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Anyone considering NOT buying in light of Foxconn riot?

L

LYFK

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 24, 2007
139
1
I know it sounds naive in a, '1st world problem' kind of way, but the Foxconn riot happened so quickly after launch, that I couldn't help but feel like even if consumers don't have direct influence over labor practices, we do condone them with our dollars.

I am seriously considering canceling my order. What should I do? Anyone else out there feel this way? Is anyone holding an iP5 and feeling the slightest bit of guilt?
 
By buying my phone I am supporting a worker....the conditions may not be the best, but he has a job, and gets to live, eat and not worry....unlike a lot of people in our country.
 
LYFK said:
I know it sounds naive in a, '1st world problem' kind of way, but the Foxconn riot happened so quickly after launch, that I couldn't help but feel like even if consumers don't have direct influence over labor practices, we do condone them with our dollars.

I am seriously considering canceling my order. What should I do? Anyone else out there feel this way? Is anyone holding an iP5 and feeling the slightest bit of guilt?
Click to expand...

go ahead and cancel your order. This'll just free up another phone for the rest of us.

Do I feel for the workers? Sure I do. Am I gonna deny myself iPhone 5? Nope. Cause one phone is not going to make any difference for them. THis is just posturing so you can feel better about yourself. You're not going to help them by not purchasing a phone.
 
LYFK said:
I know it sounds naive in a, '1st world problem' kind of way, but the Foxconn riot happened so quickly after launch, that I couldn't help but feel like even if consumers don't have direct influence over labor practices, we do condone them with our dollars.

I am seriously considering canceling my order. What should I do? Anyone else out there feel this way? Is anyone holding an iP5 and feeling the slightest bit of guilt?
Click to expand...

If you read into the story, you'd realize that it was simply a guard who beat up a worker from another province out of pure racism and discrimination; the cancellation of your order won't fix those human beings with messed up minds.
 
To be honest, I don't think I'll feel better if I cancel the order, because I own plenty of Apple products. This is an honest expression of a moral question / ethical dilemma.

I just wanted to know how you all felt, so I could tell where I sat in the bigger scheme of things. I know that my purchase is a drop in the ocean, but it doesn't make it feel any less troubling.

*also wrt to the reasons for the riot, I understand that the issue will always be more complex and that many factors simply aren't related. But at the same time, I don't know that further education on the matter is actually making me feel any better about it. Stupid, I know.
 
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JS82712 said:
If you read into the story, you'd realize that it was simply a guard who beat up a worker from another province out of pure racism and discrimination; the cancellation of your order won't fix those human beings with messed up minds.
Click to expand...

^^

This

China and it's cultural differences are a world apart from us in the west. I take the view that at least I'm helping in some small way to get help for families stuck on the land, and unable to earn enough to feed and clothe their children.

Many Foxconn employees are there for just that reason...To support family and relatives back in the rurual areas of China. No, the working conditons and pay are not what any of us would consider fair in the west, but they are employed, and a $ goes a long way in China.

I hope in years to come that things will change, but that is a political discussion and belongs in the PRSI boards.
 
Several consumer electronics items are made at Foxconn. They make components for Microsoft, HP, electronics in automobiles and household electronics. You might have many more products that came from Foxconn than you realize. I'll gladly take all of them off your hands. :)
 
Why would anybody feel bad about that riot from buying an iPhone 5?

If those employees don't want to work for Foxconn then they should quit. If you don't buy an iPhone and buy some other smartphone, chances are you'll be "supporting" the same or worse manufacturer regarding workers' pay or work conditions.

Apple is responsible for leading the pay increases at Foxconn. AFAIK Dell, HP, etc haven't voluntarily increased those factory employee salaries like Apple has.

Go ahead and don't buy an iPhone. You'll just make the workers even poorer or have them less an ability for a better life.
 
I think if I had to narrow my reasoning down, it would be because the working conditions and the final product are so far removed from each other, that its a bit of a shock to the system.

You watch an iPhone video or commercial, and you only ever see machines working on iPhones, never people in factories.

We all feel like we know what overseas manufacturing is all about, but for the first time, I feel like it's starting to wear me down in a strange alienating kind of way.
 
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^^^

You will also find that just about all major consumer electronics are manufactured in China...Logic Boards for PC's, television sets, hard drives and DVD equipment...All made there. A sudden boycott is not likely to improve the situation one iota.
 
Doesn't Foxconn build the Xbox 360? I love about when you hear about Foxconn all people think is "Oh thats Apple's factory".
 
LYFK said:
To be honest, I don't think I'll feel better if I cancel the order, because I own plenty of Apple products. This is an honest expression of a moral question / ethical dilemma.

I just wanted to know how you all felt, so I could tell where I sat in the bigger scheme of things. I know that my purchase is a drop in the ocean, but it doesn't make it feel any less troubling.

*also wrt to the reasons for the riot, I understand that the issue will always be more complex and that many factors simply aren't related. But at the same time, I don't know that further education on the matter is actually making me feel any better about it. Stupid, I know.
Click to expand...

Tens of millions Americans are unemployed. No food, no money, no health care, only guns. I wish people wound't buy imported phones, i.e., most of android phones. :eek:
 
the white knight is strong in this one. srsly? iphone 5 isnt exactly blood diamonds brah.
 
Thanks for the honest replies. I'm not trying to justify things one way or the other. I think I just needed to hear people's thoughts and opinions. It's pretty hard to imagine my life without technology, but I'm slowly losing my excitement for it when so much happens on the production side that it makes me uncomfortable.
 
Seriously? Foxconn is not the sole manufacturing plant for iPhones and they fon't solely create iPhones. Keep in mind, these workers make their living off of what they do in these factories. Without the demand for the product, they dont have to make the supply and they lose their jobs. Im not saying that we are supplying them jobs by buying iphones, but im saying that without people buying electronics made by Foxconn then they lose all income - this isnt a human rights issue here
 
LYFK said:
Thanks for the honest replies. I'm not trying to justify things one way or the other. I think I just needed to hear people's thoughts and opinions. It's pretty hard to imagine my life without technology, but I'm slowly losing my excitement for it when so much happens on the production side that it makes me uncomfortable.
Click to expand...

I still do not understand why you feel that supporting the Chinese economy is a negative for Chinese factory workers.

Most nations would do almost anything to get Apple's business. Apple's business alone would have a material effect on the GDP of most nations.

A hope for most nations towards prosperity is to attract outside investment and capital.
 
LYFK said:
I just wanted to know how you all felt, so I could tell where I sat in the bigger scheme of things. I know that my purchase is a drop in the ocean, but it doesn't make it feel any less troubling.

*also wrt to the reasons for the riot, I understand that the issue will always be more complex and that many factors simply aren't related. But at the same time, I don't know that further education on the matter is actually making me feel any better about it. Stupid, I know.
Click to expand...

At first I couldn't tell if this thread was serious but now that I see it is, you are truly one of the last of a dying breed.
 
Those are the best paying jobs in China for the masses.

Do I feel guilty about all the Apple products I own? Nope, not at all.

If Apple (and the other tech companies) would move all those jobs to the U.S. (which is impossible because the labor market could not sustain those numbers), then the economy of China would collapse, followed by our economy. It is all linked together now.
 
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