Before you buy an Apple product

Listen, I know a lot of the people that read this have something made by Apple. It is damn near impossible to convince anyone not to buy Apple, it’s a good product, I get it. But let’s not forget the human cost that goes into keeping us entertained. Everybody, by now, has heard about Foxconn. If you haven’t, read this. Horrible working conditions, suicides, dying from exhaustion are all in a days work at Foxconn. 

I believe that, as consumers, we should demand that the workers that make our products are promised basic workers rights. 

Apple makes HUGE amounts of profit. $1B USD profit in a quarter is absurd. These numbers are comparable to ExxonMobile on a good quarter when they inflate prices. Yet, no one ever complains that Apple is making too much money at the expense of human rights. My wish is for Apple to cut its profits and mandate higher wages, benefits, and better working conditions for its subcontractor manufacturers, namely Foxconn.

I’m not going to be wordy and detail my whole argument, if you wish to hear them, call me. 

My plea is this: Foxconn has a major plant in my hometown of Chengdu. This place is making the iPad 2 and will be making the new iPad. I love my hometown and I wish the best for the city. Foxconn’s working conditions there remind me of a communist factory where everything is company owned and every facet of life is controlled. It hits hard at me, and I do have a moral obligation to not buy Apple. I can’t tell the readers what to do, but before you buy an Apple product, do this:

Email Apple.

I’m not 100% sure where, it’s not like Apple has a complaints department, they’re too good for that. But Google something and write a letter, or an email, and let them know that you want rights for workers that make Apple products.

 Email Human Rights in China

Write to them saying that basic human rights are being denied to workers at Foxconn. Let them know that this is an issue that people care about.

Donate

I’m biased to Human Rights in China, so I would advocate donating to them. But please donate 2% of the cost of that Apple product and let them know that this is for worker’s rights.

This is my little plea for generate some sort of change. I will continue to boycott Apple until they change their business practices; I wish you all would do the same. I know that won’t happen, but I hope that you all take action and help the people in my hometown to gain some basic rights.