Comments on: Report Claims PS2’s Need for a Certain Metal Helped Fuel a War

By: Taggart

Taggart — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:55:02 +0000

I’ve read several different stories about this, and so far the majority of the reactions I’ve seen are appalling. People want to blame ‘global capitalism’, ‘western exploitation of the third world’, ‘consumerism’, and of course Sony for causing this travesty to happen. Very few people have been willing to lay the blame where it belongs: with the Rwandan troops. THEY are the ones enslaving children. THEY are the ones driving this war. Don’t blame capitalism just because you’re afraid to acknowledge who’s holding the gun.

By: Sk8terboi123

Sk8terboi123 — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:50:00 +0000

wow a 200 dollar ps2 just costs someones life in Africa,,,,that is crazy ,,, i feel bad to even use my ps2

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:39:22 +0000

As much as I loate the evil corporation of fat cats known as Sony, that article is blatant slander against the Playstation branding. There’s no reason to isolate it among the myriad of other electronic devices that use Tantalum obtained from Africa.

To simply say “Playstation fueled a war” is idiotic journalism. That’s like saying cotton was the cause of slavery in the south.

By: buddy

buddy — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:53:31 +0000

The solution is not to feel guilty for using electronics. That is a symptom. The root cause is the ore needs to be extracted in more humane conditions.

People all over the world cut down trees to meet the world’s demand for paper. They aren’t forced into slave like conditions to do it though. . .

Work on solving THAT problem instead of trying to make people feel guilty for playing Final Fantasy or whatever.

By: Norbit

Norbit — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:09:07 +0000

@ SIcko112

She picked on PlayStation because it would get press coverage. If she had just mentioned capacitors (which is what coltan is used to make) it would have received zero coverage.

I’m a bit torn about this because while I think its a bit dumb to single out one product when the whole of the consumer electronics world is using the stuff its for a good reason, which is raising awareness of the problem.

By: Stahn

Stahn — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:55:23 +0000

He might be one of those poor people from Africa.

By: Wiff

Wiff — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:11:24 +0000

“# Sad says:

I don’t have a PS2 or a cellphone but still ”
You don’t have a cellphone??? Dude, we’re in the 21st century here….

By: Serio

Serio — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:40:51 +0000

Ghost – Who doesn’t hate Sony? Overpriced and useless electronics that break once the warranty is out.

By: Zom

Zom — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:22:58 +0000

@Grundy:

LMAO! Best thing I’ve heard all day!

By: Sad

Sad — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 02:44:00 +0000

I don’t have a PS2 or a cellphone but still

By: Grundy

Grundy — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 02:26:43 +0000

Let him who hath understanding reckon the number of the PlayStation 2, for it is a human number.

It’s number is SCPH-30000R.

By: Bigbossrocks

Bigbossrocks — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 01:36:04 +0000

i feel, wrong

terribly terribly wrong

By: Ghost

Ghost — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 01:25:38 +0000

Theres plenty of electronics that use Coltan, yet this article only mentions playstation… I think someone hates Sony

By: SIcko112

SIcko112 — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 01:16:47 +0000

The same goes for mobile phones, god knows why they picked on playstation, mobile phones contain coltan, militias force farmers to mine it in the rainforest which leads to lack of food, destruction of wild life and a collapse in economy,
it is not just Playstation responsible for this war but this article seems to pin it on them.

Anyway i didnt read the whole thing but this conflict mainly takes place in the democratic republic of congo and is fueled by the need for coltan which is trying to be stopped or moderated but militias continue to fight over it etc.

By: Avatar

Avatar — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:59:29 +0000

Hmmm… the west is exploiting the third world… and this is NEWs? Besides, since when has Japan been considered the West?

By: Serio

Serio — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:04:15 +0000

*Looks at old, dusty PS2 under TV*
I feel dirty now.