Vigile Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 Video If you have an hour, I highly recommend this documentary. I am not sure how anything good can come of this. It's as if the comparative advantage promised by a global economy is working not to produce more and better products, but rather it's having a warped effect. Instead, the outcome, it would seem, is poor quality products, the enslavement of a generation, the depletion of the average standard of living, and a funneling of massive amounts of wealth from the many to a few. Is this the end result of Adam Smith's version of laissez faire capitalism? Watch for yourself and see what you think. The argument presented is not shrill, in my opinion, and is quite eye-opening for anyone with a modicum of human empathy and/or an appreciation for quality (both of life and of available goods). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest aldous Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 Video If you have an hour, I highly recommend this documentary. I am not sure how anything good can come of this. It's as if the comparative advantage promised by a global economy is working not to produce more and better products, but rather it's having a warped effect. Instead, the outcome, it would seem, is poor quality products, the enslavement of a generation, the depletion of the average standard of living, and a funneling of massive amounts of wealth from the many to a few. Is this the end result of Adam Smith's version of laissez faire capitalism? Watch for yourself and see what you think. The argument presented is not shrill, in my opinion, and is quite eye-opening for anyone with a modicum of human empathy and/or an appreciation for quality (both of life and of available goods). Well, industries are born, and die all the time. We aren't all up in arms because the buggy whip makers are out of a job because henry ford came along... Societies go through differnt stages of development at different times. For one, the underdeveloped nations like China and India are now just getting the industrial revolution mishmashed with the digital age all at once, and though the conditions are abhorrent to an onlooker like ourselves, they're not unlike those that were present in our own steel mills not so very long ago. So, all of the struggles that go with being in an industrial enconomy, the wins, the losses, the inevitable deaths, are all a part of normal development of civiliation. The wages earned by the people in the developing nations are low to be sure, but they are higher than those of prostitues, beggars, and most subsistence farmers (which is why the people don't just up and quit.) Times are tough for all cultures upgrading from the bronze age to modern technology. While it may seem unethical to profit from it, you're still providing the workers in those poor economies with jobs they otherwise wouldn't have had. Just like the walmart workers... those people aren't forced to work at walmart in lieu of being stock analysts or company CEO's, they do what they do as opposed to collecting a welfare check. I'm always willing to help someone who believes I'm actually helping them, but I will not give a dime to a man who thinks I should because he deserves it for just existing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightbearer Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 Hahaha... enslavement? Did Wal-Mart come in and conquer everyone and force them to work for them? No. But that's the definition of enslavement. Wal-Mart made it to where you can get products cheaper. Thier is some lose of quality in some products, but that's not Wal-Mart's fault. They don't make most of the products they sell. Other's sell it to them and they buy it and sell it to you, the consumer. The people in "sweat shops" are paid about 3 to 5 times more then the rest of the population. And it's not the company who is responsible for the conditions the workers are in, it's thier ineffecitve governments that make it impossible for people to live under. This isn't lazzie-faire capitalism. It's pretty far from it. No one's ever achieved a lazzie-faire state. Plus, look at CostCo, the pay thier employees way more then wal-mart and sell cheaper then wal-mart. That's the essence of capitalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted August 8, 2006 Author Share Posted August 8, 2006 Well, industries are born, and die all the time. We aren't all up in arms because the buggy whip makers are out of a job because henry ford came along... Societies go through differnt stages of development at different times. For one, the underdeveloped nations like China and India are now just getting the industrial revolution mishmashed with the digital age all at once, and though the conditions are abhorrent to an onlooker like ourselves, they're not unlike those that were present in our own steel mills not so very long ago. So, all of the struggles that go with being in an industrial enconomy, the wins, the losses, the inevitable deaths, are all a part of normal development of civiliation. The wages earned by the people in the developing nations are low to be sure, but they are higher than those of prostitues, beggars, and most subsistence farmers (which is why the people don't just up and quit.) Times are tough for all cultures upgrading from the bronze age to modern technology. While it may seem unethical to profit from it, you're still providing the workers in those poor economies with jobs they otherwise wouldn't have had. Just like the walmart workers... those people aren't forced to work at walmart in lieu of being stock analysts or company CEO's, they do what they do as opposed to collecting a welfare check. I'm always willing to help someone who believes I'm actually helping them, but I will not give a dime to a man who thinks I should because he deserves it for just existing. Before you comment, watch the video and then reread my critique in which I stated: It's as if the comparative advantage promised by a global economy is working not to produce more and better products, but rather it's having a warped effect. Instead, the outcome, it would seem, is poor quality products, the enslavement of a generation, the depletion of the average standard of living, and a funneling of massive amounts of wealth from the many to a few . You and the other poster simply spouted off the standard business school response without considering the argument I made about how they are filtering wealth from bottom to top (and without watching the video I think). Again, watch the video and you will see how wealth isn't being spread out, but rather is being drawn from communities. Cheaper products does not make anyone wealthier, it just provides more fodder for mindless consumption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuaiDan Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 GAGAAAAAAAARARARARARARARRARARRARARARGFGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! GOOGLE VIDEO NOT AVAILABLE IN CHINA!!! why oh why is every relevent video you guys post on fucking GOOGLE!!?!?!?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Paineful Truth Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 Instead, the outcome, it would seem, is poor quality products, the enslavement of a generation, the depletion of the average standard of living, and a funneling of massive amounts of wealth from the many to a few . What poor quality? That's not been my experience, and judging by their repeat business and packed parking lots with a high population of low-income customers, it's not the experience of others either. This is nothing but anti-capitalism concentrating on the most successful capitalist enterprise in the world. The corrupt modern pro-labor movement is very anti-consumer even though they may not know that's what they're doing--or care. Enslavement of a generation. Another anti-capitalist talking point. Aldous' point about their being where we were during the industrial revolution is very appropriate, and it's been spreading globally via capitalism ever since. Remember Japan in the '50's. I watch the spread of countries on the "made in" tags as they spread around the world to the areas of the cheapest labor, leaving improved and growing countries in its wake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted August 8, 2006 Author Share Posted August 8, 2006 Instead, the outcome, it would seem, is poor quality products, the enslavement of a generation, the depletion of the average standard of living, and a funneling of massive amounts of wealth from the many to a few . What poor quality? That's not been my experience, and judging by their repeat business and packed parking lots with a high population of low-income customers, it's not the experience of others either. This is nothing but anti-capitalism concentrating on the most successful capitalist enterprise in the world. The corrupt modern pro-labor movement is very anti-consumer even though they may not know that's what they're doing--or care. Enslavement of a generation. Another anti-capitalist talking point. Aldous' point about their being where we were during the industrial revolution is very appropriate, and it's been spreading globally via capitalism ever since. Remember Japan in the '50's. I watch the spread of countries on the "made in" tags as they spread around the world to the areas of the cheapest labor, leaving improved and growing countries in its wake. If you consider the current European model anti capitalist, then you are spot on. You will note that I pointed out that those who would agree with my points actually have a modicum of empathy for their fellow human beings. Instead you paint my comments with the broad brush of anti-capitalistic rhetoric because the great deified pure capitalist model dare not be criticized. Frankly, I'm not interested in arguing with the business school parrots on this issue. Either life in small communities was better before Walmart came to town or it wasn't. It depends on what you chose to measure. I argue that quality of life has suffered greatly due to the fact that Walmart has run not just unchecked, but has actually been subsidized by local, state, and even the federal government. Again, watch the video before you spray your canned responses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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