When A Super Rich Person Buys A Yacht Do More Africans Suffer?

[WhatTheGox]

Basically.....Do You Have A Moral Responsibility When Buying Things?

On a smaller scale if you buy a certain product more of that product will get produced as a result, does that imprison other people or does it depend on the product? How do we know what products are moral to buy?

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[yugo23]

Basically.....Do You Have A Moral Responsibility When Buying Things?

On a smaller scale if you buy a certain product more of that product will get produced as a result, does that imprison other people or does it depend on the product? How do we know what products are moral to buy?

Hard question. You're responsible if you buy it that's for sure.

But the problem is that you can't buy "moral" products, that just don't exist. Clothes are all from Asia, electronics too, and all the garbage will end in Africa.

That's just how the world is, you don't have a choice. So you can feel guilty but it won"t change anything.

[actmyname]

You could give yourself a moral responsibility when you're buying products, but in reality, the only way to create some change is to be at the top of the chain, and by that point if you wish to keep your position you would have needed to confine your morals. It's... cheap labor that the impoverished countries provide for us. That is their economic role.

When you do your day-to-day tasks, do you think about suffering Africans? Most likely, you wouldn't, since they're not a large part of your life. Rarely do people go out of their way to help and donate to these people, since although they can complain about it, they do not truly care. People love to talk, but they never take action.

[futureofbitcoin]

No that's just stupid.

In fact, when rich people buy stuff, that creates jobs for people. It's a good thing.

[virtualdn]

My buyings are too small to have a real impact so I guess I just don't think about this... but you have a point here.

[Laosai]

My buyings are too small to have a real impact so I guess I just don't think about this... but you have a point here.

So you think. But your buyings are probably the same as the average American, and they're always 4 times too much.

But let's face the truth, even if you would want to take care of others and be careful about the moral aspect and all... How could you do?

There is not a single brand which is higly moral or even sustainable.

All rotten

[btcbug]

...does that imprison other people or does it depend on the product? How do we know what products are moral to buy?

Imprison them in what way? Are you implying that employees producing a certain product are prisoners because they voluntarily contracted with an employer to exchange their labor for wages?

[maku]

It depends of the scale of moral conflict buying some products brings. If I new something was manufactured with blood of young children from Africa I would definitely won't touch it.
But if I know that there is not help to it, and I won't change anything by not buying something then I really don't care. Life is hard.

[NorrisK]

My buyings are too small to have a real impact so I guess I just don't think about this... but you have a point here.

That is just so not true.. If everybody thinks like this, and everybody keeps buying stuff that is produced by child labor, ofcourse there will be child labor.

If everybody decides not to buy certain stuff, the production of that stuff will change. But if you think like this, and I think like that and everybody else does, no change is ever possible.

Don't underestimate the power of the masses in these type of changes. They are the bulk of the consumers, not just the one rich guy who buys a yacht.

[~Bitcoin~]

I don't see any connection between these two things. African suffer or many people in underdeveloped country are made to suffer because some of the so called richest and powerful country like to grab all of the valuable resource of those countries.

[Laosai]

I don't see any connection between these two things. African suffer or many people in underdeveloped country are made to suffer because some of the so called richest and powerful country like to grab all of the valuable resource of those countries.

Well you know what happen to old yacht?

They go wreck on African ground. Africa is cleary the world trashcan. We put everything here, every old electronic device you throw is probably finishing in Africa.

[alani123]

Truth to be told, most people here shouldn't care. To be able to afford a computer and and internet connection in the first place means that we're at a better position than people in Africa in countries with close to zero infrastructures and no economy. And I don't think that the other side cares either. If you were growing up in an environment like that, would you care more about everyday survival or class initiating warfare?

[Laosai]

Truth to be told, most people here shouldn't care. To be able to afford a computer and and internet connection in the first place means that we're at a better position than people in Africa in countries with close to zero infrastructures and no economy. And I don't think that the other side cares either. If you were growing up in an environment like that, would you care more about everyday survival or class initiating warfare?

Well you could (should? I don't know... Maybe...) care because we're exploiting them and their resources as hell.

So we are responsible whatever liberalists say.

But is it bad? Probably. Should we change things? Certainly. Will we? Well you already know the answer...

