on here would be disproving it. Let's just assume the amount is X and way under the US average hourly wage.

And let's also assume it costs less to live in China. Oh, and let's assume lying in any instance makes your words have less value.
 

flat five

macrumors 603
Feb 6, 2007
5,580
2,657
newyorkcity
And hence, a lie.
it's not a lie.. it comes off as a lie to you since you're stuck on talking his words at simplistic levels.

put the true number in there and the same exact message -- the one you're missing -- still comes true..

"Third, if you've got a factory full of children in China assembling phones for $1.50 an hour you've got a lot of nerve calling someone else opportunistic."

Sorkin says "how dare you call me opportunistic when, being the leader of the largest corporation in the world, is by very definition.. far more opportunistic than a hollywood writer ever could be considered."

he's saying "Tim, you are a hypocrite" ...just in a more dramatic way.

----
your 'analysis', albeit correct, misses the point of the exchange..srry
 

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
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it's not a lie.. it comes off as a lie to you since you're stuck on talking his words at simplistic levels.

put the true number in there and the same exact message -- the one you're missing -- still comes true..

"Third, if you've got a factory full of children in China assembling phones for $1.50 an hour you've got a lot of nerve calling someone else opportunistic."

Sorkin says "how dare you call me opportunistic when, being the leader of the largest corporation in the world, is by very definition.. far more opportunistic than a hollywood writer ever could be considered."

he's saying "Tim, you are a hypocrite" ...just in a more dramatic way.

----
your 'analysis', albeit correct, misses the point of the exchange..srry

Simplistic is saying his words should be factually correct? Either use facts with your comebacks, or they mean nothing. It's a lie because it's a lie. Stop trying to defend a lie.

Edit: As for me missing the point, his words have no point beyond "he did it too!"
 
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flat five

macrumors 603
Feb 6, 2007
5,580
2,657
newyorkcity
Simplistic is saying his words should be factually correct? Either use facts with your comebacks, or they mean nothing. It's a lie because it's a lie. Stop trying to defend a lie.
i'm not defending a lie.. i already acknowledge it's not factual.. i definitely think sorkin knows chinese workers make more than 17¢ an hour..

it is a lie.. especially from your point of view.

but

so what.. it doesn't matter and is nothing to do with what is being said by either tim cook or aaron sorkin.. you're arguing about something that doesn't exist to any of the involved parties.

do you at least understand that i'm not talking about 17¢ and am trying to explain something different to you other than the single thing you're stuck on discussing?
 
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samcraig

macrumors P6
Jun 22, 2009
16,779
41,982
USA
Simplistic is saying his words should be factually correct? Either use facts with your comebacks, or they mean nothing. It's a lie because it's a lie. Stop trying to defend a lie.

Edit: As for me missing the point, his words have no point beyond "he did it too!"


So Tim calling people opportunistic is a fact?
 

flat five

macrumors 603
Feb 6, 2007
5,580
2,657
newyorkcity
Edit: As for me missing the point, his words have no point beyond "he did it too!"
heh.. well, at least you get it now.
that's actually what is being said by sorkin.. or- "he did it at a scale greater than i"

why you think a.sorkin must be saying something more profound than that is beyond me.. he threw a stone, media picked up on it, people go wild over it.. ie- the exact formula as reality t.v.. not worth getting too caught up in if you ask me.
 

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,421
i'm not defending a lie.. i already acknowledge it's not factual.. i definitely think sorkin knows chinese workers make more than 17¢ an hour..

it is a lie.. especially from your point of view.

but

so what.. it doesn't matter and is nothing to do with what is being said by either tim cook or aaron sorkin.. you're arguing about something that doesn't exist to any of the involved parties.

do you at least understand that i'm not talking about 17¢ and am trying to explain something different to you other than the single thing you're stuck on discussing?

Except you responded back to me when I was talking about it. And the fact that you don't care about facts is irrelevant. Some of us have integrity.

So Tim calling people opportunistic is a fact?

Nope.

heh.. well, at least you get it now.
that's actually what is being said by sorkin.. or- "he did it at a scale greater than i"

why you think a.sorkin must be saying something more profound than that is beyond me.. he threw a stone, media picked up on it, people go wild over it.. ie- the exact formula as reality t.v.. not worth getting too caught up in if you ask me.

