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Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

thefp.com

11–20 of 57 posts

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is great information and everything, but it seems like you're deflecting. Your smartphone was still made by child labor.

I think his point is that given the context that everything is involved with child labor somehow, pointing out just one particular item isn't very helpful. More nuances about iphone being a luxury brand and therefore less justifiable and more "disgusting" can be added. But like how you said it above, it doesn't change the fact that the very economy and the comfort we are enjoying partly come from child labor.

I am giving the GP the benefit of the doubt and don't think they are engaging in child labor whataboutism, but I also think they should write in a way that does not invite the qualification of "I think his point is...".

>pointing out just one particular item isn't very helpful

It absolutely is. And pointing out more is even better!

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think his point is that given the context that everything is involved with child labor somehow, pointing out just one particular item isn't very helpful. More nuances about iphone being a luxury brand and therefore less justifiable and more "disgusting" can be added. But like how you said it above, it doesn't change the fact that the very economy and the comfort we are enjoying partly come from child labor.

I am giving the GP the benefit of the doubt and don't think they are engaging in child labor whataboutism, but I also think they should write in a way that does not invite the qualification of "I think his point is...". >pointing out just one particular item isn't very helpful It absolutely is. And pointing out more is even better!

> It absolutely is. And pointing out more is even better.

I don’t see how.

If I point out your PC, car, house, office, etc are all likely built in some small way from child labor you’re going to do what exactly?

There’s plenty of documentation for many egregious cases, but when you look at the full supply chain for anything it quickly starts to look like the global economy as a whole. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-o...

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#14
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am giving the GP the benefit of the doubt and don't think they are engaging in child labor whataboutism, but I also think they should write in a way that does not invite the qualification of "I think his point is...". >pointing out just one particular item isn't very helpful It absolutely is. And pointing out more is even better!

> It absolutely is. And pointing out more is even better. I don’t see how. If I point out your PC, car, house, office, etc are all likely built in some small way from child labor you’re going to do what exactly? There’s plenty of documentation for many egregious cases, but when you look at the full supply chain for anything it quickly starts to look like the global economy as a whole. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ila…

And are the deplorable conditions suddenly a-ok the day they turn 18?

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#15
post #14
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It absolutely is. And pointing out more is even better. I don’t see how. If I point out your PC, car, house, office, etc are all likely built in some small way from child labor you’re going to do what exactly? There’s plenty of documentation for many egregious cases, but when you look at the full supply chain for anything it quickly starts to look like the global economy as a whole. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ila…

And are the deplorable conditions suddenly a-ok the day they turn 18?

Child labor is somewhat orthogonal to deplorable conditions. Child actors can easily fit the definition.

There’s also an unfortunate cultural bias where people may view for example Amish children skipping school to take in a harvest as perfectly acceptable when kids in developing economies doing the same things are suddenly not.

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#16
post #15
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And are the deplorable conditions suddenly a-ok the day they turn 18?

Child labor is somewhat orthogonal to deplorable conditions. Child actors can easily fit the definition. There’s also an unfortunate cultural bias where people may view for example Amish children skipping school to take in a harvest as perfectly acceptable when kids in developing economies doing the same things are suddenly not.

It's a symptom of a larger disease. Focus on the disease, not the symptom.

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#18
post #16
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Child labor is somewhat orthogonal to deplorable conditions. Child actors can easily fit the definition. There’s also an unfortunate cultural bias where people may view for example Amish children skipping school to take in a harvest as perfectly acceptable when kids in developing economies doing the same things are suddenly not.

It's a symptom of a larger disease. Focus on the disease, not the symptom.

You lost me, how do Child Actors fit into your analogy? Or do you mean curtail bias?

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is great information and everything, but it seems like you're deflecting. Your smartphone was still made by child labor.

I think his point is that given the context that everything is involved with child labor somehow, pointing out just one particular item isn't very helpful. More nuances about iphone being a luxury brand and therefore less justifiable and more "disgusting" can be added. But like how you said it above, it doesn't change the fact that the very economy and the comfort we are enjoying partly come from child labor.

Who here is looking to be helped on this particular issue?

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#20

Child labor in the… Fashion and footwear industry: https://labs.theguardian.com/unicef-child-labour/ Shrimp processing: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/dec/14/s... Mining: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangk... And everything else: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-o...

In some of these countries, going to school might give you a less prosperous life. How should the typical westerner deal with these facts?

Hold the corps to account, vote with your wallet, demand that they reinvest profits in education and betterment and development of these geographic areas.
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