4 ms·

You're in Bangladesh and in a well of part of the city, you say. A family of 6 with 2 maids and 2 drivers too. Your entire post reminds me of something else I r

by eksith 13y ago

You're in Bangladesh and in a well of part of the city, you say. A family of 6 with 2 maids and 2 drivers too. Your entire post reminds me of something else I read : http://newint.org/features/2013/01/01/india-elite-sense-of-entitlement/ http://newint.org/features/2013/01/01/india-elite-sense-of-e... While the countries are all different (I'm from Sri Lanka originally), the attitudes are astoundingly similar. It's the Western equivalent of let them eat cake since they're used to eating grass. Underpaid labor is better than no pay is an excuse of the privileged; and only the privileged.

muyuu 13y ago
These jobs wouldn't be there if not for the low wages. They belong to a foreign industry and a foreign market, it's nothing that they can simply protect internally.
- eksith 13y ago
  Now that the jobs are there, the foreign industry has a responsibility to maintain the welfare of their slave labor force.
  - muyuu 13y ago
    They'd rather just pack and leave. Jobs are not life-long entitlements.
pavs 13y ago
Please get off your moral high horse. I used to be like you all smug-faced and judgmental sitting behind a computer, until I was on the field with brac (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRAC_(NGO) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRAC_(NGO)) and see for myself how the real world works. They are NOT underpaid for the most part (If you actually bothered to read what I wrote). They are under-paid to "western living standard" but not according to the local living standard (for the most part). There are some exceptions and exploitations, but its very small percentage, but those are the examples that the media and people like you try to bring up when discussion these issues. Lets be oblivious and ignore the world of good garments industry has done for literally millions people in the poorest parts of the world. Change takes time, its not pretty, its not shiny, and its not fairy tale and sometimes people die in the process.
- eksith 13y ago
  I did "bother" to read the article. And I know all about BRAC (there is a branch in Sri Lanka too). I don't need the media to tell me what's happening. I have family - therefore, a genuine vested interest in what happens to them and their community - and I stay in touch to this day. I know all about what the garment industry has done in the poorest parts of the world; I've seen the end result first hand (and second, third and fourth by virtue of having family working there). The only one oblivious is you if you think you know how the real world works.
- siam 13y ago
  You are from BRAC! I have heard they are some sort of BLOOD SUCKER, by giving small money to poor they take 80% interest. Even some rural farmer had to suicide after taking loan from Brac. And you are talking about "living standard" how funny man :)
  - pavs 13y ago
    You are confusing brac with something else that happend in india.
    - eksith 13y ago
      No, I think he got it pretty spot on. I.E. From just December last year : http://www.eoi.es/blogs/amyblyth/dp-the-grameen-and-brac-experience/ http://www.eoi.es/blogs/amyblyth/dp-the-grameen-and-brac-exp... For balance, here's the response straight from the horse's mouth before that story was written : http://www.brac.net/node/861 http://www.brac.net/node/861 Very convenient when borrowers are unaware of those choices all too often as happened in Sri Lanka too after the tsunami. And a guardian piece from 2008 : http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb/20/internationalaidanddevelopment.bangladesh http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb/20/internationala... Ah, but these are "Western media" outlets with a clearly biased view spewed from behind the computer. I was born there, but let me return to the modest shack my granddad built so I'll have better standing, shoulder-to-shoulder, with you. Your organization is the NGO equivalent of the U.N. with greater far-reaching tentacles in every aspect of the poorest communities you influence. The garment factories you hold in such high esteem are exploitive in the extreme and the level of self-delusion you exhibit would have been funny if the consequences weren't so tragic. Edit: Reply link not showing up yet. Meanwhile, since microcredit is the bread and butter, so to speak, of the BRAC scheme : https://www.google.com/search?q=consequences+of+microcredit https://www.google.com/search?q=consequences+of+microcredit https://www.google.com/search?q=effects+of+microcredit https://www.google.com/search?q=effects+of+microcredit https://www.google.com/search?q=repercussions+of+microcredit https://www.google.com/search?q=repercussions+of+microcredit
pionar 13y ago
I find myself falling into this sometimes. I came from a relatively poor area and family (at least by US standards), and sometimes foolishly get the attitude briefly when confronted with poverty of "I got out of that, they should be able too. They're just lazy and/or are happy living that way. Which may be true, but I doubt it. I certainly never was.
- Dylan16807 13y ago
  So why did you get out and they didn't? Was it luck?
  - pionar 13y ago
    No, but not everyone has the resources (encouraging parents, teachers/community leaders that help, etc.) to do it that I did.
ArtB 13y ago
> It's the Western equivalent of let them eat cake since they're used to eating grass. Underpaid labor is better than no pay is an excuse of the privileged; and only the privileged. ...and only an excuse.
- Dylan16807 13y ago
  It's an excuse if the factory workers are underpaid. In terms of local buying power, how much more should they be paid in your opinion?

