Good to see everybody again, good to be back!

I have numerous Taiwanese friends who working 10-12 hours each day,

but only being paid for 7 or 8 hours each day.

But that seems to be normal in Taiwan; everybody I know just says that’s the way it is.

There are a few reasons for why this exists,

And one of the ones that I believe is contributing to this problem is the corporations, the companies,

also the social mechanisms of Taiwanese society.

Social mechanism could be best explained as behaviours and things that we think are normal

that we have been conditioned to believe and act out accordingly to what our society says.

Taiwanese people believe that they should work hard.

If they work hard, they would be rewarded even if they are not paid for those hours.

When they work them, they believe that they will be able to advance in the company eventually and make more money.

That kinda belief would be a social mechanism, it would be conditioning of the mind and of the work force

that has taken generations to create.

Maybe some more bravery.

I think there is a lot of fear that controls Taiwanese people in their daily lives.

The social conditioning that makes them not want to stand out, that creates a kind of fear

that makes it easier for Taiwanese people to just say, “Well, working 10 hours, 12 hours each day is what everybody does, so I do it too.

Being from America, we have a lot of different labor laws; They prevent us from working more than what we are paid for.

Even as a worker in America, you are not even allowed to work for free.

And so, one of my Taiwanese friends was raised in America and they are now here working in Taiwan, and I ask them

how they work and they said they refused to work the hours that all the other Taiwanese in their company did.

And so, not everybody is, you know, working the long hours, and my friend is still okay.

Actually, I’m gonna call him right now. I’ll show you what’s up.

Yow, hello?

Hey, hey, what’s up man?

How have you been? How are you doing?

Man, I got fired!

You lost your job?!

Well, there you have it!