Steal This Product

[raybear]

I had two people on my friends page writing about boycotts. They were not talking about the boycotting the same product, nor are they on each others' friends list (as far as I know). Maybe there's something astrologically speaking that causes this phenomenon. It always amuses and entertains me when something like this happens, and I feel compelled to unite by mentioning something as well.



I hate when people say "boycotts are pointless because if we were to boycott everything we couldn't buy anything" or some variation. First of all, what's so horrible about not buying anything? Perhaps not realistic, but really not that horrible. Don't get me wrong -- I'm a total consumer, but I occasionally have Amish fantasies and aspirations. Secondly, the logic is flawed: what if you applied this argument to other areas of activism and social awareness? I can't give money to this charity because then I'd have to give money to all charities and I'd be broke. That's not how we work. We selet causes that are closest to us and focus resources and energy on them and that's okay. That's even how the population genetics work -- we're predisposed to giving more energy to our close family/pack/group because it helps keeps us alive. {/tangent}

Boycotts do work. Not necessarily because the dip in profits is so significant to the company, but usually more because of bad press and tainted company image. It's more about education and awareness than the lack of two dollars they receive for an overpriced cup of coffee.

I have a few unofficial boycotts, one of them being Starbucks. It's made up of numerous parts: corporate infestation and proliferation of the store, desire to support local coffee shops, annoyance at high prices, annoyance at typical Starbucks clientale, company's refusal to use non-migrant worker coffee or non-hormone milk. But that doesn't mean I've never gone there, or that I even care if other people go there or if people work there. In fact, most people might not even know I'm boycotting them, though I'll occasionally share my concerns. I'm not trying to guilt them into not going -- I just think everyone has a duty to be aware.

I know Domino's pizza is evil. I think they've done horrible horrible things. But sometimes I want to pay six dollars for a thin crust pizza with pineapple and bacon, so I cave in and justify that only a few cents are going to support causes that make me vomit. This is significantly less than the proportion of my tax dollars going to horrible organizations, which is enough to alleviate my guilt for the twenty minutes it takes to eat the pizza. I don't feel hypocritical at all because I'm not truly excusing my actions. I'm owning them.

But please, people who are itching for a boycott, please educate yourself. Don't decide you know what's best -- read about the people being directly affected and follow what they recommend. Example: my friend saw a labor organizer speak who works overseas for Gap/Old Navy. She's trying to unionize the workers and get the corporation to pay non-pitiful wages. But she told the roomful of people they can help best NOT by boycotting, but instead by writing letters and contacting the corporation on their behalf. A loss of sales would mean the cheap labor factories are first to shut down, and the workers would be out of a job. Even though they need better pay, they also need a place to work. So don't be going around deciding what other people need you to do -- if you're going to do something, do the right thing. Go to the 'oppressed' people directly and they'll be happy to give you the best options.

And here ends my second soapbox rant of the day. I'll soon resume pithy commentary on television and movies.

Comments

[drood.livejournal.com]

Who was the other boycott poster? A lot of people on my friends list are posting about Cracker Barrel today because I posted about it first, and then an anonymous respondent pointed out that the company had been praised by the HRC yesterday for lifting their discriminatory hiring practices.

Maybe it's an alignment of the stars. I didn't know it had been lifted when I made the post.

[raybear.livejournal.com]

It was vfc, who was actually posting about Salvation Army and gay people (and NOT Cracker Barrel).

I read the press release right after reading your post and thought maybe that's where you're inspiration came from -- such a strange coincidence that it didn't!

[sharkysmachine.livejournal.com]

on the starbucks tip: after working for them for years, i get defensive. while i will not argue with anything you have said, because it's true, they don't use fair trade coffee, though are working towards using it more, but they are doing things like NOT charging for soy milk [though it's not a corporate decree, just on a store to store basis]. in additon they pay their workers well and give them excellent benefits. and the beanstock. oh the sweet beanstock. and tuition reinbursement. they love their employees. few companies and boast such. just as a barista i was clocking 400 a week in tips and salary. i was only working 36 hours, not stressed, not abused and very much rewarded and valued. they "encourage" their employees to get active in the communties which they serve, and i'll admit i find that aspect a bit problematic as starbuck is never really in areas where their commitmented work force could do as much good.

