While I agree that we have a duty to avoid unethical brands whenever possible, there’s just no way to escape them all. I live in a poor country and I there’s a lot of “bad stuff” I have to buy just because it’s what I can affford at the moment.
There is no ethical consumption under capitalism.
Fully agreed. While it is morally positive to avoid especially unethical companies, ultimately it’s not possible in all cases. As long as you try to be moral in your day to day actions and you on some level push for things to be better, you’re not morally culpable for the failings of the current system.
Avoiding every company that does something unethical is impossible. Imo, avoiding giving money directly to those unethical practices is what we should strive for.
Ie, Nestle is notorious for the way it acquires and sells bottled water, using legal loopholes to leave communities without drinkable water, and adding sodium to their water to keep you thirsty and drink more. So don’t buy their water. Assuming enough people do so, the company will, inevitably, stop selling water and focus on products that are selling. Does Nestle as a whole deserve to fuck off? I mean, sure, but, at the very least, we can pressure companies to only engage with the practices that we consider passable.
I avoid Nestle, because fuck their water shit, I don’t trust them to source cocoa reasonably either, and they are nowhere near having a monopoly on good chocolate, so they’re perhaps a bad example. But we can at least push companies around, because ultimately, the only thing they give a shot about is our money.
Sure for sure. And I’m tired of people treating it like it’s all or nothing, OR that it is stupid to boycott! I have my reasons why I refuse to purchase from this brand specifically and not others. We all only have so much energy (and money, mental resources etc) to be able to do so much. Let’s not shit on others for trying, or others who don’t want to. Maybe their energy is spent on other injustices and boycotts. Or just trying to survive. I dont like that they steal water from drought stricken communities here in America, and what they did in Africa. I have the mental resources and the luxury to boycott them so I do. You don’t so you don’t.
The only jerks are the ones who literally don’t care because it has nothing to do with them.
I avoid Nestlé as much as I can, I mostly… I just buy a coffee crisp once or twice a year. It’s one of my favorites and I have not found an alternative I like as much/better.
Nestle isn’t exactly making bank off me, that’s enough.
Yup and as far as I’m really concerned enough to speak up to anyone, it’s if they buy their bottled water. Since like, that’s supporting them stealing water from drought stricken fellow Americans. Most people will be willing to try a different bottled water brand. And I think that’s a really good bare minimum boycott that is accessible, easy, and could spread.
That’s when you have to ask yourself if you’re ready for war. I’ve been stalked by drug dealers that want me to keep my mouth shut. It’s all the same business minded bs mainstream or street. A heartless man is a heartless man no matter what.
There can be. Just not under Milton Friedman/Chicago School capitalism, or the neoliberal globalist shoggoth it spawned.
Whether aforementioned eldritch economics are an inevitable stage or not, the million dollar question (whatta bargain!) is whether that stage constitutes the current system’s death-throes. I’d love to know, myself!
