buy chinese ?

[Castelia]

It's simply too expensive to always look for things that aren't made in China, and it takes a lot of effort.

Haha! Indeed it does. But since I do this for my own self-gratification, I'm perfectly fine with expending my energy.

So you'll put it back on the shelf if you find something with the words "made in China" at the back... just for that?

Yes.

[Infected Mushroom]

So you'll put it back on the shelf if you find something with the words "made in China" at the back... just for that?

If I see the same or a similar product next to it that says made in the EU then yes.

and how often would you say this happens?

Where you pick up something from a shelf... notice it says "made in China" and then go... "I'm going to find if there's a product NOT made in China next to it."

Fairly often?

Would you say this is for you, a MORE or LESS important consideration in your consumerism than say... the expiration date or date of manufacture?

I'm just trying to understand this

[Castelia]

are you saying you make phone calls after the fact and if you find out China was involved, you may (and have) ordered a refund from time to time if you can get it?

Should have clarified. I ask before I buy. Simple as that. And if I did manage to screw it up and buy something Chinese, I throw it away.

I'd rather waste my money than actually use the damn thing.

[Geneviev]

It's simply too expensive to always look for things that aren't made in China, and it takes a lot of effort.

Haha! Indeed it does. But since I do this for my own self-gratification, I'm perfectly fine with expending my energy.

That is admirable.

[Infected Mushroom]

It's simply too expensive to always look for things that aren't made in China, and it takes a lot of effort.

Haha! Indeed it does. But since I do this for my own self-gratification, I'm perfectly fine with expending my energy.

So you'll put it back on the shelf if you find something with the words "made in China" at the back... just for that?

Yes.

I would imagine that keeping a notebook with a black list of things you've confirmed as being made in China could help keep track of things

have you considered?

[Infected Mushroom]

Haha! Indeed it does. But since I do this for my own self-gratification, I'm perfectly fine with expending my energy.

That is admirable.

I'm honestly pretty impressed too

[Castelia]

I would imagine that keeping a notebook with a black list of things you've confirmed as being made in China could help keep track of things

have you considered?

...are you spying on me? *hides notebook*

[The New California Republic]

If I see the same or a similar product next to it that says made in the EU then yes.

and how often would you say this happens?

Where you pick up something from a shelf... notice it says "made in China" and then go... "I'm going to find if there's a product NOT made in China next to it."

Fairly often?

Every time I go shopping. So yes. Often.

Would you say this is for you, a MORE or LESS important consideration in your consumerism than say... the expiration date or date of manufacture?

I'm just trying to understand this

First of all, why would I give a shit about the manufacturing date, and how could I give a shit about the manufacturing date in the first place? The vast majority of products do not show it.

Most products (possibly all) that I buy that have an expiration date on them will not be made in China.

[Geneviev]

That is admirable.

I'm honestly pretty impressed too

It almost makes me want to change also, even if things made in China are less expensive.

[Infected Mushroom]

and how often would you say this happens?

Where you pick up something from a shelf... notice it says "made in China" and then go... "I'm going to find if there's a product NOT made in China next to it."

Fairly often?

Every time I go shopping. So yes. Often.

Would you say this is for you, a MORE or LESS important consideration in your consumerism than say... the expiration date or date of manufacture?

I'm just trying to understand this

First of all, why would I give a shit about the manufacturing date, and how could I give a shit about the manufacturing date in the first place? The vast majority of products do not show it.

Most products (possibly all) that I buy that have an expiration date on them will not be made in China.

Okay well this is definitely all very very interesting to me

are there any other countries that you boycott?

[Novus America]

if i may, is it a money issue, or you dont think it would do any good politically, or dont care whether it would do any good or not?

Money issue. I don't really care what country makes a product, as long as it's good and cheap.

I'd prefer to buy Canadian, American, EU, whatever country that is non abusive to it's workers. But at the same time 10$ for 20 pairs of socks is a great bargain and we need the money for food, bills, ect.

So even if it's made in Pakistan, i'd just have to take the 10$ socks.

