Outsourcing/Seduction

I do not know how I really feel about outsourcing. A few years back, the company my mother worked for moved to India. She was informed that if she wanted to keep her job, she would have to move to India too, however her salary would be doubled for moving. Her personal choice was to quit her job. The primary reason the company moved to India is that they could get workers over there for a cheaper rate. My mother was somewhat a victim to outsourcing, since her company probably figured most of its workers would not move to India and most likely would quit. Only one of her co-workers actually agreed to move to India, however he was from India and all his family lived there. After reading the sections of outsourcing, I do not know if I am totally against it. Many of the statistics about people losing their jobs to outsourcing are rather unclear since the book clearly states that many jobs are also lost due to technological advances. The benefits companies reap from outsourcing are also helpful. They save money in one particular field to spend it in another. The book also states that not only is the United States outsourcing, so we too benefit from outsourcing. I think outsourcing is a little bit of give and take, but it appears to be benefitting us all.

Jay Heinrichs is brilliant in Thank You for Arguing. I especially like the section titled “How to Seduce a Cop”. The section on seduction shows how powerful of a tool it can be in arguments by sometimes even being seduced without even knowing it and seducing a cop out of writing you a ticket. I also enjoyed how he distinguished the difference between a fight and argument. I guess I do not argue a lot, but fight. I enjoy in this textbook how he presents his arguments making them applicable for everyone.

The Art of Seduction...I Mean, Rhetoric

First off, I'm digging the new layout of the blog. That's a pretty neat picture up there. Where was it taken, and what's the story behind it?

Okay, back to rhetoric. I have to say, Jay Heinrichs is hilarious. In these two chapters alone, he manages to tie in George Foreman, Cicero, Homer Simpson, Mariah Carey, Aristotle and a variety of other people. The pop culture references paired with his witticisms made for an enjoyable read. I like the fact that he clearly defines what a fight is and what an argument is. I never realized there was that much of a difference. His reference to the "love lab" was a great example of how people who argue can end up happy and people who fight can end up very unhappy. Sometimes, when I "win a fight," I end up more incensed than before! There are a couple more things that I really enjoyed in these chapters, one being Heinrichs' interpretation of seducing a cop. I've never been pulled over before, but I'll keep it mind just in case. The other is his explanation of future-tense or deliberative argumentation. I agree that it is the best kind of approach to take in order to solve a problem or persuade an audience to make a choice.

Moving on to offshore outsourcing. Initially, I was rather against it, because I have an uncle who graduated a few years ago with a bachelors in computer science, and it took him so long to find a suitable job. However, after reading Drezner's piece in particular, I wonder if outsourcing is as bad as some people make it seem. I appreciate how he presents the opposition's perspectives first before refuting them and presenting his own evidence and information to back-up his argument. In his closing paragraphs, he states that the challenge is to "defend it during the lean years of a business cycle." I can understand what he means and agree that people tend to denounce something once it doesn't run as smoothly as before. However, I remain undecided as to whether or not offshore outsourcing is a good thing. Maybe it's one of those things that has to get worse before it gets better...but how long until things are all better?

Argue!

So I just finished reading the 2nd and 3rd chapgers of Thank You For Arguing. Looks like I don't actually do much arguing. Basically, all of my 'arguing' is what Heinrichs considers 'fighting'. But maybe he's right about lots of that stuff. It is completely more useful to argue by means of Cicero's three goals of persuasion than to simply win a fight. I do notice that when arguments (or fights) are won with brute force, one party wins and one party loses, but one, if not both, of the parties end up unhappy. I've probably used each of the three goals on their own, but never have tried our thought about combining them...actually I probably never even realized what I was doing. I guess now I can try to use these ideas in conjunction, even though it might take a bit of thought and focus.

The subject of outsourcing jobs seems like one of those ideas that may be interesting or super cool to know about, but what difference does it make? No one can stop companies from doing it and they aren't ogoing to stop it. I find it quite strange though, that in India, America's geeks and nerds are the popular guys. I can't really picture anything like that. Super weird.

I just don't find outsourcing very exciting. I don't know if I ever will. Unless maybe I have som job and then I lose it because it's given to cheap workers in India or something...

Outsourcing?

