Don't blame buyers for illegal trade practices
Updated: 2016-04-26 07:42
By Tang Yinghong(China Daily)
|
|||||||||
The largest-ever gathering of Pulitzer Prize recipients gather for a celebration honoring the centennial of the Pulitzer Prize at the Newseum in Washington DC January 28, 2016.[Photo/Agencies] |
Should a person feel ashamed for eating fish or wearing blue jeans?
Such a question would not have arisen had not the Pulitzer Prize for public service for this year been awarded to the Associated Press for an investigation into "severe labor abuses tied to the supply of seafood to American supermarkets and restaurants", which helped free more than 2,000 slave laborers.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning report was translated into Chinese and published with a social-network headline: "Every piece of fish on your dining plate might be tainted with someone's blood and tears". Not surprisingly, the news spread quickly via WeChat and micro blogs.
A 2012 German documentary, The Price of Blue Jeans, was also translated with the headline "Every pair of blue jeans you wear is ruining our common future".
While the two reports helped readers better understand the industrial chains behind seafood and blue jeans, some people gave up consuming seafood from Thailand or wearing blue jeans, because they felt that by doing so they would be promoting slave labor or ruining humankind's future.
Investigators and journalists in some developed countries have been known to dig out the dirty truth behind the production of some commodities, so as to curb their consumption and stop illegal trade, slave labor or environmental damage. For example, buying fur has been associated with the mass killing of wild animals.
Such findings instill a sense of shame among consumers, because they feel they have hurt some innocent people. And in most cases, their reaction is to correct their past "wrongs".
- Reuters' Pulitzer-winning photos of migrant crisis in Europe
- AP, Reuters, NY Times win Pulitzer Prizes
- Pulitzer winners named
- 2014 Pulitzer Prizes winners announced in New York
- Reports of NSA spying win Pulitzer for public service
- 'Being happy never goes out of style': Lilly Pulitzer
- Composer, Pulitzer winner Carter dies in NY at 103
- Pulitzer winner's story
- Global health entering new era: WHO chief
- Brazil's planning minister steps aside after recordings revelation
- Vietnam, US adopt joint statement on advancing comprehensive partnership
- European border closures 'inhumane': UN refugee agency
- Japan's foreign minister calls A-bombings extremely regrettable
- Fukushima impact unprecedented for oceans: US expert
- Stars of Lijiang River: Elderly brothers with white beards
- Wealthy Chinese children paying money to learn British manners
- Military-style wedding: Fighter jets, grooms in dashing uniforms
- Striking photos around the world: May 16 - May 22
- Robots help elderly in nursing home in east China
- Hanging in the air: Chongqing holds rescue drill
- 2.1-ton tofu finishes in two hours in central China
- Six things you may not know about Grain Buds
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Anti-graft campaign targets poverty relief |
Cherry blossom signal arrival of spring |
In pictures: Destroying fake and shoddy products |
China's southernmost city to plant 500,000 trees |
Cavers make rare finds in Guangxi expedition |
Cutting hair for Longtaitou Festival |
Today's Top News
Liang avoids jail in shooting death
China's finance minister addresses ratings downgrade
Duke alumni visit Chinese Embassy
Marriott unlikely to top Anbang offer for Starwood: Observers
Chinese biopharma debuts on Nasdaq
What ends Jeb Bush's White House hopes
Investigation for Nicolas's campaign
Will US-ASEAN meeting be good for region?
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |