Only Escape From Hellish Apple iPhone Factory Was Suicide

In the original discussion someone pointed out that Foxconn has around 300000 employees. That's quite a lot of people, and statistically, you will have the same problems as you would in a town of that size.

Yes, there is probably a good margin, as Apple beats some of the largest companies in the world in market cap, but what does it say about American (world?) culture that we demand awesome products at affordable prices that would lead companies to do this to keep their profit margins?

Maybe, just maybe, we ask for too much sometimes. I was taking a flight to NYC from Austin last week on JetBlue. They had DirectTV satellite, and XM radio. I was ashamed that I found myself thinking, "What, no WiFi?"

"According to Liu, the plant makes employees work around the clock, only pausing briefly to eat or sleep."

How long exactly is "briefly"? 3 hours or maybe 7? We aren't told.

The article also doesn't say why these 300k people don't quit. Is it that there are no better jobs available to them?

So, in a plant of 400,000 over a four month period they should expect 17 suicides. A rate of 7, then, seems "good".

Bunk article.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_the_Peoples_Republic...

EDIT: Wolfram Alpha claims estimated figures for 2002 were 21 per 100,000. But i am not sure how much to believe it. http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=china+suicide

That Apple independently investigated this and is taking some effort to change how their suppliers operate is both impressive and (from my understanding) very unusual in the industry.

Edit: Downmod because why, exactly? Is it bad that Apple is doing this investigation?

It's just another pathetic way to attack Apple. "Only Escape From _Hellish Apple iPhone Factory_ Was Suicide". Oh come on. Foxconn is the largest manufacturer of electronics and computer components worldwide and they don't make just iDevices. According to Wikipedia Foxconn make these products:

1) Mac mini, iPod, iPad, and the iPhone for Apple 2) Intel-branded motherboards for Intel 3) various orders for Dell and Hewlett-Packard 4) motherboards for Zoostorm 5) PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 for Sony 6) Wii for Nintendo 7) Xbox 360 for Microsoft 8) cell phones for Motorola 9) Amazon Kindle 10) Cisco equipment

It's a news only cause it's cool to attack Apple. I bet you to find a single electronics product around you that isn't "Made in China". And we all know that work conditions in China are terrible and what has happened in the last 30 years.

It's not a 2010 news.

Common wisdom says that this physical activity releases or "vents" your anger, but it actually works you up more. Sustained physical exercise, like walking for a while, can calm you down, though.

I can not even imagine what a plant like that looks like. Also, how much stuff does Apple sell? Or are these just really slow workers? Even if they could only manufacture one item per employee per day, it would seem like a lot of items to sell.