there are so many tradeoffs in the arena of boycotting. i remember when i was heavier people were like "BOYCOTT GAP CORP." and i really couldn't. here was one of the few companies that didn't penalize men or women for being larger. granted they only go up to size 20 [women] and size 44 [men], but a lot of stores do not. stores like lane bryant which used to be owned by the limited carried the same clothing as express and limited and CHARGED 20 to 30 bucks more for similar items. and that really bothered me.

i do not boycott the slarmy because they have a 3% administration cost which means 97% of their monies go to services. they run numerous domestic violence shelters in so-cal and even have one for men. i do have problems with their views on gays but i realize being a christian org that is to be expected. of course i don't agree with it.

[raybear.livejournal.com]

yes, i agree that starbucks is GREAT to their employers. i would actually encourage people to work there rather than buy coffee there!

basically i don't front on anyone for boycotting or not boycotting as long as it's deliberate and educated and intentional.

[greyandred.livejournal.com]

Excellent post, Ray! Have I told you lately that you rock my socks? That's also my new favorite phrase...

As for me, I tend to participate in boycotts when they're strategic. I don't think that Just Not Buying is effective-- but a well-organized and promoted boycott can be. For example, a few years back, there was a Nabisco factory in Pittsburgh, right near Chatham. It was one of Nabisco's most profitable and effective bakeries, and it provided lots of well-paying, union jobs to a somewhat depressed neighborhood. Naturally, Nabisco decided to close it down, in the interests of "streamlining." During the time between the announcement and the shutdown, the union called for a boycott, and it caught on. There were BOYCOTT NABISCO stickers all over the city. We went without Oreos for almost a year. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late, but it was a well-done boycott worth participating in. But I say if you're going to boycott, don't just not go there. Pick your target strategically, work with the workers (or whomever is in question), and flyer, table, sticker, march, hold press conferences, etc. It can be very effective if done well (see King, Martin Luther, Jr.). :-)

By the way, the guy who founded Domino's and gave its money to Operation Rescue and the like has since moved on, and Domino's isn't in the "charity" business anyone. You can eat your pizza knowing that it hasn't caused any more misery than any other corporate pizza chain. Heh.

s

[raybear.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info on Domino's. Also, I agree that boycotting is more effective if people in the company KNOW you're boycotting, not just silently passing over products in the store.

And by the way, you rock my socks too!

viva la revelution.

[crafting-change.livejournal.com]

In a society almost entirely based in commerce....boycotting is one of the few powers we have.

[gotmce99.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've stopped drinking Starbucks coffee, but I hope to drink it again soon. They now sell fair trade coffee beans, but don't use them to make the lattes and such. I've written a few letters and comment cards, hoping that they'll start using fair trade coffee for all their drinks - do you know what a difference that would make?? It would be HUGE!!! Even if individual stores started doing it!

Margaret

[katemosey.livejournal.com]

I'm a little late in my postings, but a friend of mine did a month-long research project in which he tried to find companies not owned by larger companies.
He basically wanted to buy products in the grocery store that weren't linked to tobacco companies, or huge multinational corporations. It was pretty sobering.
He really only found a handful of products.
So unless he wanted to eat Tom's Honeybuns with Worstershire sauce for the remainder of his life, he HAD to buy from gigantic corps. Sad, but true.
Boycotting is good (I haven't eaten at Burger King for 10 years, but I can't remember why) -- companies say they pay more attention to written letters. One written letter of complaint is worth 10 silent boycotters from what I understand.
Excellent post and fabulous use of the word, "pithy."

[raybear.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tip on written letters -- I sometimes think I'll just write letters SAYING I'm boycotting but then not really flip out if I occasionally buy some Kraft macaroni and cheese.

Also, I find it very hilarious that you can't remember why you're boycotting Burger King. If you remember, let me know. I have a friend who doesn't purchase Del Rey tortilla chips (a Chicago company), which are in my opinion the best chips in the entire world, because thirty years the owner was a suspected mob boss type who may or may not have murdered a union organizer. But she buys Starbucks coffee all the time and buys books from Borders which is very anti-union. I mean, we all pick our battles (that was my own point), but I guess I'd rather support the shady local business over the shady national business.