So you are fine with abusing workers for your benefit.

[The New California Republic]

are there any other countries that you boycott?

Nope.

[Aclion]

Yep, reminder that Chinese products aren’t necessarily knockoffs. Sometimes they can match up to other countries’ products... that makes me the difference of being a buyer of both and buyer of just one option.

Ohh, funny story about that one.

Somehow, and the emphasis on "somehow", there was a wave of Chinese companies, like some sort of an organisation, that not only imitated NEC, but copied its entire company and operations.

Sources:

https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1161180
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20060 ... 0246.shtml

EDIT: And it must have been super awkward when the actual engineers from NEC have acknowledged that the knockoffs are of a high quality. Like, they copied it so damn well that it could be passed off as actual NEC stuff.

the knockoffs are often identical, because the counterfeiters are buying from the same people the actual company contracted to manufacture the product.

Also I love that in this thread about the ethics of international trade with slave states the leading poll option is "invade hong kong"

[Novus America]

Sure, but I don't tend to be paranoid enough to think that every label is lying to me.

So you'll put it back on the shelf if you find something with the words "made in China" at the back... just for that?

And if the words aren't there, you assume "well, more often than not, China was not involved" so its "ethical" to buy it?

Something like that?

Yes. Unfortunately sometimes there is nothing else. But I do check the place of origin labels on nearly anything I buy.
Even if one is more expensive, I still go with the better on. US first, NAFTA second, other allies third, other places fourth, and PRC only if it is literally the only option.

Also I fight it by trying to avoid throwaway culture. I have been using the same American made shoes I got from the military. They are 12 years old but still in great shape.

I drive an 03 US made pick up. I will probably keep driving it until it completely dies.

I wear the the same cloths until they become unusable. I rarely have to but clothes, take care of good ones and they last years, even decades.

Really you do not save much money if any on the “cheap” stuff if you just have to buy more.
Plus the hidden costs outside the sticker prices (labor abuse, decline of human rights, environmental destruction).

I honestly do not even buy that much besides food and toiletries and the like.
I do not need most the shit the PRC is peddling anyways.

Electronics are an issue, I just had to buy a new printer. They never last because they are all shittily made. Still found one made in Indonesia instead of the PRC and bought that.
Not that I was thrilled, Indonesia is hardly a paragon of human rights, labor rights, and environmental protection but it sure beats the PRC.

[Castelia]

I honestly do not even buy that much besides food and toiletries and the like.
I do not need most the shit the PRC is peddling anyways.

Electronics are an issue, I just had to buy a new printer. They never last because they are all shittily made. Still found one made in Indonesia instead of the PRC and bought that.
Not that I was thrilled, Indonesia is hardly a paragon of human rights, labor rights, and environmental protection but it sure beats the PRC.

Oh, I do the same. I rarely buy anything myself, but when I do, I try to avoid Chinese made products.

But yeah, when it comes to electronics, it becomes difficult. There's hardly anything electronic these days that didn't have a part made from China. But when it comes to those, I just avoid buying Chinese brands.

[Free Arabian Nation]

I try not to buy stuff from foreign countries as much as possible, but that's mostly for economic reasons rather than political ones (home-grown stuff is cheaper here)

But, yeah. Fuck the Chinese. I encourage everyone to boycott them for their shitty practices when/if possible

[Unstoppable Empire of Doom]

I try to buy non Chinese products however you can't always know. China killed American industry and now the waltons disguise everything as american. The trade war is addressing this of course as manufacturing moves to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, america, etcetera.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Computer components especially.

[...]

But I can't afford an expensive, ethical computer hand-assembled in the Alps by singing nuns.

I build computers. It'd be a bit creepy if I dressed as a nun while doing it though...

But have you tried it?

[-Ocelot-]

When western nations, where the richest candidates win elections, fascism and religious fundamentalism goes unchecked and the free market lets people starve or get into massive debt just to survive actually become "western liberal democracies" I might care about where my products come from. Until then, my phone will most likely Chinese and my green tea boxes will have Mandarin characters on them.

