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We in the west are about to find out just how much of our wealth depends on globalization. Which one of you wants to work in a factory assembling iPhones?
by throwaway4good 4y ago
We in the west are about to find out just how much of our wealth depends on globalization.
Which one of you wants to work in a factory assembling iPhones?
- chitowneats 4y agoProbably not many who regularly hang out in the HN comment section. As for others in the U.S., I imagine some would choose it over picking produce in the hot sun. Or working in an Amazon warehouse. Particularly if the pay is better.
- throwaway4good 4y agoThe pay will be worse and the iPhone a lot more expensive.
- LarryMullins 4y ago> the pay will be worse. iPhone factory workers in China get paid more than field workers in China. The same will be true in America. > iPhone a lot more expensive. Yeah, so what? There's plenty of slack in the wasteful consumption habits we've developed generally, and with phones specifically. If an iphone becomes twice as expensive, then simply compensate by buying one half as frequently. Instead of wastefully buying new phone every year because you've just got to have the latest trendy fashion gadget, buy a new one every ten years. As consumer expectations shift, so will the products. Instead of thin and disposable phones to chase fashion trends, we'll get robust and serviceable phones if that is what people come to demand.
- throwaway4good 4y agoThe price of an iPhone is about 3x the monthly wage of an iPhone factory worker.
- LarryMullins 4y agoYes, and? They pay workers as little as they can get away with, and charge consumers as much as they can get away with.
- tim333 4y agoThese days people tend to use automated machinery to make that kind of thing => iPhone costs are reasonable, employees high paid but less of them.
- jasmer 4y agoI'll happily work in that factory programming and repairing robots that assemble iPhones, which is what we should be working towards.
- remarkEon 4y agoMen used to be able support an entire family working in a Ford factory. Then globalization happened. I don't pretend that will be coming back in its entirety, but there will be plenty of people willing to work in a factory assembling iPhones.
- throwaway4good 4y agoGlobalization is a net benefit to the US; that the US has chosen to distribute the spoils the way it has is really a separate issue.