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1.  

   

   PopeHilarius (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 9:24am

   
   

   I don't think the depiction is 'fair' either, and I don't think any reasonable person would think it's meant to be an accurate portrayal of actual working conditions- humor has always exaggerated the truth in order to reveal it.

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2.  

   

   crade (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:11am

   
   

   The youtube video is back down again :)

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3.  

   Interesting

   

   ChurchHatesTucker (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:15am

   
   

   It's all relative, isn't it?
   
   What was it Neil Stephenson said many years ago in Snow Crash?
   
   "... once the Invisible Hand has taken away all those historical inequities and smeared them out into a broad global layer of what a Pakistani brickmaker would consider to be prosperity..."

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4.  

   Re: down

   

   SUNWARD (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:16am

   
   

   yep. Due to a copyright claim by Twentieth Century Fox. Do they ever learn?

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5.  

   Fair, life is not fair, get over it

   

   weneedhelp (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:16am

   
   

   Boo fucking who. Im so tired of everyone being such a thin skinned biatch. It was a joke get over it.

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6.  

   Re: Fair, life is not fair, get over it

   

   Hephaestus (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:23am

   
   

   Its this whole stupid Global Political Correctness. You can't make fun of anyone anymore.

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7.  

   Get over it!

   

   David (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:25am

   
   

   It's the Simpsons for goodness sake!!!

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8.  

   Re: Re: Fair, life is not fair, get over it

   

   weneedhelp (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:26am

   
   

   Its really getting out of hand.

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9.  

   

   Bernard, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:27am

   
   

   If they were that offended or thought the depiction was unfair then its their duty to themselves to not animate it. If it was such a big deal they would of protested. Chicago's Best Guide and Blog

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10.  

    Still On Hulu

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:31am

    
    

    http://www.hulu.com/watch/184819/the-simpsons-banksy-opening

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11.  

    Re:

    

    :Lobo Santo (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:32am

    
    

    Of course it's accurate (Won't somebody think of the unicorns!)
    
    ; P

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12.  

    Still unsure of your point with this.

    

    out_of_the_blue, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:38am

    
    

    "the country's animators still make one-third the salaries of their American counterparts" -- Simpsons producers pocket the other two-thirds. (And that's after increases: articles has a hint of much lower wages -- besides that it's for *for-hire*, no royalties.)
    
    Is ONE-THIRD not "sweatshop" enough for you? Or are you just having trouble understanding that the South Korean animators naturally don't want to see themselves as exploited?

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13.  

    Re: Still unsure of your point with this.

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:43am

    
    

    Do you or do you not understand that all countries do not have equal wages?
    
    Why the hell do you think Canada pushes to keep its dollar below US parity? Because a lower dollar draws in more US business.
    
    But I'm sure us poor Canadians feel terribly "exploited" too. How dare those snobby Americans use our cheaper labour to bolster our economy!

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14.  

    Re: Still unsure of your point with this.

    

    crade (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:44am

    
    

    "is one-third not sweatshop enough for you?"
    
    no, the US wages are just over inflated to the point of not being able to compete in the market.

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15.  

    Of course...

    

    interval (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:49am

    
    

    If the sequence were some kind of indictment against the injustices of American capitalism there wouldn't be an issue. In fact the American left would jump on it as some kind of (although animated) documentary.

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16.  

    Again, Mike shows you don't have to be Korean to be a blowhard blogger!

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:51am

    
    

    It's great that the Korea subject matter expert, Mike, wrote this article. >8-P

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17.  

    Re:

    

    Marcus Carab (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:55am

    
    

    Naturally... but the question is if it IS revealing a truth. Obviously the details were frivolous, but was the core message frivolous too?
    
    Clearly it was trying to convey the fact that a bunch of Koreans suffer to bring westerners their esoteric joys - the "dark underpinnings" of a bright, fun world like the Simpsons.
    
    Is that true? It has always been my understanding that South Korean animators take their jobs very seriously, that the studios are run by extremely talented people, that a mutual respect exists with the american production houses that hire them, and that the gruntwork of drawing thousands of frames for fairly low pay is simply how you crack into the industry (similar to entry-level jobs in countless other industries in South Korea)
    
    Now, maybe I'm way off too... I really don't know a lot about the issue - and neither do most people watching the Simpsons. So my question is: did Banksy totally misrepresent the situation? Did he exaggerate to communicate a truth, or did he create an entirely false message with that exaggeration?

