Rationalising for the health of our conscience
It’s shocking reading all the journalists rationalising the treatment of foxxcon workers. “They are better off now making our iPhones for cheap than they were farming rice”.
To be transparent, I own a MacBook Pro, typing on it at the moment in fact. I have owned an iPhone too. It doesn’t make me feel good. I don’t try to rationalise it though. I have made the decision that I don’t care enough to not purchase it. Of course I could buy a dell or an HP, but it would be naive to think that they aren’t built in similar conditions.
We all live in a western culture which silently promotes the suffering and abuse of the poor. Most make themselves feel better by rationalising it, saying that the poor should feel privileged to serve at our feet and have a roof as a reward. Others try to help with $30 a month donation to a needy cause in a far away land.
Until we all understand that we are the cause of the problem; from drinking our coffee, wearing out cotton t-shirts, texting on our phones, we aren’t going to help our brothers and sisters on the other side of the planet or the other side of our fence (Kidscan estimates 200,000 children in New Zealand live in poverty). When we stop rationalising our exploitation of the misfortunate, we might then be able to start talking about a solution.
There isn’t a lack of resources, there is just a minority of greedy people. A minority which includes you and me.