It's funny how the rich love freedom and the free market when it gives them absolute power, yet suddenly hate it when it means I'm free to choose Chinese products over their products.

[The New California Republic]

I build computers. It'd be a bit creepy if I dressed as a nun while doing it though...

But have you tried it?

No.

[El-Amin Caliphate]

Based on this thread, viewtopic.php?f=20&t=466378&start=100

And its getting killed because its an IM hypothetical thread and it is so easy to dogpile on an IM hypothetical thread because well, its an IM hypothetical thread. Anyway I want to modify it a bit to something a bit more specific and to be honest, in this day and age it is not really a hypothetical, because behind it is a decisions most of us make unconsciously on a daily bases.

So for your debating pleasure:

1: Suppose you are a citizen in a western liberal democracy, and more or less support western liberal democratic views

I'd make it Islamic.

2: The government of the PRC is not really known as a friend of personal freedom, the crackdowns in Hong Kong, the denial of Tiemenen square massacre, the “reeducation” camps for muslims in western china, unfair trade practices, including lax enviormental, worker safety, social credits, being a mass surveillance state, the 9 dash line, stealing Western Intellectual property, etc. etc.

3. Because of some of the above and other factors, Chinese goods, including transportation costs, sell for 20% or so cheaper than goods with comparable quality to a product made in a western country.

So what do you do? Do you buy local and pay more, or buy Chinese and pay less and help support and maintain the PRC.

I try and buy local whenever I can, I only buy Chinese goods when I have too. Now tbf I am a middle class American. I can afford to soak up the difference in purchase price, I don’t worry that the Chinese garlic is cheaper than the American (its not but play along). I specifically look for stuff not made in china. That said there are products that can not be bought that do not contain some Chinese content, or to even know if there is Chinese content in it.

I choose option 5 but that sounds weird. Is it saying "I won't buy from China" or "I won't buy from any country at all except my own"?

[Castelia]

I choose option 5 but that sounds weird. Is it saying "I won't buy from China" or "I won't buy from any country at all except my own"?

seems like the latter

[El-Amin Caliphate]

When western nations, where the richest candidates win elections, fascism and religious fundamentalism goes unchecked and the free market lets people starve or get into massive debt just to survive actually become "western liberal democracies" I might care about where my products come from. Until then, my phone will most likely Chinese and my green tea boxes will have Mandarin characters on them.

It's funny how the rich love freedom and the free market when it gives them absolute power, yet suddenly hate it when it means I'm free to choose Chinese products over their products.

I haven't seen any hate in this thread. Also you're missing the reason why people boycott China.

[Novus America]

When western nations, where the richest candidates win elections, fascism and religious fundamentalism goes unchecked and the free market lets people starve or get into massive debt just to survive actually become "western liberal democracies" I might care about where my products come from. Until then, my phone will most likely Chinese and my green tea boxes will have Mandarin characters on them.

It's funny how the rich love freedom and the free market when it gives them absolute power, yet suddenly hate it when it means I'm free to choose Chinese products over their products.

Dude, it is the rich corporations telling you TO BUY FROM THE PRC!

I am not rich. I doubt any people criticizing PRC products here are rich.
It is not the rich boycotting the PRC.

Shilling for Apple and Amazon and making them richer in the name of fighting the rich. That is truly some fascinating logic you got going there.
Along with your false equivalency.

So you are totally cool with paying workers a dollar an hour? Oppose the right unionize?

50 cents has been transferred to your account.

[The Snazzylands]

When western nations, where the richest candidates win elections, fascism and religious fundamentalism goes unchecked and the free market lets people starve or get into massive debt just to survive actually become "western liberal democracies" I might care about where my products come from. Until then, my phone will most likely Chinese and my green tea boxes will have Mandarin characters on them.

It's funny how the rich love freedom and the free market when it gives them absolute power, yet suddenly hate it when it means I'm free to choose Chinese products over their products.

Good post, citizen. Your social credit score has been increased by 10 points.