Tim Cook Expresses Thoughts on Equality in Auburn University Award Speech

[Woyzeck]

What a great speech!

I've not seen a video of Tim Cook before and I am positively impressed by his heartfelt words. How or why people would disagree with his message is beyond me.

Certainly their are people who have experienced discrimination at Apple. A business consists of people and many people will stubbornly continue to harbor prejudices, bigotry and hatreds and act on them despite the intentions of leadership whether in a business, government, church or family.

Tim Cook seems to genuinely believe in the principles and practice of equal opportunity. I wish that I could work for him or someone like him. Believe me, there are plenty of bad bosses out there who make life miserable for their employees. Here is someone who evangelizes for the respect, dignity and proper treatment of people regardless of who they are.

What kind of drug are you on ? I mean, really, we all know that Apple is earning a fortune with their products and part of their business model is that they squeeze out as much as possible from their suppliers, even knowing that the conditions for their employees are far beyond the acceptable level even in China.

Cook knows this and it would be easy for him to change it. Apple is sitting on a huge heap of money, so there's no business reason that could justify this behaviour. They'd still make their profits, no doubt.

Steve Jobs was an ***hole, but he never tried to mimick te good guy. Under his rule he pulled Apple out of every charity, which was an honest statement about what matters to him.

So if Cook is really interested in equality then he should rethink his supply chain and - as others should - start paying taxes.

 

[gnasher729]

First, you need to set up a working mobile phone network. I doubt there's any reception in the middle of the savanna.

And don't forget electricity for charging.

Oh well. Try to google for "mobile phones in africa", something obvious to do _before_ you join into a discussion here. You will find for example this CNN article with the headline "Seven ways how mobile phones changed lives in Africa":

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/13/world/africa/mobile-phones-change-africa/index.html

 

[Rogifan]

Yeah maybe Hilary will fix it in 2016 when she wins.

If by "fix it" you mean amnesty, then yes you're correct.

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What kind of drug are you on ? I mean, really, we all know that Apple is earning a fortune with their products and part of their business model is that they squeeze out as much as possible from their suppliers, even knowing that the conditions for their employees are far beyond the acceptable level even in China.

Cook knows this and it would be easy for him to change it. Apple is sitting on a huge heap of money, so there's no business reason that could justify this behaviour. They'd still make their profits, no doubt.

Steve Jobs was an ***hole, but he never tried to mimick te good guy. Under his rule he pulled Apple out of every charity, which was an honest statement about what matters to him.

So if Cook is really interested in equality then he should rethink his supply chain and - as others should - start paying taxes.

I wasn't aware that Tim Cook didn't pay taxes.

 

[Technarchy]

In the places still needing charity, no it hasn't. You think an African child dying from lack of water needs a MacBook Pro?

Engineers use computers to design wells, medicine, roads, trucks and infrastructure that get materials to impoverished people everyday.

 

[Happybunny]

I again notice that as soon as any person puts forward an idea to help another group of people.
A large proportion of American citizens will get angry, with the cries of, “Not on my dime”, “I didn’t get that type of help, therefore nobody should”, “We should only help our own kind”.

 

[Shrink]

I again notice that as soon as any person puts forward an idea to help another group of people.
A large proportion of American citizens will get angry, with the cries of, “Not on my dime”, “I didn’t get that type of help, therefore nobody should”, “We should only help our own kind”.

We here in the US just overflow with Weltschmertz, don't you think?

 

[Happybunny]

We here in the US just overflow with Weltschmertz, don't you think?

No I put it down to down right, meanness and spitefulness with a large helping of pettiness.

 

[kds1]

I
3. HR is there to protect the company, not the employees, and certainly not contractors

This.

HR is NOT your friend. They act like they are, but, they are not. It's very disingenuous.

 

[Shrink]

No I put it down to down right, meanness and spitefulness with a large helping of pettiness.

Easy, Mate...my post was meant ironically

 

[imageWIS]

Glaringly missing at Apple: PAY EQUALITY !

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This.

HR is NOT your friend. They act like they are, but, they are not. It's very disingenuous.

Not only is HR not your friend, they are the enemy!

 

[iSunrise]

If Cook would actually care about humanity, why doesn´t he take bigger steps in making sure there are no underage workers (and by that I mean fire the people responsible for letting that happen) and pay the workers who actually build their "amazing products" the money they really deserve. This is like accepted slavery, but hidden behind a curtain.

A speech about equality is nice and all, and he probably also means well personally, but from a business and humanity perspective, Cook still has a lot to learn.

