That's the result of protectionism from a 'capitalist' 'free' market. The US has, for decades promoted the idea that capitalism is the way forward, and now that it's come back to bite them...
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That's the result of protectionism from a 'capitalist' 'free' market. The US has, for decades promoted the idea that capitalism is the way forward, and now that it's come back to bite them...WHO SAYS??
90% of the guns I see in the stores today are ASSEMBLED in the US (in plants owned by respected American companies, but run by Chinese contactors), from parts FABRICATED entirely in China. So you can buy a Winchester or a Remington or a Colt and feel like you're being a good Doobie because you "Buy American".
Behold, the Trojan Horse is among us!
Cheers,
Wes
The Chinese won't pull the plug; they'll OWN the plug. And we still think of ourselves as an economic power, and we are, but only as a captive audience with little if any economic autonomy.If the Chinese ever pull the plug then who gonna build my TV then?
The Chinese people have a long history of tolerating autocratic governance when it kept them fed and protected and was perceived to advance the status of their people and their culture in the world. Western style democracy is a "barbarian" concept alien to Chinese culture. They're the ultimate "ubermenschen" who define their rightful empire as "anywhere people of Chinese ancestry live". Sudetenland anyone? The Ruhr valley? Anschluss? Poland? Does this ring a bell? It's 1938 again and we're enjoying "peace in our time".And of course internal pressure in China against what is after all a dictatorship.
At this point you either buy a Chinese phone or relegate yourself to Luddite status and jump off the technology bandwagon. My $28 ZTE outperforms my old $150 Samsung. I used to buy Nokia phones back when they were still made in Finnland. Same for tires. Now the Chinese make Hakkapalitas for Nokia and keep some for themselves to sell as Hankooks and undercut Nokia in the market.Is it acceptable to be against the Apple factory and the way they make phones and yet still buy a phone made in China?
Child labour and slavery was stopped in the UK by moral busybodies and not by the market or capitalism. I doubt that morality is part of the Chinese business model.
But the reason that Apple isn't returning to the US isn't money. Its skills. The US don't have the toolmakers and skilled labour in sufficient numbers to make it work. The article I posted above has some quotes from Elon Musk about it.There are bones of contention between China and USA such as North Korea or Spratley Islands or the sale of tech to less desirable states. And of course internal pressure in China against what is after all a dictatorship.
But you're right that the price of capitalism is the race to the bottom. Is it acceptable to be against the Apple factory and the way they make phones and yet still buy a phone made in China?
Child labour and slavery was stopped in the UK by moral busybodies and not by the market or capitalism. I doubt that morality is part of the Chinese business model.
An indictment and charge to which I, as a former member of the educational system, willingly plead: "Guilty, Your Honor". We have been so unwilling to compromise any part of our ideal of "a classical liberal education" that we have failed to pursue anything less than a bachelor's degree for everyone. The argument has always been that level of education is necessary to ensure informed, engaged voters, so vocational education has been allowed to drift out of touch with reality. It's been allowed to teach the skills of the past to the (unemployable) workers of the future, while the rest of us in our college-bound ivory tower paid no attention. (Except to shrug and say "Boy am I glad I don't have to deal with that bunch of losers!")But the reason that Apple isn't returning to the US isn't money. Its skills. The US don't have the toolmakers and skilled labour in sufficient numbers to make it work.
Mea culpa! Once again I've let (or led) the conversation drift off topic into social and economic ills, which are by definition political in this highly polarized world. Why are we discussing cellphones on a WWII aircraft site, anyway?
Cheers,
Wes
You're behind on your Technology Tax payments and the Collector of Delinquent Taxes is on to you! Better pay up, man.My contact has been up since November and now Apple is starting to slow my phone down trying to force me to upgrade. I still like my 6 and right now I don't want an upgrade