Peretti is hard at work completing his masters thesis. E-mail messages to the hero of the Internet bounce back with a message apologizing for being unable to get back unless it's a personal or work related message and media requests are being fended off. But it wasn't me. It just took on a life of its own. But as the embers of Peretti's personal tirade against capitalism die, the old questions of just what do these little typhoons of Internet activism achieve before they die down still linger.
Arguments can swing both ways.
Like many American companies, Nike Inc. does not manufacture its own products. It is a marketing and design firm that buys its goods from independent contractors, mostly in developing nations where wages are low. Worldwide, Nike has contracts with 700 factories that employ 550,000 workers in 50 countries. He's not an activist. Mr. Peretti does not understand our labor policy.