I've wanted to read that book for ages, I might put it on my Christmas list.
I know that I often pick the cheaper choice over the more responsible one. It can be difficult, because although I deplore the human rights abuses in China (as they are deplorable everywhere) I don't know that boycotting Chinese products won't be counter-productive.
I personally think that the difference between the developed and less developed world causes justifiable anger, because well, we have it so good. What the best response to that is (on either side), is less clear. I think the thing that I'm most clear about in my own mind, is that I should vote for the candidate / party which is best for society (and in the era of globalisation, that includes the whole world) rather than best for me.
Gyanish
· 2 years ago
1984 is one of my all time favourite books. I must read Fatherland. Btw if you are interested in philosophy or the like, you must try Sophie's World.
bubelah
· 2 years ago
Just to draw a parallel between the Jews in the "Fatherland" and Indians (Native Americans). Haven't they been erased from the face of the Earth for real?? Maybe Robert Harris was implying something here?
Charles
· 2 years ago
I think the West has a tendency to put too much thought into their role as consumers. Then have consumer's guilt after the purchase. They need to be reminded that the buyers are providing livelihood to the workers.
One also has to balance it and look at the other side of the coin. The female worker in the Chinese factory making the Mattel toy for Walmart is probably in a job that is preferable to their peers. If they did not have a factory job, they might well be doing back breaking work plowing the fields, or harvesting under the hot sun. Or worse they might be exploited as prostitutes.
One can also look at this from another viewpoint. Say you have budgeted $50 for a new sneaker. So you go shopping and find it on sale for $30, made in China/India/Thailand. Just because you buy the cheap sneaker made overseas does not make you bad. This frees you to spend the $20 on something else. If you feel bad, then put the $20 in your kid/neice/nephew's college fund. So they can grow up and be a productive, educated working professional-- and paying in to support you by paying into Social Security. Or you can spend $20 and go watch a play or donate it to musicians or whatever local starving artists you choose.
bripblap
· 2 years ago
Charles, I've heard that argument, and made it myself, particularly the "at least they have a job making sneakers and not being coal mine slaves." It's probably legitimate, but like plonkee said I wish we had leaders who would stand up to China and India and say "we won't import these things unless you impose bare minimum conditions on factories for treatment of workers." If the US and its consumer might were abruptly yanked away from China, for example, maybe they'd see the need to provide basic human rights to dissidents, or improve conditions in the factories.
Then again, maybe they'd call in their treasury bonds and collapse the US economy. It is a tough call, and that's why I said that despite my misgivings I'm probably on the side of just buying the cheap stuff and sending my monthly contribution to children.org (which I do) and to rcws.org annually, and hoping that helps....
All Comments
I know that I often pick the cheaper choice over the more responsible one. It can be difficult, because although I deplore the human rights abuses in China (as they are deplorable everywhere) I don't know that boycotting Chinese products won't be counter-productive.
I personally think that the difference between the developed and less developed world causes justifiable anger, because well, we have it so good. What the best response to that is (on either side), is less clear. I think the thing that I'm most clear about in my own mind, is that I should vote for the candidate / party which is best for society (and in the era of globalisation, that includes the whole world) rather than best for me.
One also has to balance it and look at the other side of the coin. The female worker in the Chinese factory making the Mattel toy for Walmart is probably in a job that is preferable to their peers. If they did not have a factory job, they might well be doing back breaking work plowing the fields, or harvesting under the hot sun. Or worse they might be exploited as prostitutes.
One can also look at this from another viewpoint. Say you have budgeted $50 for a new sneaker. So you go shopping and find it on sale for $30, made in China/India/Thailand. Just because you buy the cheap sneaker made overseas does not make you bad. This frees you to spend the $20 on something else. If you feel bad, then put the $20 in your kid/neice/nephew's college fund. So they can grow up and be a productive, educated working professional-- and paying in to support you by paying into Social Security. Or you can spend $20 and go watch a play or donate it to musicians or whatever local starving artists you choose.
Then again, maybe they'd call in their treasury bonds and collapse the US economy. It is a tough call, and that's why I said that despite my misgivings I'm probably on the side of just buying the cheap stuff and sending my monthly contribution to children.org (which I do) and to rcws.org annually, and hoping that helps....