Those who know me, know; that I do a lot of things.
Those who know me, also know that I read a lot and read from all walks of life, have special love for Gabriel Garcia Marquez and particular hatred for Murakami – morbidly lonely, and total lack of sex for the protagonists. Unlike the lust filled world of Macondo – where sex is means of life and source of energy.
Apple In China is part history of Apple – most of that and more I already knew from Walter Isaacson’ biography of Steve Jobs. Highly recommended.
Apple In China is also about manufacturing but more importantly about the fact – that before Uber was the largest taxi company without owning a taxi, and AribBNB was the largest hotel chain without owning a room; Apple was and is the biggest manufacturer in the world – without owning a factory.
And guess what bitches? Donald Trump was right.
At least about China if not about women – ‘Grab them by the p****. You can do anything’
These words taste like vinegar to a world out there and this is something the book conveys, and somehow the author doesn’t; at least no directly.
And sex is a theme in this review because after you have read it – you will realize that Apple is fucked – and to a large extent the American dream of bringing technologically sophisticated manufacturing home.
This is how American economy primarily works: they print dollars and in exchange for those dollars, you give them tangible goods – like oil. Countries also use dollars to trade among themselves. This also forced American manufacturing offshore with American manufacturing becoming less efficient by each decade, and now they can not and do not make advanced semiconductors, chips, and of course computers, and phones, especially iPhones.
Another important point to remember – fortunes are built on top of oppressed underclass, also slavery. The economy of American South never recovered after the end of slavery. And gradually worsened as the country became more and more egalitarian. This is important because in China you had quasi-slaves and in Apple you had a quasi-plantation owner, and together they were Leopold and Loeb.
This book is perhaps about building a world class manufacturing process – without owning a factory. This book is in some parts also about suicides and Apple Widows and Divorce Avoidance Program, and all the sins that go into building something extraordinary.
But most importantly this book is about how Apple unwittingly walked into a communist quagmire – from which there is no escape in sight, Trump or no Trump.
And this book is about what Apple invested in China – technical expertise, billions of dollars in investment, machining processes, quality controls, zero inventory process, metallurgy, glass manufacturing, exploitation of labor – both American and Chinese.
This book is also about geopolitics and death of another American dream of bringing democracy in China. It is also about secret police and intelligence services. There is comedy, drama, action, thrill, lots of beatings, relationships, suicides technological progress, success and failure – but no love whatsoever but Apple trying to fuck everyone over – from their suppliers to their workers to their employees – but in the end they are trapped in a coital hell of their own.
There is also a mention of Narendra Modi’s legacy.
Happy Reading!!