Listening to Mr. Daisy’s pod cast regarding his experience in Shenzhen was very moving. As much as I don’t want to say, “I heard about it, but didn’t know it was so bad”, I have to. As cliche it is, that’s something I just can’t stop thinking about right now. But, at the same time, it’s not as if I now have a clear understanding of the working conditions of the Foxconn factory, or what goes into making my iPhone. My majority of what I know is what I just listened to. I don’t know how true it is, or have any sort of accurate vision of the creation of the iPad. It is still enough to sit back and think.
I was having a conversation with a few friends just the other night about the evolution of the popularity of the iPhone. It’s always been popular. It was the new, hip thing when it was initially released in 2007. Then, with the addition of the Verizon iPhone in 2011, sales skyrocketed, to put it lightly. Even quite some time after Verizon’s release, I feel like there has been another surge in popularity. It’s gotten to the point where it seems like almost everyone has one. Everyone is always texting, playing games, and doing who knows what else on their iPhones. I am no exception. I spend a pathetic amount of time on my iPhone. I spend way too much time “scrambling with friends” and sending useless text messages.
Maybe I should have known this, but I had no idea that iPhones are hand made. It blows my mind to imagine a line of Chinese children putting all of the minuscule pieces that go into an iPhone. I cannot believe that the device I will use to google what other movie a random actor is from, was perfectly sculpted by someone who has possibly never seen it in use is surreal. It makes me realize how lucky I am.
Business, Government and Society fiVe 