Direct Action. What'd you think?

[jet_silver]

Well, I understand that there are things in my house that are made in China (shower curtain), Hungary (light bulbs), Philippines (rubber slippers), and Brazil (clothing). Last night I had asparagus from Peru. I would like to stop having an argument based on perception and start having one based on a few facts. The argument that "there's stuff in your house that's made in the third world" is correct, but that -certainly- doesn't prove that anything insidious went on to beat the goods out of the hides of the workers or deprive them of an improved life. Further, the fact that e.g. rubber slippers -can- be made in the Philippines is not conclusive evidence that if the Philippines disappeared, I wouldn't have rubber slippers.

I didn't say that things wouldn't cost more. I -did- assert that that increase in cost won't materially affect lifestyle.

Would you consider defining your terms? The terms that need defining are:

"lifestyle" and how it is related to the volume of stuff you have, or whether a lifestyle has anything to do with statistical measures like life expectancy;

"third world" (probably easiest to define in terms of GNP per capita, but again you get to decide);

"poverty" (whether in equivalent dollars or in purchasing power).

I don't mean to be petty, but I -do- mean to cast a lot of doubt on your assertion, Jag, and I would prefer to do it deliberately and logically.