Why does the image of an Indonesian sewing sneakers for 60 cents an hour evoke so much more feeling than the image of another Indonesian earning the equivalent of 30 cents an hour trying to feed his family on a tiny plot of land--or of a Filipino scavenging on a garbage heap?
The main answer, I think, is a sort of fastidiousness. Unlike the starving subsistence farmer, the women and children in the sneaker factory are working at slave wages for our benefit--and this makes us feel unclean.
—Paul Krugman
Friday, February 3, 2012
Quote of the Day
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2 comments:
I'm not sure how you discovered this quote but, having looked it up, this 1997 Slate article is worth reading in its entirety. (I guess this is what makes a great blog entry: if its prompts you to read more.) Anyway, a great response to the charge that all the evil corporations are moving jobs overseas. This is Krugman in one of his best moments.
I never realized it was from 1997! I thought it was written in response to all the current criticism of Apple and other tech companies. A different quote from the article was referenced by Andrew Sullivan. (but, apparently has been purged) I, too, liked the article.
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