Even after reading all the information and differing viewpoints about outsourcing, I still don't know quite what to think. I mean I realize that many people are losing their jobs in this country, and many blame it to outsourcing. But after reading Drezner's paper "The Outsourcing Bogeyman", he really gets me thinking. Maybe outsourcing isin't as big of a deal as we thought it was. Drezner brought up some really persuasuve statistical data that showed that even though many companies are outsourcing, the money that they are saving by outsourcing is allowing them to create even more jobs than before. And he also points out that the decrease in manufacturing jobs is due to the increase in technology, not outsourcing. If the true cause of the decrease was outsourcing, then the countries that we outsource to would have an increase in manufacturing jobs which just isin't the case. In fact, those countries have seen a decrease in manufacturing jobs as well. And what about all those benefits that outsourcing has brought to underdeveloped countries that have lived in poverty for so long. I mean, we are morally obligated to help them too right? I may not be sure about my stance on outsourcing because it can bring a lot of good to countries, but also has the possibility of bringing harm. But I do agree with Drezner when he says that we need to rework the TAA (Trade Adjustment Assistance) program so that it can help workers that have actually been affected by outsourcing.

The Price of Low Prices

I have never in my life come across an article defending Walmart and it's somewhat questionable practice of provinding the lowest possible prices. Although my opinion about Walmart remains unchanged, I found the Article "The New Colossus" by Jay Nordlinger extremely enlightening. I never considered the good Walmart does: it is the largest employer in both the United States and Mexico, providing jobs to those who need it. One aspect of the Walmart corporation that I'd never considered was that even though they provide rock bottom prices for Americans at the cost paying pennies an hour for foreign labor, they "are the store for countless people who live paycheck to paycheck, wanting an needing decent products at decent prices". What I found interesting about this article was that although it talked about how good low prices are for Americans and their standard of living, Nordlinger failed to even touch on what horrible conditions people work in to make these low prices happen. As a college student, I do appreciate a low prices but, but I definately don't appreciate my money going towards something I don't support. I felt this article was extremely one-sided and didn't even bother to mention the other, uglier, side of things.
I found "Harnessing the Power of Consumers" extremely intersting and more comforting. Although I was aware of the fact that we as consumers have the most power in controlling sweatshop labor by not supporting it, I'd wondered what boycotting sweatshop products would do to those working in a sweatshop. Like the "Help is on the Way,Dude" cartoon illustrated, I feared that taking away demand for their jobs would lead to their demise, I didn't know what would happen after that. I love Ed Finn's theroy that even though it's going to get worse before it gets better, it will get better. The only thing I wonder is: how long will it take to get better? How many people will starve before conditions improve? It's easy for us, several continents away from it all to look the other way while this happens, but will they be willing to go through this process for years before the light at the end of the tunnel appears?

"Walmart is it good or bad"

I never realize that people in the world have such a problem with Walmart. Yesterday i went to three different stores looking for USB cord for my printer. The three stores were Walmart, office Depot, and BestBy. Guess who had the cheapest USB cord for less then half the price."Walmart". It was suprising that a store like Walmart works so hard to save money in our pockets but take advantage of so many people by buying goods from sweatshops.Does Walmart really create problems in rural area? As you really look at by opening a Walmart in a rural area, help others small business there closed down. People would rather go to Walmart because of low prices and logos that encourage millions of people to shop there.I think Walmart is really just a money-hungry corporations that like to take advantage of people and trick many American into supporting them.But Walmart does really have low prices, but in order to get the low prices what is being sacrificed? Thats the real question.

The Long Term Effect of Buying Sweatshop Products

I could only see the short term effect of buying the products of child labor and sweatshop labor until now which is saving $. However, I just learned that there is also the long term effect of refusing to buy those products - "it could save our jobs and prevent our wages from plummeting further," as Ed Finn says. I have always thought that "as long as I can get a decent quality product for the lowest price, that's all that matters to me." Now I'm going to try to think about the long term effect when I purchase a product. Although I don't think I'm going to be doing jobs in which I earn wages, if more and more Americans keep losing their jobs, it's somehow going to affect me and everyone else in such ways that the economy could go into the recession and the stock prices will tank. 

It's hard to find anything on the market that is actually made in U.S.A. Most electronics are manufactured in China, although few are actually made in Japan, which is not domestic. Most clothes I buy are also made overseas. I haven't purchased many clothes recently, but I plan to stop buying from the Big 3 brands which are American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister plus Gap. I never really liked any of these brands anyway. Instead, I will start buying more from American Apparel. True to its name, all clothes sold at American Apparel retail stores are made in downtown Los Angeles, and I don't think there are any sweatshops in the United States, so I will be gladly wearing AA clothes knowing that my clothes are made with qualities by my fellow Californians.

iPhone Girl.

