SHOULD YOU FEEL GUILTY FOR BUYING YOUR IPHONE?
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/31/tech/gaming-gadgets/apple-boycott-commentary/index.html
I read the article “Should you feel guilty for buying your iPhone?” This article was really fascinating to read. It talked about how people in China who work at Foxconn are protesting because of the work conditions they are forced to be in. It talked about how some employees have commit suicide due to the horrible work environment. I did not know that there were such conditions. When you think of the iPhone you think of luxury because it is a very luxurious product but you don’t realize what is happening to make it so amazing for its users.
I recently learned about an experiment called “the milgram experiment” The milgram experiment came to mind while reading this article because in a way they are very similar. The milgram experiment had two participants involved in each trial. One participant was the learner and one was the teacher. The teacher would ask a series of questions and for every wrong answer the learner provided an electrical volt would shock them little did the teacher know that the learner was not actually getting shocked, the voices the teacher heard were recorded. Just because the teacher was told to do it they would continue all the way up to 450 volts which is quite strong for a person to be receiving. It shows a lot about human nature that each person kept going and giving these poor people shocks just because they were told too.
I think this is a similar example just because we all want the iPhone we are forcing people to work in these awful places and they barely make any money from it. So what does that say about our human nature? Are we that self absorbed in having the latest and greatest technology, that we cant even take a minute to recognize what is going on in China.
I
know that for months I have wanted to get an iPhone because it is the most
popular phone on the market but after reading this I am reconsidering. I think this issue should be brought to
attention. I have an upgrade in a
few months and I will be watching to see the progress that Apple makes with
this issue.
Jensen- This was really interesting to read because I also knew nothing about what was going on in China. I have an Iphone and I love it but after reading your blog about this article it does change things. As soon as I started reading this article my Iphone kept going off and all I did was look at it in shock. It is too bad that people do this to others just because they are told. I agree with you that this isusse should be brought to attention and taken care of because this is just not right.
ReplyDeleteJensen,
ReplyDeleteGreat summary of the article sounds very interesting and I had no idea about these issues. I also have an iPhone and use it every day, all day but not once in the four years that I've had one have I thought about where it came from and who had made it? Last year we learned about the Milgram experiment as well, it was tough to watch. Imagining these people struggling like the people in the experiment makes me reconsider my next phone choice as well. Unfortunately most of the products we use and sell here in the US are made all over the world. It is a shame that we can't produce these products here and keep track of the working conditions for employees such as those that are struggling so we can play "words with friends" or make a simple phone call.