NOT OUR DAY JOB

First up, suicide is no stranger to Foxconn. Apparently there have been 16 self terminations within the last two years. On top of that, a couple more attempts were unsuccessful. So bottom line is, when you have multiple entrees into the "Employee Suicide of the Month" awards, it may be time to step back and look at the company with fresh eyes. And installing a net to catch would-be-jumpers may come off as a tad bit overbearing. "Yeah try and kill yourself, we'll just catch your ass and put you back to work!"

So while the situation there seems beyond my comprehension of moral or fair, we can use the whole mess to infer some choice tidbits of understanding into the workings of China. It's no secret in America that China is a great tool for fear-mongering. We owe them a ton of money, we send them all our jobs, they have a massive military, and they ALL know martial arts. Stack that all on top of each other and you have a pretty scary boogie man. Now lets add to that terror!

If this doesn't send a chill down your spine, you're not doing it right.

Efficiency: If you had an American company with double digit suicides in less than 2 years, that company would be so bogged down in lawsuits, counter lawsuits, union strikes, and YouTube dislikes, that even IF it did manage to weather the financial storm, it would have been unable to function as a company, and would be left as a lifeless shell. Nothing I have heard or read has indicated that the suicides at Foxconn have really sullied their name in the slightest, nor for that matter slowed down production. The wheels in the machine keep on turning, even when some of the wheels jump off the roof during smoke break.

Conviction: My dad always used to tell me whenever I had to do some chore to "do it with conviction!". It was many years later before I learned the meaning of that word, and as a 3 year old boy, with the new knowledge of what my dad had been demanding of me all those years, it did make sense. Scary sense. If you're going to build a great wall, BUILD A GREAT WALL! If you're going to manufacture computer parts, MANUFACTURE COMPUTER PARTS! And if you're going to risk your life for better working conditions, KILL YOURSELF! No one can argue those workers were willing to go the distance, all 10 stories if need be.

The Great Wall of China started out when a Chinese dad told his son to fix the fence with conviction.

Solidarity: I can't get my fucking co-workers to agree on where to go for lunch. Typical Americans: so many choices, and no clear direction. The Chinese suffer none of this. No backstabbing, reneging, or cop-outs. Just good ol fashion 300 strong suicide pact negotiation. If they can get 300 factory employees willing to die for a raise and more PTO, just think what the Chinese military could muster up for an invasion force.

Thrift: Everywhere we look in the USA we are bombarded with the fact that we are in some bad shape financially. Why is that? We don't know how to live thriftily. Not only that, we don't know how to DIE thriftily. Shooting yourself? Guns and ammo aren't cheap. OD? Hope you got insurance for those pills you're popping. No, when you want to threaten suicide as a means to an end you don't break the bank, just the sidewalk. Gravity is a constant: FREE.

Jesus this rant got dark as hell. I apologize. My dad is Chinese, I must have inherited his efficient, conviction, solidarity, thrift, martial arts. However, all is not dismal. We can also look on this and draw some hopeful conclusions as well.

Justice: This story would have ended very differently, and this rant been MUCH more insensitive, had the workers actually had to make good on their threat. It is terrible that the workers who died before had to earn the rep for the suicide threat, but at least the company worked it out, and HOPEFULLY learned a lesson or two. Like who NOT to issue life insurance to.

This year's company picnic was a downer.

Progress?: The fact that 300 people were willing to fight against the shitty treatment means that they hope for, and believe in something better. They are aware they are worth something, and using that as a bargaining chip, in the most simplistic method possible. At least they are not content to just suffer indefinitely and while their threat was extreme, they have won here.

Literally: The term "I'd rather Die" gets thrown around all too casually these days. Bringing that expression front and center and slapping us across the face with it, the Foxconn workers have put their lives where their mouth is, and taught us here at NODJ a little something about absently tossing around the phrase "KILL YOURSELF". For 2012 I think we'll downgrade it to "FIND AN ALTERNATE SOLUTION."

Well there you have it. Hard hitting. Current. Game related. Non Biased. Welcome back to NODJ everyone!