I recently watched a documentary called The True Cost. I can't detail all of the issues covered by the program, but in general it explores unfair manufacturing practices and the exploitation of workers in third world countries.
I immediately recognised how strongly these issues related to this community.
Let's assume the majority of readers here are frugal by necessity. Some of us will be richer than others, but I can't imagine anyone who frequents this sub is so wealthy that money is not worth thinking about. We all want to save money, but how far should we push it?
Imagine a low income family living in a westernised country. They buy children's underwear for $2, kitchen plates for $1, and a wallet for $3. These items had a total manufacturing cost of 8c, 6c and 10c, respectively. The working conditions these are created in are terrible and often the only option for workers. Similarly, these products are the only option for our hypothetical family. Here we have low income buying from very low income workers so they can afford to live and buy more cheap goods.
It seems as if it's impossible to avoid fuelling the fire.
In this situation, what can the family do? In your situation, what do you do? Do you think the world is eternally doomed for extreme class divide, wherein half of the world is essentially a slave for the other?
It'd be great to have a discussion about this.
April 19, 2017 at 02:52AM
