[shalmanese]

> Around that time, an anthropologist who had recently returned from Chinese refugee camps saw how people would sacrifice half their disposable income just to own an iPhone.

Wait, what Chinese refugee camp? Where? From what war? China hasn't had a mass displacement event since well before the iPhone came out.

The reason I'm harping on this is because the author is committing the exact same sin they're accusing the McKinsey consultants of, a lack of cultural competence and curiosity that would rather have them substitute their stereotyped and prejudiced image of people rather than actual lived experience.

[someperson]

Likely referring to the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake that killed a reported 87,000 people (but likely far higher given what we know about the government of China).

[shalmanese]

The iPhone wasn't available for sale in China until Oct 2009: https://www.cultofmac.com/510563/today-in-apple-history-ipho...

[ectopod]

"Around that time" is referring to 2004.

[someperson]

> Around that time, an anthropologist who had recently returned from Chinese refugee camps saw how people would sacrifice half their disposable income just to own an iPhone.

The original iPhone was released in June 2007. The 2008 Sichuan Earthquake matches up.

[ectopod]

You're right of course. The original anecdote makes no sense then.