30 Little Turtles
Outsourcing is considered by most to be a slippery slope of economics and geopolitics. Many people argue that the jobs that are relocated to poorer countries are unfair for the newly adoptive workers. After all, these jobs were passed up by the country that first outsourced them due to the fact that they have been deemed undesirable. They would then pose the notion that if our workers don’t want to work these jobs, why should they be forced upon the less fortunate? In “30 Little Turtles,” Thomas Friedman argues that outsourcing is not seen by the adoptive labour force as an unfair transaction. As he recounts his experiences in India, Friedman discusses how the outsourced jobs are not only desirable among workers, they are, in many cases, included in the upper echelon of available careers. Furthermore, he suggests that outsourcing helps to construct a more prosperous and safer world on a geopolitical level.
Although short, “30 Little Turtles” is incredibly effective because of how Friedman wrote it. Rather than recite facts and figures, Friedman personalized his writing by recalling his own encounters with employees of outsourced jobs. The mood is set early on as Friedman discusses his friendly bantering with young Indians learning to suppress their native accents in order to respond to North American phone calls. Focusing on the positive by referring to comedic encounters with happy, driven Indian workers, Friedman suggests to his readers that unhappy third world workers of outsourced are merely a misconception.
As he discusses his positive experiences with the employees of outsourced jobs, Friedman’s audience is made clear. Friedman directs his writing towards a predominantly North American audience, familiar with the concept of outsourcing. Furthermore, his writing seems to be written towards an audience possessing scepticism towards the impacts that outsourcing has on foreign workers. As he discusses the impact of outsourcing, suggesting it protects “our own 20-year-olds,” Friedman further narrows his aim at a middle-aged reader, concerned about future generations.
Unlike many essays and articles, “30 Little Turtles” is written in a direct format; Friedman openly states his purpose as he concludes. His purpose is to alter the perception of outsourcing, suggesting that it is beneficial to the countries receiving the outsourced work, in this case India. Friedman’s main point is clear: allowing a country to exercise or “tap” (177) their minds or knowledge provides them with “self confidence, dignity and optimism” (177) unattainable from merely exploiting their natural resources.
Friedman explains that the outsourced positions, such as call center respondents, are desirable among college and university graduates as they offer a higher wage than most other jobs available. Friedman goes on to argue that outsourced jobs with a higher pay “liberate” (177) young women, allowing them to strive for a higher education and more freedom. Aside from the pay, Friedman experienced many young Indians who considered a job assisting Americans with their software to be “cool” (176) and rewarding. On a more serious note, Friedman poses the idea that employing young impressionable Indians has the potential to protect them from becoming involved in such activities as violence and terrorism. He spoke of a group of young Indians he had met who expressed their longing to become suicide bombers, having “no jobs, no hope and no dignity” (177).
As a Pulitzer Prize winning international economics correspondent, Friedman’s understanding of and experience with global economics is outstanding. Because of his credibility, I find myself believing what he has to say. I am, admittedly, an individual who questioned the benefits of outsourcing. How is it fair to deflect low-prestige jobs to underprivileged individuals to save ourselves from the supposed degradation of these jobs? Friedman’s writing has altered my views on outsourcing.
If it creates a symbiotic relationship between two countries, then what is the problem with outsourcing?