Excuses, Excuses, Excuses...

If the hypothesis were offered in a world which [...] millions [should be] kept permanently happy on the one simple condition that a certain lost soul on the far-off edge of things should lead a life of lonely torment [sic] [...] even though an impulse arose within us to clutch at the happiness so offered, how hideous a thing would be its enjoyment when deliberately accepted as the fruit of such a bargain?

This week I read a story titled The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, in which an entire city's happiness was dependent on the complete unhappiness and suffering of one child. This quote inspired the story, questioning if such a simple thing as happiness for all people was really worth the eternal suffering of one person and if all people would really achieve complete happiness if they had the guilt of knowing that they had caused never-ending misery for that one being.

Try as we might to ignore the fact; sweat-shop conditions exist in areas all around the world. It may not be anywhere near you, but I can guarantee you that they helped produce a product that IS very near you. Some of us may be aware of it, some may not be. Those people who are unaware remain ignorant;

Whatever the case, we don't do much about it, making this our own version of The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, one person suffering for everyone else's happiness, in this case many people suffering for our happiness from the products they produce; we either go on with our lives using the product we are supplied by the labor or decide that the product isn't worth what those people have to endure and we do without it, not fighting for those undergoing the sweatshop-like conditions but not supporting it further. 

Everyday I use my phone/laptop and my car which were surely manufactured by these conditions. I justify this by telling myself that I need my  phone to communicate with the people in my life and to do my schoolwork (my school requires a laptop and/or phone to turn in homework). As for my car, I could use other means of transportation to get where I need to be, but on a daily basis it's far more convenient to drive to my destinations. 

There are some products not necessary in my life that I don't approve of and that I don't feel are necessary to have in my everyday life. Certain clothes I feel I don't need, I go without and, in doing so,  I'walk away from Omelas'. Other people do the same thing and we may feel that this makes a difference, but it really does not. We aren't actually doing anything to make a difference and fight to help the people affected by the circumstances of the sweatshop-like conditions.