The Film, Life And Debt, By Stephanie Black

Money, one of the most circulated man-made resources, is often one of the most difficult topics to discuss. We find that society bases much of their purchases on appearance and their ability to use said product with ease. Durability has only recently become important in the eyes of consumers in today’s western society. Consumers commonly make the mistake of gauging the quality of a product by its price. Popular companies such as Apple, Inc., Brooks Brothers clothing company, and even McDonald’s have done much in revolutionizing the production industry.
Apple Inc., one of the most world-renowned electronics and software companies, has pioneered much of the new generational technologies. With AppleCare, Apple has ensured that their consumers are unable to seek insurance from other companies, as their products are mainly produced with magnets and titanium disallowing outside manufacturers to tamper with the
structure of the products. The invention of ApplePay links consumer’s banks to their phone, allowing them to make purchases by swiping their phone past a magnetic reader at the register. Introducing AppleTV allowed Apple to collaborate with highly respected networks such as ESPN, MLB.tv and companies such as HuluPLUS and Netflix in creating a cable company. When Apple created and released iCloud, they allowed consumers to extend the storage on any device Apple is offering. iOSX is Apple’s more current operating system; this OS only works with Apple products, of course. While Apple has done much to advance its hardware/software, its physical structure seems to be the reoccurring downfall. Apple’s use of glass for front and back screens, though glamorous, has been one of the largest issues of owning an Apple phone, MP3 Player, or tablet. Like any other intelligent competitor, Android has picked up where Apple has fallen short. Their advancements are not only based on hardware/software, but also on durability. Android users are less likely to need a phone case or insurance beyond what is offered for free, whereas, Apple consumers require additional insurance for their purchased products. It seems almost as though Apple thrives through capitalism.
Brooks Brother’s clothing company, producer of multifarious articles of clothing, produces their products, intrepidly, in meager conditions.
In the documentary Life and Debt, directed by Stephanie Black, we are shown that Jamaican workers serve as near slave-laborers, making downward of $100 a month. In the documentary, workers protest unfair wages, unsanitary working conditions, and their inability to take an appropriate amount of days off. With the spread of globalization, outsourcing has made for goods to be produced at subpar quality. Mass production, in turn, allows for faulty goods. The quality of the clothing decreases due to production, yet the popularity and esteem behind the brand keep the prices in a familiar range. Ralph Lauren’s Polo has had a similar affect on the fashion world. Though manufactured in China under similar conditions, and sometimes made of one layer of thin fabric, widespread antagonizing phrases, such as, “It ain’t Ralph, though,” show that consumers still regard Polo as a brand to be applauded, regardless of its true
quality.
When McDonalds created their “Dollar Menu” the world commended the company for creating a menu that consumers of supremely lesser income could partake in. McDonalds then created the “Value Menu” offering even cheaper meals, sometimes in a larger quantity. While the “Dollar Menu” food options may not have been too unhealthy due to smaller quantities, offering: sandwich wraps, chicken sandwiches, cheeseburgers, and 4-piece of chicken nuggets, the “Value Menu” is to be considered utterly unhealthy. When one consumes a 20-piece of chicken nuggets as opposed to a 4-piece, naturally the quality of the food affects the body at a more rapid pace. Adding drinks saturated in glucose to the “Dollar Menu” aids McDonalds in their depletion of the quality of their food due to the startling health risks that accompany it. According to ABC News, McDonalds warns its consumers that frequent consumption of McDonalds foods will result in unsatisfactory health conditions. With evidence like this, it becomes difficult to say there is such a thing as “quality fast food.”
In short, we find that the most costly products are not always the most equitable. Though Apple’s prices would allow one to believe that all of their electronics excel above others, their actual reviews attest to otherwise. McDonalds, forerunners of the “Buy More Pay Less” era, has given its consumers the opportunity to rapidly deplete their health. Brooks Brothers, while producing dapper clothing, produces their products in dilapidated working conditions. In every instance, we see that Thus, price hardly reflects product quality.