Capitalism at its best

Boing Boing reports a British paper sent a reporter to “iPod City,” the plant in Longhua, China, where iPods are assembled by women who earn $50/month for working 15 hour days. Apparently half of the money goes towards their food and rent.

The same goes for the manufacturing of most of our electronic toys, clothing, or anything else you can find in your favorite WallyMart.

Some would say “well at least it gives the poor wretches a job”. I would answer by saying I’m certain that slave owners had responded similarly.

It makes you wonder how much our world has really progressed. It also makes you wonder how much profit the big corporations are really making. Or how much the Chinese government is skimming to build bigger and badder bombs to lob on our heads. We would probably be sickened if we really knew.

So the next time when you are buying that cool MP3 player, or cell phone, or shirt, or … think about what it really cost.

Related links: instabloke, hardware, ipod, business