Penn & Teller: Defending Sweatshops

Penn & Teller look at whether Wal-Mart should change their practices. Watch new episodes of Penn & Teller: Bullshit, Thursdays at 10PM ET/PT. For more go to Sho.com/ptbs.

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[kyler187]

@jimasulliv Slavery? Nobody is forcing these people to work there. They work their because their other options are way worse.

[sollidottingen]

@lavalizard3 You're argument is flawed.. If you walk straight up to someone and kick them in the balls, you take the whole "own choice" thing out of the equation. It's not the same.

[TheThordir]

I'd rather work in a sweatshop than to prostitute myself, or till the soil.

[Mezey5]

@Arkthos That is the only choice, there is no other real alternative, you create a minimum wage you will make life worse by increasing the unemployment, you try to enforce safety regulations and such and you do the same thing, You cannot compare our work conditions compared to a country that is a centuries behind us in progress. The U.S. went through the same phase, so do they, though they will progress much quicker.

[Arkthos]

I Love P&T but I'm not with them in this one.

I mean "It's bad but compared to what?" that is really bullshit, you can't justify doing something bad by saying "well that's worst".

I Agree that it isn't slavery as @jimasulliv said because there is some degree of choice involved in this but when you look at the social/economical/cultural reality of some of this people you know that choosing between starving or working in miserable conditions it's unfair to say "that's a real choice".

[PolitcalIslam]

@SSTTEEAALLTTHH Hindsight explanations and libertarian skeptic biases, too. I still like them, though. They do much better than anyone else trying to do same type of thing.

[PolitcalIslam]

@kyler187 Wage slavery refers to a situation where a person's livelihood depends on wages, especially when the dependence is total and immediate.

[jangleballer]

After the US military destroys, exploits and eliminates self sufficiency in these 3rd world nations, the sweatshops open and we are now doing them a favor. Ridiculous.

[MagnesDrachen13]

And yet, American companies set up a "well, it's better than starving" shop and just sit on it for years. No progress, no wage increases, no advances in environmental protections, no improvements to working conditions, just "at least they're not farming", pay them more than average (which is still pennies on the dollar compared to the American workers they replaced), pollute the air and water, discourage unionization of workers (what do they think they are? people?), and keep mediocrity the norm

[AzaIndustries]

lol worst argument ever, so because its the lesser evil its fine and we can all feel good about our selves!

Slaves by proxy and ignorance is bliss.

[tml4873]

@SSTTEEAALLTTHH I still do kind of like them (they do more good than harm), but sometimes they are biased and present only their side of the issue. It's never bad to watch their stuff with a critical eye.

[tml4873]

It's a little more complicated than this "either or" scenario presented.We (the first world countries) create the circumstances that make these shitty jobs the best alternative - one doesn't excuse the other. They also fail to mention what happens after the workers get too "wealthy". Ever wonder why ever couple of years, there's a new third world country name on your clothes? They move to a cheaper place, leaving the other country far worse than it was before they came and "saved" them with jobs