by eksith 13y ago

muyuu 13y ago

These jobs wouldn't be there if not for the low wages. They belong to a foreign industry and a foreign market, it's nothing that they can simply protect internally.

eksith 13y ago
Now that the jobs are there, the foreign industry has a responsibility to maintain the welfare of their slave labor force.
- muyuu 13y ago
  They'd rather just pack and leave. Jobs are not life-long entitlements.

pavs 13y ago

Please get off your moral high horse. I used to be like you all smug-faced and judgmental sitting behind a computer, until I was on the field with brac (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRAC_(NGO) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRAC_(NGO)) and see for myself how the real world works. They are NOT underpaid for the most part (If you actually bothered to read what I wrote). They are under-paid to "western living standard" but not according to the local living standard (for the most part). There are some exceptions and exploitations, but its very small percentage, but those are the examples that the media and people like you try to bring up when discussion these issues. Lets be oblivious and ignore the world of good garments industry has done for literally millions people in the poorest parts of the world. Change takes time, its not pretty, its not shiny, and its not fairy tale and sometimes people die in the process.

eksith 13y ago
I did "bother" to read the article. And I know all about BRAC (there is a branch in Sri Lanka too). I don't need the media to tell me what's happening. I have family - therefore, a genuine vested interest in what happens to them and their community - and I stay in touch to this day. I know all about what the garment industry has done in the poorest parts of the world; I've seen the end result first hand (and second, third and fourth by virtue of having family working there). The only one oblivious is you if you think you know how the real world works.
siam 13y ago
You are from BRAC! I have heard they are some sort of BLOOD SUCKER, by giving small money to poor they take 80% interest. Even some rural farmer had to suicide after taking loan from Brac. And you are talking about "living standard" how funny man :)
- pavs 13y ago
  You are confusing brac with something else that happend in india.
  - eksith 13y ago
    No, I think he got it pretty spot on. I.E. From just December last year : http://www.eoi.es/blogs/amyblyth/dp-the-grameen-and-brac-experience/ http://www.eoi.es/blogs/amyblyth/dp-the-grameen-and-brac-exp... For balance, here's the response straight from the horse's mouth before that story was written : http://www.brac.net/node/861 http://www.brac.net/node/861 Very convenient when borrowers are unaware of those choices all too often as happened in Sri Lanka too after the tsunami. And a guardian piece from 2008 : http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb/20/internationalaidanddevelopment.bangladesh http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb/20/internationala... Ah, but these are "Western media" outlets with a clearly biased view spewed from behind the computer. I was born there, but let me return to the modest shack my granddad built so I'll have better standing, shoulder-to-shoulder, with you. Your organization is the NGO equivalent of the U.N. with greater far-reaching tentacles in every aspect of the poorest communities you influence. The garment factories you hold in such high esteem are exploitive in the extreme and the level of self-delusion you exhibit would have been funny if the consequences weren't so tragic. Edit: Reply link not showing up yet. Meanwhile, since microcredit is the bread and butter, so to speak, of the BRAC scheme : https://www.google.com/search?q=consequences+of+microcredit https://www.google.com/search?q=consequences+of+microcredit https://www.google.com/search?q=effects+of+microcredit https://www.google.com/search?q=effects+of+microcredit https://www.google.com/search?q=repercussions+of+microcredit https://www.google.com/search?q=repercussions+of+microcredit

pionar 13y ago

I find myself falling into this sometimes. I came from a relatively poor area and family (at least by US standards), and sometimes foolishly get the attitude briefly when confronted with poverty of "I got out of that, they should be able too. They're just lazy and/or are happy living that way. Which may be true, but I doubt it. I certainly never was.

Dylan16807 13y ago
So why did you get out and they didn't? Was it luck?
- pionar 13y ago
  No, but not everyone has the resources (encouraging parents, teachers/community leaders that help, etc.) to do it that I did.

ArtB 13y ago

> It's the Western equivalent of let them eat cake since they're used to eating grass. Underpaid labor is better than no pay is an excuse of the privileged; and only the privileged. ...and only an excuse.

Dylan16807 13y ago
It's an excuse if the factory workers are underpaid. In terms of local buying power, how much more should they be paid in your opinion?