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18.  

    Re: Of course...

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:00am

    
    

    ...wait, the left is supposed to be anti-capitalism?
    
    Or was that a not so subtle attempt to call liberals communists?

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19.  

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:01am

    
    

    I don't see a problem here. It wasn't so important that they quit their jobs over animating it, but it is important enough that they'll add the caveat that they don't agree with its message. That seems perfectly reasonable to me. If one day I come into work and my boss tells me to do something that isn't unethical, but I still don't agree with, you bet I won't /quit/ over it! But, I might express my displeasure with it. I mean, its my right as an employee to complain endlessly about my job! I do it all the time!

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20.  

    Re: Get over it!

    

    Marcus Carab (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:02am

    
    

    Yes, the Simpson's is about comedy, but it has also always been about satire, and it has always featured tackled difficult themes and controversial topics without being afraid to make statements on them. Culturally, it's an extremely powerful force.
    
    The creators are also very protective of their work. Never before has an outside artist been brought in to work on their opening credits - the extremely iconic opening credits that stood unchanged for 20 years until they were redone in the last season.
    
    Then they brought in Banksy - a highly controversial artist known for his political statements - and gave him nearly-free reign on designing a couch gag for that sacred credit sequence. That, to me, is a statement of support from the creators for Banksy's message.
    
    I would be pretty disappointed in The Simpsons creators if they gave such a rare venue over to a misleading message - one that misrepresents the very people they work with to create the show they are so proud of - just for the shock value.

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21.  

    Re:

    

    Marcus Carab (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:04am

    
    

    Unless they can't because they are shackled to their desks... but then--wait... DAMN!

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22.  

    Re: Re: Of course...

    

    interval (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:04am

    
    

    Not subtle.

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23.  

    Re: Fair, life is not fair, get over it

    

    interval (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:06am

    
    

    I think you meant "Boo fucking hoo."

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24.  

    Re: Re: Fair, life is not fair, get over it

    

    Sean T Henry (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:08am

    
    

    NO you just need to make fun of every one equally.

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25.  

    Re: Re: Fair, life is not fair, get over it

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:18am

    
    

    You can still make fun of white people.

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26.  

    Re:

    

    wto605 (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:20am

    
    

    Hulu Mirror for those who can get to it.
    http://www.hulu.com/watch/184819/the-simpsons-banksy-opening

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27.  

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:24am

    
    

    I don't think it's good to make fun of anybody except for totalitarian regimes and Tea Partiers.
    
    Come to think of it, making fun of anyone that is mentally handicapped is a good thing.

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28.  

    Re: Re: Re: Of course...

    

    Jeremy7600 (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:28am

    
    

    Wow. Crawl out from under your rock, not everyone on the left is the same.

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29.  

    Re: Re: Still unsure of your point with this.

    

    Michael, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:30am

    
    

    The only reason we don't consider Canadian operations 'sweat shops' is because it is so cold up there you don't actually sweat.

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30.  

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:34am

    
    

    I don't think it's good to make fun of anybody except for totalitarian regimes and Tea Partiers.
    
    Come to think of it, making fun of anyone that is mentally handicapped and watches FOX is a good thing.

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31.  

    fox copyright claim is preventing you from seeing it

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:34am

    
    

    NOT UP

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32.  

    Re: Re: Re: Fair, life is not fair, get over it

    

    btrussell (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:35am

    
    

    Yes, but white people laugh at jokes told about them (Newfie jokes, kinda takes the fun out of it.

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33.  

    I wonder......

    

    TtfnJohn (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:41am

    
    

    Could we hosers up here in frozen Canada protest loudly enough that we can erase all recollection of a certain song about blaming Canada?
    
    Hmmmmmm....
    
    Probably not ;-)

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34.  

    Re: Of course...

    

    crade (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:47am

    
    

    I thought it was an indictment against the injustices of American capitalism.

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35.  

    Re: Re: Fair, life is not fair, get over it

    

    weneedhelp (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 11:58am

    
    

    No, boo f'in who is what I meant.

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36.  

    Re: Re: Of course...

    

    weneedhelp (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 12:06pm

    
    

    Left? Right? You still buy into that bullshit? Pity.

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37.  

    Up and Down

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 12:18pm

    
    

    And it is back down again. Did you do this to prove a point Mike? lol

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38.  

    Re: Re: Still unsure of your point with this.

    

    nasch (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 12:28pm

    
    

    You should run for office! "I promise to bring wages in the US down to a more competitive level." It'll be a landslide!

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39.  

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Of course...

    

    Hephaestus (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 12:50pm

    
    

    your on the left ain't yaa ...

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40.  

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Fair, life is not fair, get over it

    

    Newf, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 12:57pm

    
    

    Reminds me of a joke . ..
    
    A drunk Newfie was stumbling home one day when he got lost and found himself in the bush. He fell to the ground and noticed a lamp. He picked it up, and rubbed it, and out came a genie.
    
    "You have three wishes, choose them wisely." says the Genie.
    
    The Newfie, looking down at his last, and empty, bottle of beer, smashes it on some rocks and says, "I want a beer that will never run out."
    
    A bottle appears in front of the Newfie. He takes it, looks at it, and downs it. He looks at it again, and to his surprise, it was still full. The Newfie being very content starts walking away.
    
    "Where are you going," asks the Genie, "You still have two wishes left!"
    
    "Well," replies the Newfie, "Give me TWO more of these!"

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41.  

    Re: Re: Still unsure of your point with this.

    

    out_of_the_blue, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 1:03pm

    
    

    "no, the US wages are just over inflated to the point of not being able to compete in the market"
    
    This is the inherent contradiction of "capitalism":
    The producers of The Simpsons get TENS OF MILLIONS for doing almost nothing yet you're concerned that the LABOR costs which *actually* produce the products sold are too high.

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42.  

    Re: Re: Re: Fair, life is not fair, get over it

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 1:16pm

    
    

    I don't get it

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43.  

    Re: Still unsure of your point with this.

    

    Eugene (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 1:21pm

    
    

    Technically, knowing the exact amount is useless if you don't also know the cost-of-living as well

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44.  

    Re: Re: Re: Of course...

    

    Justin, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 1:43pm

    
    

    You fall under one ideology or the other whether you like it or not. If you don't think so and you think you just look "issue by issue" then you should take a look a where those issues lie and likely that will be the ideology you fall under.
    
    Either you believe that more government (stronger at the federal level) is good (more services, more regulation, etc) ... or you believe that less government (less services, regulation, intrusion).
    
    Here is an infograph to help http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/left-vs-right-world/
    
    If you don't believe any of this any you're "voting for the person", we might as well have American Idol instead of elections.

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45.  

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 2:37pm

    
    

    Exactly who is protesting the opening? It sounds like animators:
    
    "veteran animator Nelson Shin"
    
    But then reveals
    
    "The iconic cartoon propelled his production company Akom.."
    
    So, the owner of the animation studio is objecting that his company is being compared to a sweatshop. I'm sure the owners of all sweatshops objecting to having it pointed out that they run a sweatshop. Of course at least the employees aren't (probably) being exposed to toxic chemicals.

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46.  

    Re: Still unsure of your point with this.

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 3:45pm

    
    

    Yep, one third, and you get also one third of the cost for living in South Korea. Things cost less there.

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47.  

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 3:53pm

    
    

    I thought the opening was about Chinese sweatshops and not Korean and I also think many others thought the same thing.

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48.  

    

    Anonymous Coward, Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 8:17pm

    
    

    The SK animation company in question outsources some Simpsons work to an NK animation company.

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49.  

    

    RandomGuy (profile), Nov 2nd, 2010 @ 10:22pm

    
    

    I find it quite entertaining that the groups getting their feathers ruffled over this intro are the very ones who made/broadcast it.
    
    Job well done then, Banksy.

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50.  

    ok...

    

    trish, Nov 3rd, 2010 @ 4:09am

    
    

    this is not supposed to be an accurate depiction of working conditions, do they think people will believe the toys are made of dead rats? come on

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