Enes Kanter exposes Nike’s hypocrisy on forced labour and Uyghur Minority
Modern slavery is a topic we frequently discuss because it is horrific and unacceptable. What concerns us even more is the hypocrisy surrounding it.
Brands are the new gods. Sell people a famous name, and in return, you’ll get silence and blindness.
However, as members of an evolved society, we cannot turn our heads to the other side pretending nothing happens.
The system of exploitation, built on forced labor and minority oppression, is directly linked to superbrands. Not only fashion brands, to make it clear. Indeed, every field finds benefit and – profit – in this rotten practice. In fact, there’s no better way to maximise profit.
Though we are just a drop in the ocean, we believe it’s crucial to voice our thoughts and help raise awareness about this issue.
While popular magazines have highlighted it, many people simply don’t engage with written content. People don’t like reading. Or they don’t care enough about things that do not affect them personally. Which, by the way, is a scary attitude.
So, how can we make the message resonate with a large audience?
Here comes Enes Kanter, an NBA player. We admit we know nothing about the sport he plays. Zero. But that’s not the point. In fact, we admire him for his bravery in showing up consistently in support of human rights. For many that tend to hide, there are a few who talk out loud.
And so, it was with immense pleasure that we saw his recent posts about the Uyghur minority, forced labour camps and brands hypocrisy, asking Nike’s accountability.
We need more brave humans like Enes Kanter to speak the truth to reach the masses. Just like we need more people that open their eyes and feel touched. Fundamentally, we must find a way to put an end to labour exploitation.
In conclusion, if as humans, all we have done is invent new forms of slavery to satisfy our fake needs, then we have failed.