Not some Apple publicity stunt. Just some sweatshop workers forgetting to delete pictures after testing out phone's camera.

Dressed in a pink striped outfit and hat and wearing white gloves with yellow fingertips, the young woman now known on the Web as the "iPhone Girl" is shown smiling and making victory signs as she poses next to an iPhone.
The MacRumors.com user who posted the photos last week, identified as only "markm49uk" from Kingston-upon-Hull, England, said in a posting that one of the pictures showed up on a new 3G iPhone when the iTunes program was launched.
"It would appear that someone on the production line was having a bit of fun. Has anyone else found this?" the posting said.
The posting received more than 360 responses on MacRumors.com, with readers commenting and speculating about the woman's age, looks and working conditions — and whether the pictures had gotten her into trouble with her managers.

iPhone iWannabesKnockoffs share touchscreen approach, but don't have Apple's software."She is so fired," a reader identified as "PredatoryWasp86" said.
"That's nice that at least they have some fun in the drab of assembling technology," another reader, "BrownManUPS," said.
"She looks about 12 or 13 to me! I don't think Stevo is going to be impressed at all. It looks a little bit too much like child labor," "sibruk" wrote, referring to Apple Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs.
News reports say the woman may work at a factory run by an Apple contractor, Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group, in the southern Chinese boomtown of Shenzhen.
Calls to Foxconn spokesman Edmund Ding went unanswered Wednesday. Ding also didn't immediately respond to an e-mail from The Associated Press seeking comment.
But the South China Morning Post on Wednesday quoted another Foxconn spokesman, Liu Kun, as confirming that the young woman in the pictures works for Foxconn.

WAL-MART

We all shop there, or at least I do, and sometimes I even find myself at Sam’s Club. I remember in high school watching a video about how when Wal-Mart came to small towns, it ended up shutting down all the small town businesses. Many of the small towns were excited to have a Wal-Mart come to town, bringing low prices, however all the business owners in the area found themselves having to give up their stores that had existed for several generations. Left having to sell their stores, many of those small town businesses owners ended up working Wal-Mart in the end because they had nowhere to turn to. Although all of these stories seemed unfortunate, I still continued to shop at Wal-Mart. I was not a small town business owner so it did not really seem to affect my life. After reading more about Wal-Mart, I do not think it is completely evil, but I do disagree with some of its practices. First off, I think that Wal-Mart should actually treat its employees better. Honestly, nobody can make a living on the salary they are paying their employees. I think the people in charge of the Wal-Mart company should share some of their wealth for their employees who are not quite as high up as they are. Second, I believe that Wal-Mart should look for ways to make their goods more affordable, but they should not go to the extremes of sacrificing the well-being of other human beings in extreme working conditions. Although Wal-Mart appears evil to many, it is almost impossible not to shop there since they do draw in customers based upon their low prices. As a consumer, I love Wal-Mart because I am able to save a lot of money there. I would have to say that I have indifferent feelings towards how the Wal-Mart company works, but look forward to learning more about how people agree or disagree with its practices.

a BLOG about New Readings

Fight Over Free Trade Worth Having

Honestly, I had to read this editorial piece by George F. Will at least two times to understand the several concepts he proposed to us.

If I am wrong in any way...please let me know

Quotas (backed by republicans) are bad and increase the price of the good. For example, in the editorial he talked about sugar quotas. Because sugar quotas raised the price of sugar in the United States, U.S. candy companies took their work to another place. 

Protectionism (backed by democrats) is bad because it could "flatten somewhat trajectory of America's rising prosperity" I don't understand the concept of protectionism. When I further researched protectionism it said that protectionism is an anti-globalization policy to stop foreign takeover of American companies. HOWEVER a method of restricting trade through protectionism is by tariffs and quotas. SO are protectionism and quotas intertwined? If so, then wouldn't both ideas be anti-globalization and free trade?

Harnessing Our Power as Consumers: Cost of Boycotting Sweatshop Goods Offset the Benefits

After reading this article I was shocked by the United Nations statistic- 25 million children under the age of 14 are being inhumanly exploited in third world sweatshops. 

Furthermore, I liked how he pointed out that there are some distortions of foreign labor in developed countries like..."some politicians, business leaders and academics argue, if we boycotted goods made by underpaid foreign workers we would be depriving them of their livelihood, as meagre as it may be." Stop trying to rationalize 25 million children in inhumane conditions. It's not acceptable!! BECAUSE the same kind of reasoning, as he points out, was by conservatives to oppose the apartheid in South Africa with economic boycott. Today we realize we made a GOOD decision to do this. I agreed with his logic. 

