[ale] [Semi-OT] Re: More reasons to adore Microsoft

[Charles Shapiro]

Oh boy.  I'll wear asbestos for this.

You did catch that the young man narrating his terrible story was
supporting his entire family with this job, right?

I know that I can choose not to work overtime, but if I don't work
overtime, then I am stuck with only 770 RMB [$112.67 per month] in
base wages.  This is not nearly enough to support a family.  My
parents are farmers without jobs.  They also do not have pensions.  I
also need to worry about getting married which requires a lot of
money.

What do you suppose they will do if we self-righteously boycott the
factory and it closes? It basically sucks to be poor, especially in a
poor society. This is not news. I agree that these workers are
exploited. I agree that Microsoft is helping to facilitate a cruel and
unjust work environment. But what alternatives do these people have?


-- CHS

On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 11:31 AM, Michael Trausch <mike at trausch.us> wrote:
> On Thu, 2010-04-15 at 11:17 -0400, Jim Kinney wrote:
>> My point in the post was not to discuss the labor laws (or total lack)
>> in China, but that Microsoft (and the list of others in the article)
>> have profited handsomely from business actions that most of us as
>> parents would object strenuously to.
>
> I think the biggest impact that it will have is none.  That said, as my
> newly-added signature indicates, I'm hopeful that that isn't the case.
>
> But most people don't really care.  They'll buy clothing, furniture,
> cars, computers, and general other stuff regardless of the conditions
> that the aforementioned items were made in.  Most people perceive
> Microsoft software as being necessary for business (my clients do, too,
> despite my efforts to convince them otherwise) and therefore, they'll
> justify the purchase and use of the software as a necessary evil of the
> world.  That turns the children into something like martyrs, and makes
> it all better, I guess.
>
> It's disgusting, IMHO.
>
>        --- Mike
>
> --
> Even if their crude and anticompetitive business practices don't make
> you think about using their software, their use of sweatshops and child
> labor should:  boycott Microsoft like you would any other amoral child
> abuser:  http://is.gd/btW8m
>
>
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