We're All Guilty in 'iPad Suicides'

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I can't believe the blow hard that wrote this article tries to get on some high horse and tell us we're all responsible for what is going on Foxconn.

When I bought my xbox360 was I supposed to then ask myself, "You know, I wonder if this was made via legitimate, safe, and fair means?" and then proceed to do a book report on it?

If we checked the background of every product we consumed that's all we would do with our live. "I sure hope this twist tie that came of this loaf of bread is made in a fair and safe way; time to look in to it!!!"

At this point, sure I guess you could blame consumers now that it's out in the open. But you have to draw the line some where and that line is at the people that made/make the decision to still use that facility after the people working there started killing themselves. By moving the out past the CEOs and VIPs and putting the blame on the everyday consumer we essentially say, "Hey, this is what CEOs are supposed to do! They're supposed to take advantage of the unfortunate for profit. Shame on you for buying their products."

Suicide all over the world is a problem, and cause this one is linked to a corporation it gets a news story. Writing Steve Jobs a letter isn't going to change China.

The best thing to do, collectively, is to be responsible and responsive to people in our lives when their behavior changes. Talk to them, and if it's clear you're in over your head, deliver that person to help. Obviously in other countries with poor working conditions, suicide resources like we have in first world countries won't exist... so a wiser, understanding person could stand in. Don't ignore people when they're acting differently - be compassionate for fucks sake.

What people don't understand is how expensive it is to live in China. Simply buying a 1-2 bedroom apartment in the city they work cost as much as it does to buy a home with a front and back yard in the United States. If you don't have an apartment nobody wants to marry you. You are essentially the working poor. The cost of living goes up a lot faster than wages do. To get $300 a month you have to work crazy overtime like 80 hours a week. It is a miserable life, especially when you see the enormous wealth growing around you and you are stuck in a dead end job with no hope. You can never make enough to have a decent life. You might as well be sweeping the streets.

To buy some fast food cost about $2 a plate. If you don't cook your spending $5 a day to eat. That is $60 a month. If you eat at the factory and stay in the dorms as they do you have to pay the factory for accommodations that could eat up $80-$100 a month. To buy a cheap apartment way outside the city center would cost $30,000 and one next to your factory would probably cost $60,000. How do you save up for that with the $200 a month you have left assuming your family does not need help in your home town. You can't they are screwed and they know it.

Their wages need to be doubled and we can afford the markup in our products. The labor cost is a very small part of retail price. For another $5 on Ipads, Ipods, and Iphones we could let these workers have a decent life. The demand for ever higher profits by factory owners, and factory clients drives these workers to the limits of sanity just to survive. It is not just about changing the retail price, we have to make sure any increase goes into the workers salaries and not Foxconn's bottom line.