I am going to skip over the cartoon.....It was funny.

THE NEW COLOSSUS: WAL-MART!!

the first statement that struck me as humorous was John Edwards, before he bit the dust...HAHA ironic. 

Wal-Mart is crassly American. 

I felt the author of this article brought up so good points of why wal-mart is good. 

At the end, I like how he pointed out all those quotes about Europeans. In the European work force, they normally don't hire young people. Actually, I am quite sure that its a law that if you work for an employer for one year and you are under the age of 27...that employer can let you go for no reason at all. So when he brought up the point that wal-mart is anti-European and how Europeans hate our "wal-mart" type jobs...it really struck a chord. I liked this point alot and it made sense logically.

Wal-Mart is the epitome of globalization, but its help keep our economy afloat and has produced alot of American jobs. Is this a contradiction or an actual good point about globalization?

The last article is like a COUNTER argument to Jay Nordlinger's article "The New Colossus: Wal-Mart"

When she points out wal-mart is destroying factory jobs in America...well isn't that the nature of capitalism and competition. I don't understand why everyone is so against the nature of our capitalistic economy. Companies will beat out other companies and put them out of business. That's the economic process.

Additionally, Jay points out in his article...what have the mom n pop stores done for their workers in terms of health care and benefits? if 90% of all wal-mart workers have health care...isn't this a good thing? But she points out only 38% have health coverage.

There is a difference...what encompasses health coverage? 

In order for both of them to make these claims they need to have fully detailed research on employer demographics, wages etc. I don't buy into either arguments, but I am leaning more towards how wal-mart is good...I mean I go there...I don't know anyone who Doesn't go to wal-mart. its convenient, cheap, and has become part of our culture. 

These readings brought up some really interesting points and I am excited to discuss them more in depth in class.

:)

The New Colossus and "Everday Low Prices"

I shop at Wal-Mart. All the time. Whether it's for groceries or household items, Wal-Mart is my destination for one-stop shopping. Being a middle-class, college student on a tight budget, it's one of the only places I can go to obtain extremely affordable goods. But after reading the short selections from the book, two of which center fully on Wal-Mart, I feel rather guilty for shopping there and, more importantly, choosing to be an uninformed consumer. I might have heard about the evils of Wal-Mart in passing, and I could have chose to look more into it and modify my shopping habits, but instead, I turned the other cheek. I thought that these readings were so interesting and enlightening. It's shocking to learn about how full-time employees are working for poverty-level incomes without benefits or health coverage. Equally sad is how the company is taking out other retailers and pushing them into bankruptcy. I can definitely understand how some people refer to the place as "Sprawl Mart." These latest readings coupled with the ones on sweatshops and free trade have been very informing. Now, since I have a better idea of where my money is going, I feel like I can make better choices about how and where to shop.

Chapter 2

So can we all can say that globalization involves integrating and uniting people all over this world? Well it doesn't seem to be happening really well. I really do believe that there needs to be a bigger effort to help developing countries. I would think that eventually there would be more resources for the world to use when these countries are integrated into a world market. So its then that free trade becomes an issue. After reading Ch.2 I had a much better understanding of how countries can suffer from a seemingly great thing such as free trade. The fact that our want for material things is definitely cause for concern.

This summer I spent two weeks in Durango, Mexico. I had a blast there, but one thing I didn't expect to see was Walmart, actually 3 of them in this one city. I kinda thought it was cool and decided to go grocery shopping there one day. They actually had lower prices than other stores in the area which I expected, but also it wasn't as busy as stores we see in our country. I guess it hasn't caught on quite yet. It wasn't until now that I realize how big of a force Walmart is on this planet. And it was definitely a shock to learn how consumerism affects our world by affecting lives.

Chapter 2: Is Free Trade a Universally Good Global Economic System?

What was confusing in this section of Chapter 2 was how the author described "winners" and "losers" of free trade. "Winners" were meant to be thought of as those who were privledged and in particular, big corporations. "Losers" were thought of as indigenous peoples and poor workers in developing countries. These two descriptions fit winners and losers because both the theory and practice of free trade are flawed. My question is why is the theory and practice of free trade flawed if each country is getting what they want in terms of consumer equality? This section was the only thing confusing to me...

