WEEK #3
As we begin to talk about Appiah’s Cosmopolitanism, we will be asking ourselves: What is our connection to people living and working in these horrible conditions? What is our economy’s connection? In a so-called “global-economy” shouldn’t our consciousness of these connections increase? Don’t businesses have an obligation to search throughout their entire supply chains for acceptable working conditions and ethical practices?

Our connection to the people living and working in these horrible conditions is that we are humans too. We too, could be in that same position if we weren’t as fortunate to be in the place, family or country that we are in now.

Being that we are in this so-called “global-economy” our conscious should be more alert, aware and responsive to these conditions, but I really think that we are not, well at least to the point that we should be. I strongly, believe that that in many cases people have to make or have a personal connection to actually grow conscious of problems like these. Living in a fast-pace lifestyle its hard to keep up with everyone injustice, when we individually are trying to survive, but when it affects us personally then we actually know where the help and attention is needed.

YES! Businesses have a huge obligation to search through supply chains for acceptable working condition and ethical practices. If more businesses would implement ethical practices and decent working conditions there would more role model business to imitate. For instance, in Mexico several American company’s have transferred their manufacturing departments down south, to get out of paying overtime, providing medical insurance, obeying several of the regulations that are in “enforced” or promoted in the U.S. The laborers of these companies across the boarder are in desperate need of income so they are willing to get paid $2.50 or “20 pesos” for a days’ work, which normally consists of 10 to 12 hours.