Fallacies on Sweatshop

“The vast majority of Transterra’s college apparel is manufactured in a factory in Honduras which employs primarily women and children who operate under horrific conditions.” The author is violating the intellectual standards of precision and breadth. The author does not provide enough details to emphasis that the company employs primarily women and children. It could be possible that everyone has a different meaning to horrific conditions. In other countries it is a daily culture to see females and young children in work environments. Therefore, we must be opened minded about other cultures on their point of view in the labor industry. “According to a recent report by the WorldWeave Foundation, a nonprofit organization funded by American garments workes’ unions..” On this statement the author violates the intellectual standard of accuracy.

First of all, the author does not provide credible information on the WorldWeave Foundation. It creates a questionable reason for the reader to start asking whether the information provided by this organization is true. In addition, usually organizations have facts or ties to back up their credibility. World Weave observers noticed some children who appeared to be as young as eleven or twelve working with dangerous fabric cutting machines- in spite of local laws that prohibit anyone under the age of fourteen from doing factory work.” Once again the author is violating the intellectual standard of accuracy. We need to ask whether this information is accurate. Appearance cannot be a reasonable fact that we can rely on. In addition, “appeared” is an assumption stated by the author.

There are two things we can do to put an end to this exploitation. We can demand that Cromwell obtain its logo merchandise only from garment companies with socially responsible labor practices, and we can refuse to wear or purchase any Cromwell clothing until the college switches to an acceptable apparel supplier.” On this statement the author violates the intellectual fallacies of breath and logic. The author needs to view the issue at hand in another perspective. The author needs to be more logic on whether consumers will want to purchase those goods at a higher cost. In addition, employees of the current company may have different opinions and believe that their current environment is decent compared to others in their own country. Part 2: Fallacies-

“…a little girl the age of an average fifth grader, working hour after hour without a break amid the deafening roar of machinery, trying to keep up with the rapid pace of production without getting her fingers sliced off, trying not to collapse from heat and exhaustion, earning a pittance for her labor…” This is an example of a violation of emotional appeal; the author is trying to convey the reader of the harsh labor a little girl has to face. Stating “a little girl” changes an emotional point of view of the reader; if the author would of replace it by exchanging the word to child instead it would not have created a drastic impact. “If we continue to wear and buy Cromwell logo apparel we become accomplices in the abusive employment practices of Transterra Textiles”.

This statement is using the post hoc fallacy. The author is stating that if we continue the purchases of this company we are fully responsible of the inhumane working conditions Transterra Textiles is enforcing. When in reality the consumer has no obligation to what is going on in other countries. “We have a choice: to do what we can in support of global economic justice, or to become the oppressor.’’ When the author is stating two choices for the reader to side on, they are violating a false dilemma fallacy. In addition the author is also using loaded language to create an emotional appeal by stating “become the oppressor”. “call upon you to join me …I call upon you to boycott all Cromwell apparel” On this statement the author is trying to convey the reader by using the ad populum fallacy. The author believes that the Transterra Textiles has bad employment practices and hence you should believe the same and boycott with their belief.