Does the Third World even exist?

Whenever I hear about American consumers demand for cheap goods like $15.00 dollar jeans or plastic junk I beg to ask the question--why doesn't anyone realize why everything is so cheap? And I certainly have the right to say stuff is cheap--especially if you compare prices of consumer goods from 3o years ago.
Of course there are plenty of hard working American folks who really don't have the luxury to question their purchases--but my anger is at those who can. I have heard a few people actually buy the Wal-Mart lie that "they cut out the overhead and buy in bulk". Whatever. As if those executives don't get rich & fat on someone else's toil like any other company. Meanwhile, what cheap prices really mean is: producing in countries that have no environmental regulation, safety hazards are ignored and products are manufactured in sweat shops. Why can't an American consumer understand why stuff isn't Made in USA anymore? Simply because our standards--put in place to protect health & safety cost too much money!! It's as if these consumers are living in disbelief: "as long as I know nothing about China or Indonesia" maybe they are just fantasy places where everyone lives well."
This suspension of third world reality extends to our corporations exporting our evils to these same countries. Cigarettes are the obvious example, but lately there is a surge in obesity in poorer countries as well! Thanks to the American influence of cheap vegetable oils, refined sugars and mimicking our habits like watching too much television!!
Well if we don't notice sweat shop conditions, at least it's nice to know that McDonalds cares enough to bring double cheeseburgers to the rest of the world.

Why You Pay Less

Oh my, I really don't mean to be picking on China again. It's just impossible not to when it seems their entire economy is based on the absent minded American consumer.
I'm not really sure if anyone is paying attention to the recent reports that the melamine contamination in their pet food was no accident. It turns out the melamine additive is a cheap coal byproduct, which happens to be easy to disguise & add to feed. Then all one needs to do is sell it on to big food companies (with a wink) and pretend the protein got their naturally.
Can you really blame the Chinese for this little trick?? Their whole super fast development is largely unregulated and a success mainly because Americans don't care to know how or where their products are made- as long as they are cheap, cheap, cheap!!
I mean heck-- if we really wanted quality standards, workers rights and environmental responsibility- would we have driven all the manufacturing companies right out of the US and Europe?? No, we didn't care why things cost more to make, we just wanted them made cheaper.
And it's not because Americans are poor and can't afford a loaf of bread, it's because we like to have closets stuffed full of payless shoes, homes filled with plastic toddler furniture and gigantic lawn chair sets--and did I mention, we want them cheap?