Steal This Product
Dec. 5th, 2002 11:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
raybearI 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.
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.
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no subject
Date: 2002-12-06 10:52 am (UTC)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.