I bet Bill Gates has already given more money to people who actually need it in his life, which makes him a lot more likeable, even if MS as a company isn´t really comparable.

It´s sad that companies who make a lot of profit, completely lose the human touch and forget about why they are actually able to pump out these devices in mass.

 

[NewbieCanada]

So, how would an employee of Apple's ever even know if they were fired for being gay?

If you work in a place where there are lots of gay employees, both above and below you on the ladder and you get fired, it's not because you're gay.

 

[ctyrider]

Why the snide remarks? Many near-deserted areas are about the size of Switzerland - if not larger - and to cover that space you need more than a couple of cell towers.

Also, I've lived in the US and there are a lot of areas with absolutely no health cell phone coverage at all. How developed is that?

Yes and? Because under-developed parts of the world cover large territories - does that mean technology is helpless to improve things? Or should technology leaders not use their resources and influence to help less fortunate?

What exactly is your point?

 

[mobilehaathi]

Easy, Mate...my post was meant ironically

The tip-off was using a word I expect most Americans don't know. It's some Nazi thing right?

 

[69650]

Sounds like maybe he's planning to hand over the Apple CEO job and run for Congress instead.

 

[Huntn]

Companies SHOULD take a stance on social issues. Gives you a better idea who you're dealing with and where to not spend your money.

But what happens when it eats into their max profits, they have second thoughts?

 

[DisMyMac]

Hooking people on tools they can't fix is pure slavery. It's not just about Apple -- most folks can't build a wrench or an abacus if they had to.

We'd better hope Apple sticks around, or else pray that these "gifts from the gods" never break.

 

[9000]

Mobile phones are the most important technological tool in poor areas in Africa. Imagine being able to use a phone to find out where water is available. Most important, mobile phones are used to find out the conditions on markets, whether goods are available for sale, or are required.

But not iPhones.

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The reason that child is dying from lack of clean water is because of a lack of technology.

Lack of a government that isn't corrupt or in a civil war.

 

[Klae17]

"...advancing humanity". Haha. God bless America™. He works for a company that makes computers...

He does more than you do. Tim is badass at charity. How many people has the ipad alone helped? Blind, autistic, children, elderly, and third world countries. You lack the imagination and facts of Apple's impact on the world and on advancing humanity.

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But not iPhones.

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Lack of a government that isn't corrupt or in a civil war.

Technology has always been an aid to overthrowing a corrupt government.

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So, you care about humanity, eh? Then lower your margins.

Should every company do this then? You seriously think millions of Americans that would be saving money will actually donate that money to humanity? We are greedy bastards, just as you have demonstrated.

 

[IbisDoc]

Tim is using his position as the leader of the world's largest consumer electronics company to ensure equality in the installation of suicide netting for all third world slave laborers, regardless of race, color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.

 

[Bubba Satori]

In the places still needing charity, no it hasn't. You think an African child dying from lack of water needs a MacBook Pro?

No, not a MacBook Pro. Something better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUXkL3866GqDBo5ZhVgzESwA&v=Eck9Hp0DPgA

 

[hafr]

If you work in a place where there are lots of gay employees, both above and below you on the ladder and you get fired, it's not because you're gay.

Even if you work in a place where there are lots of gay employees on all levels, there is still no guarantee that you aren't the only gay person your boss has the authority to fire, or that it's the openness of being gay that got you fired (i.e. gay colleagues "act more like straight people", i.e. aren't talking about that specific part of their personal life with colleagues)...

It's like when people say "I'm not a racist, because I have a black friend" as defence for saying the most ignorant things ever about arabs.

 

[Sandstorm]

I truly believe Tim is genuinely and simply a good person.

 

[Traverse]

I don't think he is as evil as many people try to make him out to be.

 

[69650]

See, the reality is that most people in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, etc, don't just sit around on the street waiting to starve. They have jobs, and children, and families. They make only the equivalent of a couple dollars a day in most cases, and many of them have been spending a substantial fraction of that on kerosene to burn in lamps so they can see to work at night, or so their kids can do their homework in hopes of getting a better education.

I spent a fair bit of time in Kenya through my fathers work with the UN and I have to say it's a wonderful place. The people are warm and friendly even though most live in what we in the west would consider to be terrible poverty. I felt safer in Nairobi than I do in some parts of the UK.

I do wish corporations like Apple would invest more in Africa instead of channeling everything through China, to at least give these people a fighting chance to develop their economies and raise their standard of living. The Chinese are investing billions in Africa but all they are really doing is asset stripping their natural resources in return for building a few roads and so forth. Once the resources have gone the Chinese will leave.