[n2004al]

Basically.....Do You Have A Moral Responsibility When Buying Things?

On a smaller scale if you buy a certain product more of that product will get produced as a result, does that imprison other people or does it depend on the product? How do we know what products are moral to buy?

The aim that OP have in creating this thread is to be applauded. Especially in today's world when the moral can be bought from almost everyone. It is only matter of price and not of yes or not. The minority who resist to such temptations is made every day fewer and fewer.

Anyhow I think that the put of everyone in a sack is not the right way to propose such problem. Have I moral when buy something? For me personally this question have no meaning. What does it mean for me to have moral when buy something. I buy everything I can with the money earned with my work. What have to do my bought with my moral? I have not stolen to anyone my money. In this case maybe may have meaning the question. But must be created only for them who steal not for everyone. Or lets take Bill Gates. He have make all his money with his work. Have not stolen a dime to no one. He can have everything is offered in this world. Have meaning to speak about moral in this case. He spent the money have from his work. Honestly earned. I think not.

So to whom is directed the OP?

[OROBTC]

Basically.....Do You Have A Moral Responsibility When Buying Things?

On a smaller scale if you buy a certain product more of that product will get produced as a result, does that imprison other people or does it depend on the product? How do we know what products are moral to buy?

In general, people ought to buy things that ADD VALUE to their lives, as long as they do not impinge on others.  If the guy BOUGHT the yacht, there were workers who were PAID to build it.

Products made by slave labor?  I wouldn't buy.

Buy cigarettes or tobacco company stock?  Ah, no., profits off the addicted...

*   *   *

OP writes:

"How do we know what products are moral to buy?"

That is a problem.  But, as it so complex, don't spend your time worrying about every Made in China T-Shirt, electronic widget, etc.  There are bigger problems to worry about.

[criptix]

stop buying chocolate.

most of it comes from african child slave labors.

high tech stuff mostly incorporates exploitation of valuable ressources which usually are located in 3rd world countries.

companies working there give a shit about people and enviroment - all in the name of the holy profit.

hail capitalism.

[OROBTC]

stop buying chocolate.

most of it comes from african child slave labors.

high tech stuff mostly incorporates exploitation of valuable ressources which usually are located in 3rd world countries.

companies working there give a shit about people and enviroment - all in the name of the holy profit.

hail capitalism.

Then perhaps you should get off of your computer, and especially your cellphone.

Tantalum, most of which comes from Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo, whichever name is more current), is used in capacitors.  No tantalum, no hi-tech.

World commerce IS sometimes very dirty.  Prove any allegations, and try to make things better (as Apple is trying to re Tantalum).  

Or stand by your convictions to not participate...  <=== You will find that very hard.

[criptix]

stop buying chocolate.

most of it comes from african child slave labors.

high tech stuff mostly incorporates exploitation of valuable ressources which usually are located in 3rd world countries.

companies working there give a shit about people and enviroment - all in the name of the holy profit.

hail capitalism.

Then perhaps you should get off of your computer, and especially your cellphone.

Tantalum, most of which comes from Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo, whichever name is more current), is used in capacitors.  No tantalum, no hi-tech.

World commerce IS sometimes very dirty.  Prove any allegations, and try to make things better (as Apple is trying to re Tantalum). 

Or stand by your convictions to not participate...  <=== You will find that very hard.

im not eating chocolate, please let me the other stuff^^

[SFR10]

The only way Africans suffer from a super rich guy buying a yacht, is if the money used for buying that yacht in particular was somehow stolen from those African people that you mentioned, other than that there's no negative impact at all plus if a rich guy buys something, more works would be created to further make those things again and if someone doesn't buy, the opposite happens since that's it's cycle.

[WhatTheGox]

...does that imprison other people or does it depend on the product? How do we know what products are moral to buy?

Imprison them in what way? Are you implying that employees producing a certain product are prisoners because they voluntarily contracted with an employer to exchange their labor for wages?

In the way of buying things shapes the world more than voting does.  If people buy meat the producers will provide more meat, if you buy vegetarian food more of it gets produced - for example, im not saying either is more moral than the other atm.

Well, you have to work right? how many people would like to live almost or totally self sufficient i wonder? but cant because all the reasonable land has been taken.