Mr Daisey and the Apple Factory

How much more more would you pay for your electronic crap if workers in China were treated just a bit better? Mike Daisey traveled to China and offered this chilling monologue on "This American Life"

The Prologue from the show:

Prologue.

Ira Glass

OK, I am holding a new iPhone 4S in my hand. This is the one that you can talk to, and it talks back. It's a program called Siri. So let's try this. I'm just going to hold it up to the microphone here and push a button.

Ira Glass

Siri, where do you come from?

Siri Software

I, Siri, was designed by Apple in California.

Ira Glass

Where were you manufactured?

Siri Software

I'm not allowed to say.

Ira Glass

Why?

Siri Software

Good question. Anything else I can do for you?

Ira Glass

Can I say I love especially "I am not allowed to say," because it implies that Siri somehow knows the answer, but she's just not allowed to tell me. Which is insane, because she's a machine. Especially because-- flip over the phone-- right here on the back it's printed, assembled in China. Which we all know anyway. It's not like this is some big secret. We all know that stuff is made in China. Our phones, our computers, our clothes, our household goods.