On: Don’t tell me about your trip to Southeast Asia

[jonballant]

She does seem to make two separate points which is perhaps the flaw in this article. On one hand she is pointing to the economic disparity the locals face compared to the Western Tourists, but at the same time she cannot seem to help herself from commenting on the "sexual tourism" that as she points out has "been on her mind".

"To boast of cutting corners in countries where human beings depend on literal dollars, table scraps of your hourly income, to feed their families for entire weeks holds no repute for me." <This is the point I was arguing and I can see her point of view. (I also have no problem with financial capitalism and corporations seeking out cheaper labor and resources as long as it is humane).

However to broadbrush all White Western Males in Asia as individuals on a Sex Holiday goes too far.

[jacknews → jonballant]

"To boast of cutting corners in countries where human beings depend on literal dollars, table scraps of your hourly income, to feed their families for entire weeks holds no repute for me."

The thing is that capitalism does indeed thrive on cutting corners in these kinds of situations, albeit often indirectly, by selecting the most "cost effective" supplier, building the factory in low-tax, or low-labor-protection states, and so on.

It's no different when Nike, or even the more enlightened conglomerates, do it than when an individual privileged white male imperialist tourist does it. It's just more personal, rather than systematic, perhaps.

But I suspect the systematic pressure is much more damaging than disrespectful tourists. And since when have tourists been known to be respectful anyway, in SEA or anywhere.