Foxconn Employee Reportedly Commits Suicide Over Lost iPhone Prototype

[Antares]

Any person who commits suicide is weak, no matter what the reason.

I agree. Weak minded and selfish. At least in the western world-view. In some cultures, suicide is an honorable thing to do....which I would never agree with. Face your troubles and work through them. Suicide should never be an option.

This employee's suicide clearly had to do with the Chinese cultural norms of committing suicide with failure or disgrace. Apple has a right to secrecy, as any company does. The fact that the product was an Apple product is mere coincidence. This has nothing to do with Apple...but instead, Chinese culture.

 

[guzhogi]

I feel like this has less to do with "Apple's secretive nature" and more to do with the importance of honor in Asian cultures. This is not the first time a suicide has taken place in China over someone failing at their job. Remember the toys with the led paint about a year ago? The CEO (I think) hanged himself in his office over that. It happens, and even though it was over an Apple product, it had nothing to do with Apple, it was Foxconn. I wouldn't be surprised if the same happened over a product for another company.

I agree that honor probably plays a role in this. In the USA, it seems like a lot of people are more concerned about money, they don't care if someone in a different country is exploited. Also, so many people in the US seem to think that being different is inherently wrong and should be destroyed. Honor seems so unimportant to so many people here in the US.

 

[armoguy94]

Looks like Apple supports modern day sweatshops. Reminds me of Nike back in the day.

It's clear that Apple will do anything for money, now.

 

[MacCheetah3]

Hi

You have to wonder what he thought was going to happen to him.

Chinese companies ( management ) seem to have some ethical issues. What could possibly be the average punishment for someone to think they'd be better off killing themselves? Something out of a horror / drama flick. I'll cross Asia off my places of possible employment.

NOTE: Some humor was intended.

 

[guzhogi]

I agree. Weak minded and selfish. At least in the western world-view. In some cultures, suicide is an honorable thing to do....which I would never agree with. Face your troubles and work through them. Suicide should never be an option.

This employee's suicide clearly had to do with the Chinese cultural norms of committing suicide with failure or disgrace. Apple has a right to secrecy, as any company does. The fact that the product was an Apple product is mere coincidence. This has nothing to do with Apple...but instead, Chinese culture.

Personally, I don't know about suicide. I don't know if it's a good thing, a bad thing, or just a thing , not inherently good/bad about it. I think it's just the specific culture that makes it good or bad. I also feel that there are many things far worse than death.

 

[JGowan]

Why would there be prototype phones on a factory line on July 9? Wouldn't they be production phones by then? Or is something else coming along soon?

Great question... I thought it EXTREMELY ODD and VERY UNLIKELY that some mid-20s Chinese youth would be possession of something so highly valuable. That crap stays locked up tight behind multiple security check points/card swipe doors 4 inches thick ... cameras ... guards ... Steve ...

How would Sun have these?

 

[Veinticinco]

I agree. Weak minded and selfish. At least in the western world-view. In some cultures, suicide is an honorable thing to do....which I would never agree with. Face your troubles and work through them. Suicide should never be an option.

But that's why they're termed cultural differences - if it's not your culture, your opinion and judgment on whether they're right or wrong is irrelevant. Not to mention ignorant.

 

[MacFly123]

Yes, very sad whenever someone chooses to go this route. Don't know what else to say really, I think there isn't much of finger pointing to do but a combination of several things culminating into a sad ending.

 

[BittenApple]

The conclusion from the handful of people I’ve spoken with in China about the matter all seems to run along the same lines: People like Sun are pretty helpless when things go wrong in Apple’s supply chain. Here’s how Steven Lin, a Chinese blogger and marketer, put it:
Students [like Sun] have been studying in schools for years, and they have been carefully protected by their parents. They can’t endure such pressure - ‘their house being illegally searched,’ or ‘house arrests’ (if that’s true, according some reports news). Employees at these and other factories sometimes kill themselves simply because of the pressure from their daily jobs — you know what’s going to happen when they face more serious threats. Also, most young Chinese guys don’t have friends who are lawyers, so they don’t know how to protect themselves in the legal system. They won’t even look for help from the legal system. They will just endure the pressure, and finally find an extreme way to end all their troubles.

http://digital.venturebeat.com/2009...-chinese-worker-investigated-commits-suicide/

 

[gilkisson]

I agree. Weak minded and selfish. At least in the western world-view. In some cultures, suicide is an honorable thing to do....which I would never agree with. Face your troubles and work through them. Suicide should never be an option.

This employee's suicide clearly had to do with the Chinese cultural norms of committing suicide with failure or disgrace. Apple has a right to secrecy, as any company does. The fact that the product was an Apple product is mere coincidence. This has nothing to do with Apple...but instead, Chinese culture.

How is it *clear* at all? The story is just a story. Motives are by implication only. Even the nationality of the victim isn't *clear*.

I agree with you that Apple's involvement in the story is coincidental -- it could have been a prototype engine or flyswatter rather than an iPhone. But to blame the victim -- I don't see that. You cannot know if the man was weak, as you say, or selfish. The only thing known about him is, he's dead. Over a phone.

I can't make the leap to judgement that fast.

 

[haoqfu]

guys, this is quite a big news in China, and it is all over the place on major new sites. personally i don't think apple should be blamed for this. similar tragedies happen everywhere in China, and they just do not caught the public's attention or even not reported.

if china want truly to be respected and act as a leader, they need to resolve their human rights issues first. this tragedy is just a miniature of the big social environment. and btw, i'm chinese.

 

[spidermitch]

Before this devolves into the regular Apple vs. PC discussion...

Those who are blaming Apple and own Apple products should blame themselves. Your reasoning stands that Apple is the one forcing the secrecy on Foxconn, and you the consumer are forcing Apple to come up with better products than their competitors. So you're to blame for this!!

It is sad that a man took his own life. It happens all over the world for many reasons. Sixteen??? If he knew how important it was not to lose an iPhone, sixteen is really not that many to keep track of. 1600? Then you have a case, but sixteen?

And there is the rest of the story we may never know, like, he sold one on eBay and then couldn't handle the guilt. Said he "lost" it, but just cracked because he knew it wasn't true.

I'm just saying...

 

[whooleytoo]

I know, a real shame that. Ironic too as I often find swapping out logic boards and reapplying thermal paste is so much easier and quicker after a few scoops of Murphy's.

Very OT - but ironically in Apple US, many workers could have a beer as they worked, assuming they never took it to excess. In Ireland, it was very strictly prohibited (probably an instant dismissal). You'd almost think we had a reputation...

 

[Veinticinco]

I also feel that there are many things far worse than death.

Very true...

Oh the horror, the HORROR!!!!!

 

[eawmp1]

Nobody is saying that Apple is to blame. As for the comment "value honor over life" - to put it mildly is grossly insulting and insensitive, as well as down right ignorant.

The ARTICLE is linking Apple's business practices to the event. The implication is there for those to infer.

While it is difficult to boil a particular culture's view down ot a sound bite, I STAND by my statement. I interface with multiple cultures on a personal level and am culturally aware. You seem to have a problem with reading comprehension. I suggest not merely reacting to the written word, but rather letting what you read sink in, allowing you to graspe the intention of the writer, or the deeper meaning of the text.

 

[gilkisson]

Very true...

Oh the horror, the HORROR!!!!!

Oh, that was wrong on so many levels.....

 

[Shasterball]

In some cultures, suicide is an honorable thing to do....which I would never agree with. Face your troubles and work through them. Suicide should never be an option.

Different cultures; different points of view. There are a lot of situations (even some that seem easy to handle) which can be overwhelming to some (especially when they grow up living very sheltered and controlled lives).

 

[gamac]

But that's why they're termed cultural differences - if it's not your culture, your opinion and judgment on whether they're right or wrong is irrelevant. Not to mention ignorant.

(begin sarcasm) Like honor killings, or stoning someone to death for adultery, etc... (/end sarcasm)

No matter what the culture, some things are just wrong, so how about getting off your high horse.

NOTE: I personally think that everyone should have the right to take their own life. It is your life, the government does not own you (although most think they do). Terminal illness, extreme life-long pain, anquish over the death of a child, etc. are examples of why people might want to take their lives. However, if a person is dianosed as mentally ill they should be consoled and treated for the mental illness. I do not consider everyone who commits suicide to be mentally ill.

 

[Robbadore64]

And there is the rest of the story we may never know, like, he sold one on eBay and then couldn't handle the guilt. Said he "lost" it, but just cracked because he knew it wasn't true.

I'm just saying...

Yeah, I was thinking he just stole the thing, but as you and a few others have stated, we'll never know the whole story.

Sorry for the kid's family.

 

[theheadguy]

So if you weren't in fear for your life or safety, you were in fear for... your job? My job gives me access to lots of major companies' confidential information, and if I were to abuse that responsibility I'd be out of a job in a heartbeat. That doesn't make me uncomfortable - it's just a reality of working in a business where information is worth a lot. I guess I don't see your point.

It's more the Apple culture that I'm referring to, intimidation is part of the norm. It's not all smiles like you see in the commercials... it's also not as pleasant as I see a lot of people in the forum think it is. If you aren't willing to marry the products, there isn't a lot of reason to keep you there or put up with the ridiculous secrecy standards.

 

[aegisdesign]

Your proof is one dead Foxconn employee. Do you think would have played out in the same way if this was Nokia? Motorola? RIM? No.

Nokia makes it's smartphones in Finland still, not China, so 'no' for a different reason.

 

[Veinticinco]

Very OT - but ironically in Apple US, many workers could have a beer as they worked, assuming they never took it to excess. In Ireland, it was very strictly prohibited (probably an instant dismissal). You'd almost think we had a reputation...

I once worked in a very strictly controlled environment in the Netherlands, where a certain globally-famous lager was available free on draught in the canteen. Being half-Irish and half-English, suffice to say I was the butt of many a tiresome joke. I think deep down they were disappointed I didn't live up to their expectations and regularly lose control of my motor skills and bodily functions of an afternoon in the lab. Not as much as I was mind you, given the complete lack of porn and weed available.

 

[Shasterball]

Your proof is one dead Foxconn employee. Do you think would have played out in the same way if this was Nokia? Motorola? RIM? No.

This is based on... Please don't say something as ridiculous as "secrecy."

 

[jlseattle]

Companies that Apple chooses to deal with.....

I definitely think that Apple has some responsibility to choose vendors that don't bully their employees and such. If the employee lost the cell phone prototype and it is important to keep the prototypes under wraps than they should put GPS devices into the prototypes to keep track of them and make sure there are NDS agreements between employees and the company.

Bullying is not the right way to work through these types of issues.

 

[Shasterball]

Bullying is not the right way to work through these types of issues.

You don't think that many vendors Apple deals (in China or not) with put pressure on their employees to act in a way that will preserve the company's relationship with Apple?