I guess what bugged me about the way this has been covered from the beginning is that this isn’t an Apple problem, yet that’s how it’s been exclusively portrayed by the American news media, and by Daisey himself when he’s appeared on American news shows that I watch.

In the TAL Retraction episode, Charles Duhigg from the New York Times had a salient point to make about the responsibility of American companies to export better working conditions to developing nations. I believe that’s true, in fact what I’ve seen suggests that that is what Apple is doing. I’d like to see them move faster, and I imagine I’m not the only one, but the evidence I’ve seen suggests they’re the only ones in their industry even trying.

I heard the first This American Life episode, was moved, and was glad that the discussion was taken up. Whatever we can do to improve working conditions, lives, in China, we should do. In whatever way possible.

For several reasons, the fact that the most emotional parts of the story were fabricated, weighs down upon me like boulders. I can take being lied to, and I’m sure Apple will manage as well. No, the most heavily weighing reason this makes me tremendously sad, is the fact that it belittles what truth there was to the story, and perhaps worse: it stomps on whatever spark makes the workers work these long hours. They do it for the promise of a better life, they do it for their parents, for their sisters, and for their children.

The empty void left in the wake of this is the real tragedy.