Third World Exploitation

[TrustTheProcess]

Y'all, 

I am privileged to have grown up in America. I have been very conscious that I am only able to enjoy the standard of living that I do at the expense of essentially slave-like conditions of people in other distant countries. It is so easy for many of us to not consider this because we don't have to face it... but it is happening as we speak. Nobody would tolerate an American working under the conditions of millions of the workers in countries like China or Bangladesh. 

The foundation of the US economy has always been built on the backs of slavery...

My question is:

How can we take tangible steps to creating a more compassionate system? It seems as though our entire structure is based on this exploitation... 

Will automation alleviate this problem?

Will globalization alleviate this problem?

If so how and when do y'all think?

 

[SerpaeTetra]

Put lots of pressure on global companies to not have any affiliation or even secondary affiliation with such behavior.  This could cause a country to adjust their standards.

[Lyubov]

Well... you have recognized the first step and that there is indeed a problem. I'd say when it comes to this it's about trying to be as conscious as possible when it comes to what we consume. Try to buy clothing made in ethical countries. If everyone did this (and could afford to do so) then those countries would find large portions of their citizens out of work so now they have an even bigger problem. I'd say we need to buy from companies that are treating their workforce ethically. I know some clothing manufacturers actually follow through with their oversights. It isn't about perfection but I'd say being my conscious where each dollar goes is a start. I'm in the process of trying to cut out fast food from my diet. I'll get food at a Dunkin Donuts close to me because it is a franchise which is family owned and only employees members of the family that own it.  

[WorldlySavage]

Yeah. The orange menace is the one that will hide the oppression and slavery behind closed doors and in clever packaging with slick marketing.

However, I'm wondering how many "third world" or "second world" countries you have traveled to.  To understand the depth of the situation you need to understand that the issues are more often local societal issues than they are international issues.

The reason someone gets a job in a clothing factory which is making clothes for the west is usually because they pay more and are more stable than the local employment option.

With my company, I travel a lot in countries which are in the middle of the global wealth scale with pockets of thriving middle class.  I'm talking places like Serbia (my base), Ukraine, Colombia, Panama, Thailand, and South Africa.  I tour around those places every year.  I get people in these countries jobs they can work online.

You do sometimes see poverty in those countries, but for me it's nice to see poverty without the stigma and resulting mental health issues homeless people have in North America for example.  Poor people around the world can be happy and enjoy life in a more sincere way then most North Americans. That's why I moved to Serbia.  Real life, real people, real hospitality, real sharing with each other.  I got sick of the individualist orange message of where I grew up in Canada.

The picture from my perspective is that many people in those countries are not having it that bad, there's steady progression of things getting better, more modern and they're really catching up. 

Mind you, starvation is not an issue most of the places I mentioned, except perhaps South Africa.... I haven't seen the really poor countries, which I think you're mentioning....

But yes, what I see is more local problems of the blue, red and purple sort and then orange western ideology comes and takes advantage of it, feeling somewhat smug that they are providing opportunities and money somewhat better than what would happen if the countries were just left to themselves.

 

Edited June 6, 2020 by WorldlySavage

[Leo Gura]

On 6/3/2020 at 8:46 PM, louhad said:

How can we take tangible steps to creating a more compassionate system?

Start by making yourself more compassionate and loving.

Serious social change can only happen by inner self-transformation. Develop yourself and become a conscious leader. That is what changes society. Not whining about it from behind a screen at home on your couch while pigging out on Cheetos.

[LarryW]

@louhad  "The foundation of the US economy has always been built on the backs of slavery..."

also I try to read up on world history to broaden my perspective, exploitation and slavery go back thousands of years before the US or even Western civilisation was created. It's a problem of human development, and political solutions are only temporary sticking plaster to suppress it until we evolve. So I guess politics (short term) and spirituality (long term) are both needed.