Keeping People Alive So They Can Buy More Stuff
from the philanthropy-for-its-own-sake dept
In a post earlier this week on the $100 laptop for developing countries, Mike wondered if the money its sponsors were pouring into it was in vain, since the market seems to be driving the cost of laptops down pretty low on its own. In any case, in the original article, Rupert Murdoch characterized News Corp.'s support of the project as "a good pro bono thing to do". Whether or not it has a big effect, at least the company seems to be doing something for the sake of doing something good. But perhaps not every company (surprise, surprise) is quite so altruistic: a Motorola exec told a group of investors that the company supports the (PRODUCT) RED initiative, which helps buy AIDS medication for people in Africa, because people who don't die "can be future customers". Certainly, business is business, but the exec's justification for doing something good just because it could keep some people alive so they can buy more of the company's stuff seems pretty cold.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Helping keep people alive
Isn't it sad that businesses and our government will go through so much trouble to collect these items only to destroy them. Why not do something intelligent and humane and get a little goodwill publicity for it too - spray/splatter a permanent dye on the clothing goods to eliminate their counterfeit value, crate them all up, and ship them to needy people in other countries.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Good Idea Neal.
-max
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Yet another reason...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Another sign of Motorola's greed...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Investors.
Yes, it does. On the other hand, he was talking to investors, who may have been demanding justification for the company's altruistic behavior.
/devil's advocate
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
That's what a company's supposed to do
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
That argument
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Come on people.
Motorola, and all companies, are entities that exist to make money, nothing else. There only concerns are naturally about the result of their actions (i.e. how much they can make). If they can be encouraged to think that consumers will prefer a company because they do good (from a utilitarian viewpoint), then they should be, no matter the company's motivation.
It may seem cold, but that shouldn't matter. If spun right it could seem cold to send people into burning buildings, risking their lives to rescue people. From another perspective, do you really believe that no one who came up with the policy cared that they were helping AIDS victims? This was surely just the right spin for the shareholders (and I sincerely hope it pays off for them.
I just wish drugs companies would take a similar standpoint, that if they hep Africans with AIDS now, maybe in a future African economy more people will become old enough and wealthy enough to buy Viagra from them.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Come on people.
If you don't see that - then you are buying into popular propaganda.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Come on people.
Yes, they do, at my expense. I am disabled and in poor health and my drugs last year cost over $11,000. Some of the pills I need are $11 apiece. The drug companies can treat AIDS for free but here at home (my home in the USA) they can overcharge the elderly and disabled into poverty and hunger.
Sorry I forgot to thank those drug companies. My bad.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
AIDS
Perhaps instead of saying 'if they help Africans,' I should have said 'if they do more to help Africans.' my suggestion is still valid.
However It must be worthy of consideration that there are companies in the world prepared to provide AIDS drugs at cost, but cannot do so because the methods they would use are patented by US drugs companies, and If they breach the patents, the US - under pressure from the drugs companies - has threatened trade sanctions.
I am aware of the counter argument to this that patents encourage development because companies won't develop in an area where they cannot protect said developments from competitors.
Neither point of view is without its merits, and neither is without its drawbacks.
Oh, and just because propaganda is overwhelming doesn't mean it can't have some basis in truth.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No matter why...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Keeping Them Alive
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
...because people who don't die "can be future tax payers", then those the wish to rule us will justify their existence.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
For two, this is about a corporation. Corporations are global. Unless you bought something from them, your money isn't going off anywhere. Also the US does sometimes help other countries, but this help is either selling them stuff a little cheaper than usual (usually weapons, and that isn't a boo goverment statement. It's the truth. Just look at Israel in the 1980's and early 90's) or by having them pay (whether its via money or via letting us build an airbase on their soil and make it operate under US law) for manpower, usually army engineers or general contractors.
To be honest, your statement is fairly ignorant and typical of RAWR THE USA IS NUMBER ONEZORZ types. The US was number one, and has been a great country, and hopfully always will be. Stupid stuff like what Bush has been doing (eg not playing nice with the other children and general asshattery) and then while he is messing everything up voting to elect him again is why this country is going downhill. I'm sure we have you to thank . . .
Back to the topic. Everyone else got it right. It may seem 'cold' but they are a corporation and they have no responsiblitiy except to people's pockets. The fact they found an excuse to help a crisis is pretty cool. Hopfully this works and they help other problems.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Once we acknowledge that corps exist to make money and then quit helping other countries out - let 'em get themselves out of it and quit sending our money to help other people - and we DO start helping our own people first, well, Bob and Ezekial are going to have to fork out taxes to pay for it. Sure we will save some money by not donating overseas, but the loss in funding to charitable orgs from corp interests will have to be made up somewhere - the needy will still be needy.
In other words, international aid is a teeny tiny portion of the US budget and corporations donate billions, whatever the reasons for doing so. The pathetic part is how slavish our politicians are and how they will prove it by ignoring citizen's calls for universal health care of some kind. Once more major corporations join GM and call for the govt to step in and "level the playing field" - watch how quickly action is taken.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Keeping people alive so as to sell more stuff
Corporations are a legal entity, not a living breathing, feeling being with a heart and soul.
They are not meant to be warm fuzzy blankies that you can take to bed with you.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
RE: Bob #13
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
www.thatpoliticalblog.com
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
fire the motorola guy!
"All" the Motorola guys will achieve is an increase in the surviving Africans' economic misery. Still, the Africans can read Moto billboards in the mega cities and keep on dreaming, just like Moto shareholders.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Libertarian Crap
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Libertarian Crap
Communities, as you point out, on the other hand, I can agree with. 'Communities' have a legitimate reason to help for the sake of helping, when possible.
But corporate money ill-spent on something with minimal long-term payoff means lower job and wage growth for us. With fewer jobs and less income, that's just less spare capacity we have in the future to help when we want.
Again, don't know where "libertarian crap" came from! Try not falling asleep in college macro or micro.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
mm. Seems a bit negative
I think you're pretty biased.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
help
My name is Raju frm India i was a business man (realestate)i had a big lose in my business i lose ny house ,office and what all i had ,I feel sorry to ask help like this ,when I was in good stage i also had charitible trust i helped lot of poor &needy people .now i dont have anything with me ,i want start business ,can u pls help me for that, a small amount will give a life for a family sir pls think sir .in my profit 35 % i am ready to give to people who need. .sir pls help 5000 usd and give me & my family a life pls.
Awaiting for your reply
Thanking you
Raju
Nb: Treat my mail as a charity and help me and my family . I hope your kindness will help us.Thanking you.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]