And as such, his words are both worthless and pointless. And he shouldn't have been given the time of day to spew his stupid.
 

flat five

macrumors 603
Feb 6, 2007
5,580
2,657
newyorkcity
Except you responded back to me when I was talking about it. And the fact that you don't care about facts is irrelevant. Some of us have integrity.

well, you're doing exactly what you're arguing against.. somehow, you're proclaiming as fact that i don't care about facts.. and that couldn't be further from the truth.

following your same style of logic, i now deem you a liar and discount everything you've said as b.s.

for clarity- i'm not saying "you-> m.goff.. are a liar!"
i'm just sayin is all.
 

aaronazevedo

macrumors newbie
Jun 10, 2008
10
3
San Diego, CA
"Third, if you've got a factory full of children in China assembling phones for 17 cents an hour you've got a lot of nerve calling someone else opportunistic."

Ouch... that hurts !

It would only hurt if the man had a clue what he was commenting on. I've been manufacturing product in China for 25 years and its getting so expensive that Mexico and the US are interesting options now. When are people going to get a clue and realize what Global Capitalism is all about?

Sorkin's lies were taken at face value by many here on MacRumors. Even by Apple "fans" who defended 17 cent per hour wages - when clearly 17 cents per hour, if it wasn't a lie, would be (1) undefendable, and (2) would leave employees literally starving. Sorkin intended to cause damage with his lies, and he achieved it.

$0.17 an hour is $27.20 a month. This is wrong, stupid,and frankly a lie. i've worked in china for 25 years in 'lesser" industries than electronics. The average annual salary for a factory worker in China is between $600 - $900 a month. Or in hourly terms - $3.50 - $4.80 an hour. Anyone who quotes differently is talking about decades old numbers or factories who are below standard compliance levels. I can tell you first hand that Apple is well beyond standard compliance and pays better than average. Sorkin is a liar.

Well, I can tell you a reliable fact. Sorkin is both childish and ignorant. I live in China and Foxconn is the factory that I wanted to go in. But I failed. Because I failed the entrance test. Foxconn averagely pays 4000RMB a month, which is 627USD. And normal work hours is 8 hours/day. And you work 5 days a week. So for one day, you get 4000/20days=200RMB/day. And 200RMB/8hours=25RMB/hours, which is 3.9USD/hours. In China we consider it is good pay already. And the best part is most people proactively ask for more and more extra work. Because if you work one additional hour you get twice as much as your regular salary! And Foxconn has movie theater and ball rooms and swimming pools and libraries and lots of good stuff for its employees! Come on, Americans! Chinese controlled media and news agencies basically hate America over your attitude toward Taiwan an Japan. So they try as hard as they could to black mouth American companies and if Sorkin's words are true, it will be all over the Chinese media and Apple will face serious lawsuit in China. Today, in China most people except for famers are well paid. Sorkin doesn't have the slightest idea about China, yet he make unfounded claims not based on facts. Only Americans he can fool!

jayisblessed - thank you, Sir. Nice to see another one on here who knows the truth. Keep it up!
 
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ErikGrim

macrumors 603
Jun 20, 2003
6,464
5,084
Brisbane, Australia
"Third, if you've got a factory full of children in China assembling phones for $1.50 an hour you've got a lot of nerve calling someone else opportunistic."
Let me help you with that:

"Third, if your contractor's got a factory full of adults1 in China assembling phones for $1.85-$2.502 an hour, which is a reasonable salary compared to the living cost in the district3, you've got a lot of nerve calling someone else opportunistic."


SOURCE 1: "Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) has raised the age requirements for recruitment at its plants in Zhengzhou, China from 18-40 to 23-40, which some market watchers believe is meant to accelerate its progress to automation."

SOURCE 2
: "An average Foxconn worker has a monthly salary of around RMB 2,000 (US$326). But with overtime pay, their actual take-home can end up being as high as RMB 3,000 or 4,000 a month (US$489-$652)."

SOURCE 3: "2014 urban resident average expenditure was 2,543 RMB, but the included living costs (253 RMB) does not include housing purchase or construction costs."
 
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flat five

macrumors 603
Feb 6, 2007
5,580
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newyorkcity
Let me help you with that:

"Third, if you've got a factory full of adults1 in China assembling phones for $1.85-$2.502 an hour, which is a reasonable salary compared to the living cost in the district3, you've got a lot of nerve calling someone else opportunistic."

right.. but so what.
he could of said "Third, if you've got a factory full of slaves in China assembling phones for zero pay you've got a lot of nerve calling someone else opportunistic."

..his same point has been made.. a greater sense of sensationalism but still the exact same point.

you're simply failing to recognize what sorkin said and are far too concerned with how he said it..
 
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