Why should we care?
This is the question Mr. Kara is up against when confronting, exposing and heroically elevating the horrors of the multinational corporate supply chain underlying our entire digital existence. From general acceptance of the "clean cobalt" PR blasts to a misplaced belief that such powerful brands like Apple and Tesla would surely not profit from child labor -- apathy has taken hold as the dominant emotion when raw material procurement or Africa-based mining operations are raised for discussion.
Through brave journalism, thoughtful research and exceptional writing, Mr. Kara eviscerates this facade with increasing alacrity on each subsequent page of Cobalt Red. He will take you deep into militia-controlled conflict zones, where he is able to document in great detail the shocking underworld economy and appalling human rights ripples which we as hardware consumers have acceded. Simply by giving names ("I miss Lubo so much. He was my best friend.") to the nameless, Mr. Kara ensures that apathy is no longer an option.
Cobalt Red is eye-opening, captivating and is a must read book in this exact moment in time. Don't wait to take this journey. You can very well decide what comes next for the men, women and children of the Congo.
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Daring, Devastating and Deeply Important -- A Must Read!
Why should we care?This is the question Mr. Kara is up against when confronting, exposing and heroically elevating the horrors of the multinational corporate supply chain underlying our entire digital existence. From general acceptance of the "clean cobalt" PR blasts to a misplaced belief that such powerful brands like Apple and Tesla would surely not profit from child labor -- apathy has taken hold as the dominant emotion when raw material procurement or Africa-based mining operations are raised for discussion.Through brave journalism, thoughtful research and exceptional writing, Mr. Kara eviscerates this facade with increasing alacrity on each subsequent page of Cobalt Red. He will take you deep into militia-controlled conflict zones, where he is able to document in great detail the shocking underworld economy and appalling human rights ripples which we as hardware consumers have acceded. Simply by giving names ("I miss Lubo so much. He was my best friend.") to the nameless, Mr. Kara ensures that apathy is no longer an option.Cobalt Red is eye-opening, captivating and is a must read book in this exact moment in time. Don't wait to take this journey. You can very well decide what comes next for the men, women and children of the Congo.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2023
This is the question Mr. Kara is up against when confronting, exposing and heroically elevating the horrors of the multinational corporate supply chain underlying our entire digital existence. From general acceptance of the "clean cobalt" PR blasts to a misplaced belief that such powerful brands like Apple and Tesla would surely not profit from child labor -- apathy has taken hold as the dominant emotion when raw material procurement or Africa-based mining operations are raised for discussion.
Through brave journalism, thoughtful research and exceptional writing, Mr. Kara eviscerates this facade with increasing alacrity on each subsequent page of Cobalt Red. He will take you deep into militia-controlled conflict zones, where he is able to document in great detail the shocking underworld economy and appalling human rights ripples which we as hardware consumers have acceded. Simply by giving names ("I miss Lubo so much. He was my best friend.") to the nameless, Mr. Kara ensures that apathy is no longer an option.
Cobalt Red is eye-opening, captivating and is a must read book in this exact moment in time. Don't wait to take this journey. You can very well decide what comes next for the men, women and children of the Congo.
Daring, Devastating and Deeply Important -- A Must Read!
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2023
Why should we care?Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2023
This is the question Mr. Kara is up against when confronting, exposing and heroically elevating the horrors of the multinational corporate supply chain underlying our entire digital existence. From general acceptance of the "clean cobalt" PR blasts to a misplaced belief that such powerful brands like Apple and Tesla would surely not profit from child labor -- apathy has taken hold as the dominant emotion when raw material procurement or Africa-based mining operations are raised for discussion.
Through brave journalism, thoughtful research and exceptional writing, Mr. Kara eviscerates this facade with increasing alacrity on each subsequent page of Cobalt Red. He will take you deep into militia-controlled conflict zones, where he is able to document in great detail the shocking underworld economy and appalling human rights ripples which we as hardware consumers have acceded. Simply by giving names ("I miss Lubo so much. He was my best friend.") to the nameless, Mr. Kara ensures that apathy is no longer an option.
Cobalt Red is eye-opening, captivating and is a must read book in this exact moment in time. Don't wait to take this journey. You can very well decide what comes next for the men, women and children of the Congo.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2023
Top reviews from other countries
BRUCE CHISHOLM
Detailed background to the morning of Cobalt
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2024HUGH BROWN
An Alternative Perspective on Cobalt Red
Reviewed in Australia on February 19, 2023
HUGH BROWN
Reviewed in Australia on February 19, 2023
Kara appears to describe what he saw very well, but what he doesn't do well is connect what he saw with meaningful solutions in the sector. And this risks doing very real harm to the 150k people in the Congo that depend on this form of mining just to put food on the table.
There are big things at play in this space globally right now. The DRC got a new President in 2019 and he's aligned much more closely with the US than the previous President Kabila who was very close with China.
The US need more critical minerals and desperately need what the Congo currently gives to the Chinese. Using human rights as a leverage point helps give the US-leaning Congolese government an out to take away some or all of the cobalt mining concessions the Chinese currently hold.
As always, it's a case of follow the money. Kara's book must be considered with that prism in mind. His book is excellent as a travel diary and in its coverage of Congolese history but very very weak on the solution side.
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