2nd Chapter

Agreeing with many others, this chapter is more interesting than the previous. I never really saw free trade in the negative light seen here and it has really given me a better perspective on the whole issue. I never really realized how skewed it was towards those huge corporations. Which in retrospect it seems obvious, therefore making me feel like a huge idiot. But back to the topic at hand. 

The pieces about sweatshop labor and its pervasive use in many large corporations got me thinking. Its funny because its no secret that many companies such as Wal-Mart, Gap, and Nike use sweatshop labor to manufacture their goods. How could they get away with this so easily? Maybe because we let them. We want them to do it. Well at least most americans do. Because really, the problem doesn't seem real enough to convince most of us that we should just pay a few extra dollars to save our fellow man. But until enough of us make it known to these companies that this is what we want these things will continue and the almighty dollar will keep on spinning this world. 

But yea. Good read

Chapter 2

This chapter I must say impacted me way more than the last chapter. The blood, sweat and tears that go behind what we take for granted everyday amazed me the most. It hit so close to home. I too am guilty of enjoying a latte at Startbucks or indulging in the great low prices of Wal-Mart. As a flood of guilt came into play, I realized that as unfortunate as the conditions are as spoken about in chapter two, why isn’t anyone trying to stop it? This is when I began to understand the idea that is free trade. Good cheap labor=good cheap products which means GREAT BIG PROFITS for companies such as Wal-Mart and Starbucks at the expense of poor workers in Chinese sweatshops. When put like this, it seems more like exploiting than trade doesn’t it? I feel that in reading and gaining more knowledge on the matter, I have a responsibility now as a consumer to do something. My efforts alone won’t stop anything but the spread of consumer knowledge can lead to change. We must learn to research where our dollar is really going…

Chapter 2 -- Global issues, local arguments

I am finding this book surprisingly interesting. It presents the information very clearly and I have an easy time relating to the subject matter. Globalization is hard to describe in words and for me at first, it was hard to comprehend. It is a phenomenon that has been present in our world for ages, but due to policies and technological advances, has rapidly become a way of life. The chapter starts off talking about buying lattes at Starbucks, which I am guilty of doing. And how that simple purchase makes us "players in the global economy". I had heard of the term fair trade coffee but had known very little about its effects on the lives of other people around the world. It makes me disappointed in myself to know that I am contributing to the under paid coffee pickers in Latin America.
I also thought that the student voice was a great section! I can't even imagine what it would be like to come across a situation like that. And I love the last line she uses, "Nothing will chance if I continue to ifnore the problem"..." as if I'm the only person in the world." I found that statement so powerful because there have been times in my life when I have disregarded the well being of anyone else and made a decision.

Chapter 2

This chapter gives plenty to think about. I have always heard that every dollar you spend is like a vote for the company who produces or distributes that product or service. But this chapter really does make me stop and think about who I voted for today and what that may mean for someone across the globe.

It also brings to light some of my conflicting views. I would say I am in favor of free trade, but not of outsourcing. I like to buy things for low prices, but am not in favor of child labor or sweatshop conditions. If we as a country were to produce the goods we buy exclusively in the United States, could we afford them?

So what is best? Should we continue to allow American companies shop around the world for the cheapest labor and ignore the working conditions of their employees? Should we not trade with countries and companies that do not meet certain standards of pay, working conditions, etc? I do not know what the best solution is. But if I was in charge, I would make big business wear their actions on their sleeves. Make their business practices well known to all and let the people decide. Let the American people vote with our most valued possession: the almighty dollar.

Chapter 2\ sweatshops

The topic about sweatshops was very interesting. How could big corporations like Walmart that produce millions and billions of dollars of year. Have people work for thirty-five dollars a week. Knowing that these people have families to take care. The story about the women working for Gap really touch my heart. We know it wrong to make people slaves for a few cents a day to give consumers what they need. We are all aware of what going on but yet we still purchase the products. I like to shop but I never really took the time out to understanding what someone goes through just make my "South pole" shirts I love. This Chapter helped me to understand the theory of globalization a little better from a different view.

