LinuxQuestions.org

LinuxQuestions.org (/questions/)
-   General (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/general-10/)
-   -   Am i right, wrong or just to strict in my views? (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/general-10/am-i-right-wrong-or-just-to-strict-in-my-views-134170/)

BajaNick 01-12-2004 08:38 PM

Am i right, wrong or just to strict in my views?
 
Even though its impossible, I dont like purchasing products made in China, South-Central America, or from some other countries due to the fact that:
1. Most of the world knows that child and slave labor is running rampant in China and the third world due to greedy and selfish corporations and people/consumers want cheap merchandise.
2. These other countries have almost no Environmental laws so that allows factories to spew whatever crap they can into the air and water.
3. These countries are taking Jobs away from workers in countries that buy those same products that are produced so these companies want us to buy thier products but dont want to pay us to produce them.

I do not understand how someone can buy a pair of shoes knowing full well that they are made by children, Its just wrong and this world economy crap is pissing my off. If American companies cant use child labor here well then theyll just use them in another country, isnt that just totally hipocritical?
and its not just the americans, all the world does these kind of things. What is wrong with the world?

randon 01-12-2004 10:41 PM

Have you ever seen the movie, "Falling Down"? I'm sure alot of people share you're views but do you actually think there is anything we can do about these things? The only solution would be to close yourself (not YOU, but in general) off from the rest of the world because it's NOT going to get any better.
My 2 Cents.......
RANDON

ezra143 01-12-2004 11:20 PM

Man, if we went back to bartering, then i guess it wouldnt be as bad... but who want to lug chickens and goats around in thier pockets just to replace the almighty dollar.

Nope, i agree... more power to ya.

ChasidishHarry 01-12-2004 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ezra143
Man, if we went back to bartering, then i guess it wouldnt be as bad... but who want to lug chickens and goats around in thier pockets just to replace the almighty dollar.
Why not? More natural that way :D

p.s. I do not like your signature ;)

ezra143 01-12-2004 11:51 PM

***** Harry of the day.. I cant help it, I am antagonistic.....

ChasidishHarry 01-13-2004 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ezra143
***** Harry of the day.. I cant help it, I am antagonistic.....
yeah, I noticed it a long time ago, on one of the political threads :D

BajaNick, I totally agree with radon's statement. People (,generally,) won't change their nature of wanting everything cheap and easy just to make a stand against a wrong cause. If people would stop buying from China, it would be a huge inconvience for them, as about 70% of the world's manufacturing comes from China. So, basically, there's nothing we can do to be able to convince millions of people to "shop" somewhere else.

Just my :twocents:

Jerry

Dhimani 01-13-2004 01:32 AM

I agree with you, Baja, and that is why I don't buy products made in China when I have a choice. Problem is, with many things, I don't have a choice. If enough people would refuse to buy products made in China, or voice their opinions to the greedy corporations that sell out our own people just to make a buck, then something actually may change. However, I believe that as long as the American public flocks to Wal-Mart to get their $59 made-in-China DVD player or $8.99 pair of shoes, then nothing will change. We have to change our fundamental attitude in this country, and from what I see, that isn't going to happen. People want cheap stuff; they don't care where it's made, which store has it, or whether it'll last or not, you just better damn well make sure it's CHEAP!

Mega Man X 01-13-2004 05:31 AM

You are very misguided in this thread. South America does not really produce a lot of stuff to sell to US. In fact, most of computers and stuff like that comes from the US. They do, sell a lot of food to all over the world. Brazil is without any doubt one of the richest countries talking about resources. (and despite of Americans think, it's capital city is not Buenos Aires nor Rio de Janeiro). Big cities as Sao Paulo and Rio, despite the violence (which is not so far from New York City violence), are just as sophisticated as any other city in the world. Sao Paulo is a little behind New York and Hong Kong, for example, in terms of structure.
China produces a lot of stuff legaly as well. In fact, most of Japanese fabrics are situated in China, because Japan's limited space and high taxes, generating a lot of jobs...
Also, what would US do without South America food and Chinese electronics? Make wooden toys for children and eat spaghetti?

Gill Bates 01-13-2004 10:26 AM

to be honest, if i see something thats in a shop that i like i dont care where it comes from or who made it

bigjohn 01-13-2004 11:32 AM

Quote:

to be honest, if i see something thats in a shop that i like i dont care where it comes from or who made it
Gill Bates's quote above is definitely fair comment.

But recently, I read or heard something about some law suit's going on in the US, but brought about by some local charity on behalf of the local population.

It was to do with a third party local contractor, that had been doing some work on behalf of one of the multi national conglomerate industries (I can't remember whether it was oil or minerals), but the contractor had tortured, killed and generally abused the local populace who objected to their presence on environmental grounds (again, I don't recall, but it might have been Colombia where this happened).

Anyway, the law suit is based around the main multi national, having, by employing the third party contractor, legal, moral and social liability for the actions of the contractor inthat they failed to have proper corporate oversight of their "employee's" (the contractor).

Because the multi national has offices/presence in the US, then they CAN be sued in the US using the relevant parts of US federal law (though the theory being that they could be sued wherever they have a business presence(offices) for their actions).

This is something that I agree with entirely, because if the suit is sucessful, then it would have international ramifications in regard to stopping multi national corporations just shifting their money/power to countries that don't have the normal legal safeguards for the working populations enjoyed by the "developed world" - i.e. they would have to take care of their workers, whether direct employee's or contractors properly, and hence it would prevent them "taking the piss" out of their workers (sure they'd probably still move the "work" to the place where the labour is the cheapest, but it would give the workers legal recourse, to be able to ensure their own health and safety - which I feel is a good thing).

just my :twocents:

regards

John

Cruxus 01-13-2004 04:04 PM

I see a dilemma in this choice: (A) If you buy products imported from nations with no/bad environmental, and labor laws, you are implicitly supporting those things; (B) but, if you avoid purchasing products from such countries, these people will remain just as poor as before, if not poorer.

I like choice C best, of course: (C) Drop free-trade agreements and replace them with so-called fair-trade agreements that require tradings nations to enact basic environmental and labor protection laws while assuring other fair practices among nations of varying levels of development.

Gill Bates 01-13-2004 04:48 PM

give every homeless person a home and a job when we are at it


just a point

WindowsBurner 01-14-2004 01:13 PM

I don't think its that great that countries force children,mothers,fathers..etc to work but..did you ever think of this? : If these children did not work... then their families would starve. In some cases the parents are sick or have a bad back or something and cant work so the kids do...if the kids don't work then the entire family dies.Hmmm......

And we cant give every poor person a house or job...cause for every person who is taken off the streets and given a house..there are 5 others to replace him. And we dont have enough room to give eveybody a job and house....

Think about that..

WB

Gill Bates 01-14-2004 02:13 PM

i totally agree, and another point, why do terrorists burn american flags? has anyone actually taken a close look at them? they are white sheets with american colors on them! dont the know that some kids some where are slaving away to make real ones? and they are helping them starve?

just a joke, 1 of the comedians on SNL did a sketch about that once

Blinker_Fluid 01-14-2004 02:24 PM

Good old economics... :D <sarcasm>

Big question is how much is it worth to you to buy local goods?

And why are you stopping at outside the U.S?

I don't trust them folks from California. They probably have a sweatshop full of hippies making the stuff out there. ;) Dirty hippies are taking jobs away from the local folk around here. ;) </sarcasm>


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:48 AM.