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Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

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21–30 of 57 posts

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#21
post #9

I really hoped this was common knowledge. Guess it wasn't.

It's common knowledge for a lot of people, but there's new people reaching a state where they have compassion for others every day, that's a positive thing, thus we need to make this information available to them to understand what's wrong with the world.

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#22

Does this article contradict Apple's 2017 change in suppliers https://fortune.com/2017/03/03/apple-cobalt-child-labor/

This article says that 70% of Cobalt comes from the Congo and “no way” can they avoid the taint of this.

So no, they don’t care that Apple changed suppliers for Cobalt to avoid this very issue.

Also the recent news that Apple is aggressively pursuing 100% recycled Cobalt.

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#23
post #18
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Fever is a symptom. Viral pneumonia is a disease.

Child labor is a symptom. Unchecked hypercapitalism is a disease.

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#24

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.

Anything created under Capitalism is probably morally repulsive on one level or another. I vote to get rid of it entirely, if we can only come up with a better solution. For now, I personally try to participate as little as possible in it.

Disagree with me all you want, but if you reply with a point, I'll be honest with a counterpoint.

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#25
For those moaning about the title, the use of iPhone as an icon of uncaring capitalism is not the takeaway here.

The exploitation and ravaging of people and environments enabled by PR-friendly phrase-fiddling ("oh we only use virtuous suppliers") is.

Yes, it's classic clickbait, but more power to it if it brings eyes that would have otherwise passed by. Butthurt iPhone and smug Android owners alike will be snared in the trap, the brand is just the bait.

It has us, now read and consider.

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#26
post #23
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Fever is a symptom. Viral pneumonia is a disease. Child labor is a symptom. Unchecked hypercapitalism is a disease.

Child labor existed long before capitalism. If anything the correlation goes in the other direction with capitalism reducing child labor over time due to it’s dependence on an educated workforce.

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#27
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.

> Child actors can easily fit the definition.

Yes, and they often work under deplorable conditions. Psychological/emotional abuse is still abuse (not to mention the forced dieting, the rampant molestation/rape, and other very physical abuses).

But that highlights what makes child labor more worthy of scrutiny. Adult actors face those same conditions, and it's unacceptable that they do, but at least they have the mental maturity to cope with them and the social/legal autonomy to do something about them. Child actors lack any of that; they end up scarred for life over a career they had little choice in pursuing.

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

So where do you start? Your phone? Computer? Clothes? Car? Food?

Re: Your iPhone Was Built with Child Labor

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

So where do you start? Your phone? Computer? Clothes? Car? Food?

Anything, I would say.
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