The first time you see examples of modern day slavery, it’s a shock and disheartening. But unless it becomes one’s own political cause, it’s accepted at some level in the “horrible stuff out of my direct control that I benefit from”. Will I give up my iPhone because of the rare metal mining for the magical battery materials? No. But I will rattle my conscience once in a while by watching a video or reading up on it again. It doesn’t solve anything when I do so. Neither would me giving up my phone and telling 5-10 people do anything. But given a can’t-do-anything position, a moment of thought about it isn’t the worst thing. Or maybe it is, I don’t know.

The first time you see examples of modern day slavery, it’s a shock and disheartening. But unless it becomes one’s own political cause, it’s accepted at some level in the “horrible stuff out of my direct control that I benefit from”.

Will I give up my iPhone because of the rare metal mining for the magical battery materials? No. But I will rattle my conscience once in a while by watching a video or reading up on it again.

It doesn’t solve anything when I do so. Neither would me giving up my phone and telling 5-10 people do anything.

But given a can’t-do-anything position, a moment of thought about it isn’t the worst thing. Or maybe it is, I don’t know.