Chris Trumbo

Should you feel guilty for buying your iPhone?

January 31, 2012, CNN Tech

 

            Last week CNN covered a story done by The New York Times about IPhones and how they are produced in other countries. They also touched upon the poor working conditions these workers faced. Today Apple outsources all there manufacturing needs to other countries such as China to cut cost of manufacturing here in the states. The New York Times claimed the Foxconn one of apple major manufacturing providers, is supplying unsuitable living condition and demanding long hours with little pay. The NYT claims that there have been reports of suicides and other horrible incidents with staff while working for Foxconn. Foxconn operates 24-hours a day and Employees work 12-hour shifts six days a week. While Apple is refusing to comment on the situation Foxconn is denying all allegation about the working conditions. Steve Kovach wrote this article expressing that he was deeply upset about the issue. Steve goes on to say “You may feel guilty buying an Apple product, but the problem won't be fixed until all electronics makers change, too.” I believe that Steves concerns are valid but unfortunately very unrealistic.

            People say “the world is curl”, but their view is jaded the world is not curl people are. What Steve and many people don’t relies is that at the end of the day Apple is a company and is only looking at what is good for business. Apple started with three people in a garage building computers. Today they are one of the most competitive software companies in the industry. They got there by making smart business choices and not letting personal feeling get involved with their choices. People feel that because we are one of the most powerful nations that we have a duty to help everyone else out.  This is also very unrealistic one country cannot fix the world. Instead others need to take responsibility for themselves much like the founders of this country did and stand up for their needs. Right now china has just become the fastest growing economy in the world and they got their by becoming the major manufacture of many of the world’s needs. If conditions are truly this bad then I believe it is up to the chines government to place regulations on companies and develop workers’ rights such as unions and government inspectors. After reading this article I do not feel bad for owning an IPhone. I believe it is the reasonability of the country to protect its people and make sure they have suitable living conditions.