Is this a comment about the capitalist economy, especially the billions of nameless workers in 3rd world countries who work day after day after day, often in menial conditions and with wages that are not enough to support their families, while the multinational corporations get bigger and bigger and their execs enjoy bonuses of millions because supposedly their already insane monthly wages are not enough to "motivate" them to do their work properly? Maybe.
Truth be told, I didn't notice the number on the doll's head until I was going through the photos, but it did remind me of the tattooed numbers of prisoners.
I've often been thinking it's really difficult to make moral choices completely free of problems when it comes to buying things.
Take the tomato, for instance. Here, you can choose between Spanish, Dutch, Finnish and Finnish organic (and just occasionally, I think, Dutch organic). The Spanish tomatoes are the cheapest - but they come from large farms tended by immigrant workers whose working conditions are really horrible. At the other end, surely it's beneficial to support Finnish employment and production by buying Finnish tomatoes? But then again, they are grown here in winter too, in green houses of course, so isn't it horrible waste of energy and natural resources to make them grow in a place and time they don't normally grow in, more so than shipping them from Spain? If you buy Finnish organic, you both support Finnish employment AND avoid all the pesticides and whatever they put in the tomatoes in industrial farming. But producing organic in Finland has an even greater what they call coal foot print.
Then there's the fact, with clothes, electronics and such that a consumer can't easily find out whether or not the product has been produced ethically, because the chain of production is so complicated. With clothes, the material, the fabric and the finished product are regularly made in different places, different countries. For instance, some time ago there was news that some - not all - of the pillows sold in Ikea had feathers that had come from farms (in Poland? not sure) where they are plucked from living geese. But which ones? Going to an Ikea, how can I make sure? And even if you COULD make sure that all the things you purchase are absolutely ethical, what's the right course of action? I might be viewed as hypocritical because I have an iPhone, and apparently some of the parts have been produced in unethical working conditions in 3rd world countries. But many organisations say that boycott is not something they recommend, because it won't make the corporations actively supervise the sweat shops to make sure the workers' rights are not violated. It only makes the sweat shops kick out the already under-paid workers, so the workers go from just barely hanging on to starving.
Truth be told, I didn't notice the number on the doll's head until I was going through the photos, but it did remind me of the tattooed numbers of prisoners.
I've often been thinking it's really difficult to make moral choices completely free of problems when it comes to buying things.
Take the tomato, for instance. Here, you can choose between Spanish, Dutch, Finnish and Finnish organic (and just occasionally, I think, Dutch organic). The Spanish tomatoes are the cheapest - but they come from large farms tended by immigrant workers whose working conditions are really horrible. At the other end, surely it's beneficial to support Finnish employment and production by buying Finnish tomatoes? But then again, they are grown here in winter too, in green houses of course, so isn't it horrible waste of energy and natural resources to make them grow in a place and time they don't normally grow in, more so than shipping them from Spain? If you buy Finnish organic, you both support Finnish employment AND avoid all the pesticides and whatever they put in the tomatoes in industrial farming. But producing organic in Finland has an even greater what they call coal foot print.
Then there's the fact, with clothes, electronics and such that a consumer can't easily find out whether or not the product has been produced ethically, because the chain of production is so complicated. With clothes, the material, the fabric and the finished product are regularly made in different places, different countries. For instance, some time ago there was news that some - not all - of the pillows sold in Ikea had feathers that had come from farms (in Poland? not sure) where they are plucked from living geese. But which ones? Going to an Ikea, how can I make sure? And even if you COULD make sure that all the things you purchase are absolutely ethical, what's the right course of action? I might be viewed as hypocritical because I have an iPhone, and apparently some of the parts have been produced in unethical working conditions in 3rd world countries. But many organisations say that boycott is not something they recommend, because it won't make the corporations actively supervise the sweat shops to make sure the workers' rights are not violated. It only makes the sweat shops kick out the already under-paid workers, so the workers go from just barely hanging on to starving.
4 comments:
Yes, Maria, it is a dilemma and one that we all face every day when we do our shopping. I think we've all got too used to quick and easy gratification. Just supposing we could only buy vegetables and fruit in the natural growing seasons? It would save both energy and transport costs, but would probably also put a huge number of people out of work!
Like you I believe in recycling of goods, and never buy new when I can find a good second hand item, but someone bought these things new once, and I still want them...and they were probably still produced (if a piece of electronics) in a sweat shop in Taiwan, so does the fact that I am buying them second hand make it any better?
I don't have the answers, and the only thing I can do with the question is just try to live moderately. Not eating meat doesn't mean I think no one else should, but I do believe we should all eat less and just consume less in general. That way, there is half a chance that animals might be reared in humane conditions. After all, supply is largely dependent on demand, so if we demand less, then maybe there would be fewer factory farms, but there would also be more people without any work at all....I don't know. I can only hope it helps and do my own bit towards fair and decent trade and production.
Good questions you have posed here, and sorry if I've bored you to bits now, dear!
Maria, I agree with all that you write here. I could not have said it any clearer.
It is a difficult choice in todays world. Things we need, we sort of can't live without, we in the back of our minds, know someone made only a couple of bucks to maybe get a bag of potatoes or something of that nature so they don't go hungry.
It is a double edged sword.
I try very hard in my life to live simply, and pay close attention to things I purchase, and food I purchase.
The tomato answer is easy. I just don't eat them! (long story, but I try to avoid all nightshade foods now) (possible arthritis link and gastrointestinal irritant due to their toxins)
Seriously, though, it IS difficult, Maria. All one can really do is try one's best to make the most conscionable choices, based on what information you have readily available to you. Otherwise it might be best for us all to go back to living self-sufficiently. Think how utterly dependent most of us are on others. It's a bit scary.
There's no easy answer and I don't think we should beat ourselves up over it past a certain point -- or what's the point in living?
Me - - I long for simpler times lately. I was telling my husband that just yesterday. I think I'd even trade it for a shorter lifespan, such as one might have had in the 1950s or so.
Hi Maria,
I think on the same way like you. One problem is, the customers like to buy the vegetables or tomatos every day and every season. I try to buy only these products, if they are growing in the natural season and only organic food. If we don't think green and live not in these mind we and our kids going down.
Love
Stefan
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