Chapter 2: Consumerism, Free Trade, and Sweatshops

The second chapter in Global Issues, Local Arguments discussed the use of overseas and foreign labor in the economy. Free trade is such a controversial issue and Johnson pointed out that it has brought so many different products to America, providing us with such a huge variety of brands and items, from the clothes we wear to the foods we eat. The article over sweatshops in China really caught my attention. The labor and sacrifices behind things that we use everyday is often overlooked but the reference to the Chinese sweatshops really made me think. The injuries and sometimes fatal incidents that occur is so tragic. Then Johnson emphasized that the corporation hiring these Chinese workers was Wal-Mart, one of the stores that most Americans depend on everyday. The advertisements and casual environment of this store chain contradicts the rigorous lifestyle of the foreign workers. What other well-known stores are doing the same thing? The "Question to Ponder" at the beginning of Chapter 2 also mentions Starbucks. Although in recent times Starbucks has been losing sales, it is still so well known, especially to college students. So many big names are being connected with factory workers in foreign countries working under terrible conditions.

WAL*MART

I have a cousin who used to be a social worker in Los Angeles. I think he's pastor now, but one day he told me not to buy products from Wal-Mart. He explained that the corporate giant had been ruining the local economies throughout the nation. I did not really understand the concept of economy and why Wal-Mart was bad at that time. 

Some 4 years later, now I have a pretty good idea of what Wal-Mart means to the economy of the nation and the rest of the world today. It not only crushes the local economies by bottoming out the prices of goods, but I've learned that it is also one of major culprits for sweatshops.

It's one of the few corporate giants today that has been fiscally performing better as the U.S. economy struggle. It's no surprise, however. With all the commodity prices skyrocketing and inflation rate to reach a double digit this year, it's not so hard to picture millions of Americans flocking to Wal-Mart for the cheapest price "guaranteed."

The Chinese economy has been growing blazingly fast, but it also has shown signs of slowdown recently, as wages and commodity prices are inevitably rising in China and Vietnam, indeed dramatically. Americans won't settle for "cheaper than domestic" prices. They will find THE cheapest price. Where will we exploit next?

What's Behind Free Trade.

This reading was definitely a wake up call. Isabel Reyes’ personal account regarding her job at the Cosmos clothing factory revealed the effect of consumer’s demands for cheap merchandise. This account gave me insight as to how companies in the U.S. are able to sell shirts and jeans at low prices. It certainly is not fair that Isabel Reyes’ hours must increase to meet the demands of Americans, while her pay remains the same. I, although, was perplexed by Candida Rosa Lopez’s quote. She expressed in this quote that she wished more Americans would buy the clothes made by the Nicaraguan garment factory. On the other hand, labor supporters feel consumers should avoid supporting companies that allow cruel factory conditions. When I finished reading, I had come to the conclusion that it would benefit the foreign workers if consumers avoided dealing with these companies. Consumers should also take the necessary steps to educate themselves on the issues regarding sweatshops. Consumers can then make educated decisions about where they would prefer to spend their own money.

Chapter 2

It was so ironic. I was sitting down drinking a passion tea lemonade at STARBUCKS when I began to read chapter two of our book.

The first sentence is about starbucks coffee and how we play a role as consumers in a larger global political and economic sphere. so, with that in mind I got to thinking: am I participating in the misfortune of Latin American coffee workers?

How can we solve these problems if Starbucks, WalMart, and McDonalds are so unavoidable everyday? 

The best part of the chapter was the "race to the bottom" concept.

WalMart is making goods cheaper for its customers but at the same time harming its workers...because it wants to offer affordable goods.

It was a good chapter and allowed me to understand the concept of free trade!!

its gettin' good you guys...

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Global Issues, Local Arguments was a very eye opening read. I say eye opening because even with our eyes closed we know the reality of sweatshops and cheap labor, but as a society we choose not to look. I know that I personally have always known that my clothes were made in horrible conditions and being paid for with someone elses uncompensated sweat but that it is easier to just brush the issue aside and not even think about it. Well this chapter definitly got me thinking. I even felt kind of angered after reading it. I made the rash and determined decision to never buy clothes made in another country again. And then I realized that this is almost impossible. In fact, unless I am a millionaire or unless I have some wonderful sewing skills, I am practically forced to buy the products that I do not believe in. The only way to stop such a practice would be for every person in America to boycott such products, and I somehow do not see that happening. I always had that thought that people in other countries needed these jobs. I felt that in some way we were doing them a favor. After reading this chapter I do not feel that we are doing them a favor at all. This chapter brings to light that it is the greedy corporations that are actually creating these conditions. When large corporations demand lower costs or move manufacturing to countries that have to accept lower pay for employment, "these corporations are forcing workers to compete against each other in a race to the bottom". In summary, the cycle brings everyone down. I would love to learn more about this issue and if there is any way to get out of this cycle of injustice.