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i came across this article this morning. the interesting point being that if we don't put our consumer money where our social values are, how can we blame Wal-Mart (at least completely) for doing what it takes to lure the consumer by their low prices. and if we're not willing to put our money where our values are, then we need government regulation to force us to do it.
I thought that was pretty good article. I wonder how that will play out in the airline industry, since it seems on the verge of collapse.
Charity, I thought it was a good article too. The fact is, the U.S. can't afford it's lifestyle. We keep shipping jobs over seas so as a culture we can keep buying more TVs, DVDs, cars, boats, big houses etc. If we had too pay American wages for those all those products our lifestyle would diminish noticeably. You can't have both high wages and cheap products simultaneously. Reich is right. Walmart is just giving Americans what they want on the consumer end. And it's a good deal, as long as your job doesn't get shipped over seas.
JR
Since I work with Wal-Mart, I've spent alot of time thinking about the issue of benefiting as a consumer from WM's low prices and easy access to consumer goods vs. the social issues involved, but I haven't made the connection with the airline industry. I will search endlessly for a cheap ticket and have never really thought about the fact that I have a contributing influence, along with the majority of consumers, to the issues within the airline industry. I can rant all day about the inadequacies of the large airlines, just like many people can about Wal-mart. Do you know many people who truly live out their social ideals in their consumer purchases?
"The only way for the workers or citizens in us to trump the consumers in us is through laws and regulations that make our purchases a social choice as well as a personal one."
An acquaintance of mine, someone who works in the publishing industry, once looked at me with scorn when I spoke of buying books from Barnes & Noble. She encouraged me to go to our local booksellers (Lee's) instead. I had never before thought of this option of "citizenship" in Lincoln, Nebraska, over "consumership" at B&N.
walmart is not forcing people to buy there by placing a gun to their heads. they are, however, forcing you to buy there by consuming so much of the marketshare in so many areas. walmart does a fantastic job at eliminating competition...leaving itself as the one solution to your shopping "needs". "but there's nothing you can't get at walmart"! how about workers paid their worth? how about benefits available to all workers? how about a more equal playing field for local businesses? how about consumers that realize they are keeping the giant in business? we as consumers wield a mighty sword in our choice to purchase where we do.
. i've a friend who works at menard's. in one day at the menard's he worked at was a gent who ran a decent sized construction/building company. he was complaining that walmart would not consider his contract to build the new walmart in town. walmart has crews of people that travel around the country just for the sole purpose of building, setting up, and maintaining walmart stores. if you're not in, you're not in. my friend posed the question as to how that affects local labor? are they losing out? has this job been taken away from them? hmmm... i think it's crappy there are crews of people that travel all around this country setting up walmarts, but we don't even have crews traveling around like this maintaining our roads and highways. we don't have crews traveling around keeping churches painted and their roofs from leaking. but WE DO HAVE crews traveling around erecting walmarts every half mile.
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