This is certainly an ever evolving process, which seems to mean the inclusion of one of my least favorite things in life...rules! Be sure to visit often, as I'm sure more rules will be added!
As of January 7, 2007 a new rule has been added (See Rules, Rules, Rules posted on January 16 for the original list, if you missed it):
3) If we purchase something new that is made in China but we fail to check the item's origins before leaving the store, the item must be returned, even if we are already back at the apartment and it is a pain in the ass to return it. Ignorance is no longer an acceptable reason for violating the rules (see Redemption, posted on January 26 for more details).
January 11:
4) The "good faith" concept we flitted over before Christmas becomes a begrudgingly agreed upon rule. It is still loose in it's definition, but as a generalization, we must make an effort, above and beyond what we would normally do, when contemplating buying something new which was made in China. This rule was finalized after my attempt at buying an unessential item (see What Constitutes Health care, posted on January 26, 2007).
January 20:
5) Movies which are made in China are also banned. This was decided after a protracted debate over "The Curse of the Golden Flower" and "The Painted Veil" (see Luke Feels the Boycott Burn, posted on January 26, 2007).
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2 comments:
Ok, I hope that last rule isn't serious. Banning movies made in China looks logical (production took place in China) but at least in the case of "The Painted Veil" I think most of the production crew (surely not all) are probably American. I guess this highlights there's an underlying assumption in all your curtailed consumption: "Made in China" == "made by chinese", if you are railing against jobs going overseas. If in the (highly unlikely I agree) event that a good was made in China by an American worker (and hence earned USD and paid US taxes at income tax time) would that be okay to purchase? The point is that then the movie should be okay. (The Painted Veil is Ed Norton's production...and I think he co-produced it with Naomi Watts even though they play the leading roles.)
Or maybe you just meant that last point humorously b/c you didn't like either movie.
Christine,
Excellent points here! Originally I was boycotting made in China movies because of the money which would have, even temporarily, been poured into the Chinese economy.
However, since boycotting The Painted Veil, which I did enjoy, especially for it' focus on Public Health, I have had some nagging doubts.
Among these doubts are, should you film a movie that is set in China somewhere else, just to avoid "aiding" the Chinese economy? Who benefits from the money the film producers bring in? Is it the Chinese people directly? If so, that is fine with me. My protest against China isn't against it's people or ways of life, but against the bitter realization of obscene corporate profits at the cost of millions, maybe billions of people's lives.
Now, seven months into this boycott, I have not seen another "made in China" film, not because of the boycott but because I haven't seen many movies at all. It does seem preposterous to exclude a movie based on where it was filmed when I know nothing about how the filming impacted the country's economy. It also points out a flaw in my thinking because I have never checked to see if any other movie I've watched was in anyway filmed, edited, or connected to China.
Thank you for your thoughts!
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