Working Conditions at HI

Q

Quadling

Joined
Feb 2, 2011
Messages
7
Thought you'd all get a kick out of this.

I teach Information Security, and currently, I'm teaching a university level Ethics of Infosec course. We were talking about supplier ethics.

I happened to have my new Deradune Kukri in my car, so I ran out, grabbed it and brought it in. I asked my class if anyone owns an iPhone, iPad, anything "i". So yeah, a couple of them did.

I showed them this article. http://www.dailytech.com/Apples+Labor+Report+Finds+Lot+of+Abuses+But+Praises+Foxconn/article20922.htm

If you're not familiar, Foxconn is where all iPhones, iPads, etc, are made. It's also where they have to put nets under the windows, to catch suiciding employees.

And then I showed them the HI shop visit video. Where there is a smith engraving a blade, holding it with his feet.

I asked them if the HI shop would meet OSHA standards, and of course it wouldn't.

I asked them if Foxconn would, and it probably would.

So I asked them which supplier is ethically and karmically better to buy from? They all agreed that HI was better to buy from.

Why? I asked them.

Because the smiths there are proud of their work, and they are treated like professionals, and they make a living wage, and they probably get a fairly significant portion of the money from each kukri, and ...

But what about the working conditions? Holding a blade with feet???

They told me that if that was the culturally correct way to do it, then who are we to judge?

I was proud of my students.
 
Cool! Sounds like you have a pretty sharp class. Their points are definately valid and I think this:

"Because the smiths there are proud of their work, and they are treated like professionals, and they make a living wage, and they probably get a fairly significant portion of the money from each kukri, and ...

But what about the working conditions? Holding a blade with feet???

They told me that if that was the culturally correct way to do it, then who are we to judge?"

Is absolutely correct, along with the fact that they are allowed to express creativity and be individually recognized and sign their work goes a long way!

Thanks for sharing
 
I had to read that twice to make sure you werent pulling a fast one on me there, professor. :o :D :eek:
Good For You! The world sometimes needs good lessons in Ethics.
Dharma is chock full of Ethics and Vitamins A,D, and C. :foot:
All kidding Aside.....Thank You!!!!
 
Thanks for sharing the story. Hope you get the chance to give the forum your thoughts on the Deradune Khuk if you can?
 
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