Quick Clarification [China no. 9]
In one of my earlier posts I displayed the image to the right and noted in its accompanying caption that I wasn’t sure what the green liquid in the image was for. Regardless of what it was, I doubted that it was good for the factory worker given that he, and the several other individuals working at similar stations nearby, didn’t have any gloves on and the liquid was all over his hands.
Well…I now know what the liquid is: coolant.
Without inquiring further while still in the factory, there is little potential to find out exactly what kind of coolant is being used, whether or not it is as highly toxic/poisonous as all of the other coolant I am aware of, and if the employees coming into contact with it know of what they are working with every day. There is a slight (very slight) possibility that the liquid is pure spring water with organic green food coloring, but the likelihood that it is coolant, with the sole purpose of keeping the drill bit and materials from heating up too much, is far greater.
…And keep in mind that this is probably one of the “better” factories that exist in that region.
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July 15th, 2006 at 2:36 pm
Peter, at the factory, Dan and I were talking about the coolant and he had asked a manager about the kind of coolant and toxicity of it, but he didn’t get a straight answer (as far as I remember). While I was shocked to see workers using coolant bare handed, it does not surprise me given the fact that even these jobs are highly sought-after by Chinese emigrants.
I think the problem of poor working conditions will always exist as long as people demand low cost goods. However, as you have noted before, human beings are very selfish and unless more people (specifically, Americans) witness or experience these types of working conditions, all we can do as individuals is avoid buying sweat-shop goods. Easier said than done, because I also like buying cheap goods. While I may be hypocritical at times, I do not see much of a solution to this problem - human beings have been taking advantage of each other for as long as time. Perhaps the problem lies more in inescapable human nature, or do you think human beings can be compassionate enough to put financial gain behind human rights in the near future?
Somehow, this conversation reminds me of Hotel Rwanda (although, I think I made this comparison before with you). I think that was probably one of my favorite movies, despite the fact that many historians state it is unrepresentative of what really happened.
- James
July 19th, 2006 at 1:16 am
James: Dan’s blog post is actually where I learned that the liquid was coolant (here’s a link if anyone is curious). The more I think about it, the more troubling it is to have such a lax setup. I can’t imagine what kind of an affect such a working situation would have on one’s health, even from only a few days of contact. I just find it weird — are latex gloves really that expensive? Would they break the back of that ~US$25 million company? I guess I’m having a pretty hard time reconciling the logic.
I think you make a good observation as to what part of the problem may be (worker supply) though I think your other point is far more powerful and damning. See if you can find any consumer in the US, myself included, that doesn’t somehow perpetuate this greater issue of low cost goods at almost any price.
Another thing I realized, after thinking more about the trip, was how real everything becomes when you experience it in person. I have heard and read a lot about poor working conditions in China before. I’ve also seen quite a few photographs, films, documentaries and TV segments on the subject. But nothing could compare to the up close and personal experience of being there in person. There is no way you could faithfully communicate to someone via one of the second-hand mediums I mentioned what it felt like to walk into a room, just as sweltering and muggy as the one you just came from, and suddenly find yourself clasping your hand over your mouth and nose as you feel and smell the pulp and plastic-fume laden air rushing into your lungs. Nor is there a way to communicate what it feels like to be a rather privileged graduate student, surrounded by 30+ peers bearing the same status, awkwardly attempting to filter the factory air with your hand as you watch the local workers toil just a few feet away without any ventilation protection, most likely 6-7 hours into their shift already.
I hate to sound blindly optimistic, but I think there is a lot of hope that much of the troubling things we witnessed (working conditions, human rights issues, massive wealth divide, etc.) will eventually shrink and hopefully disappear. I do think, however, that things would move a heck of a lot faster if people showed they care about such issues more (both through dialog as well as continued and consistent action). I think most of the problem lies in how lazy we have become and our disinterest in slowing down to really consider all of the ramifications of even the smallest of our actions or decisions. We are too used to being able to drive a few blocks to the store, grab cash from the ATM, buy a few cheap things from the store, and head back home. Quite frankly, I think I would go crazy if I analyzed every purchasing decision to the extent that I think is necessary — it just isn’t practical. …And the lack of practicality combined with the general push and pull of society, really makes it difficult to instill progress.
I think I am starting to really ramble and doubt I am making any sense. I think it is time for me to get some sleep…