It doesn't matter, because boycotts are generally futile since they at best only address skin level symptoms (at worst, and almost always - you're just giving your money to a different scummy capitalist), they can't cure the cancer which is precisely why they're touted as a wonderful solution (by capitalists trying to ensure the public don't take actual action against them).
With the ubiquity of inflation and shrinkflation, why aren't there more boycotts? When will people say enough is enough?
Submitted 8 months ago by rubeee@lemmy.world to [deleted]
Comments
DessertStorms@kbin.social 8 months ago
julianschmulian@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 months ago
I partly agree but I do think you have cause and effect (or disease and symptom if you will) swapped around. You‘re saying people don‘t do boycotts because they are futile. I would say it‘s the other way around and to answer OPs question, I think it largely comes down to commodity and mindlessness. But either way I think you are definitely right to suggest there must be systemic change and that all of this co2 compensation bullshit is just corporations guilt-tripping us into thinking we can consume our way out of this mess. However, the problem is that both approaches, the personal boycotts and the systemic change share a common factor, which is the requirement of mass action. If people aren‘t mindful enough to stop buying a particular kind of yoghurt, how are you ever going to get them to vote, much less stage a revolution? I think we need to get out of our passivity and boycotting things is a step in the right direction to establish a feel for personal agency.
Fluid@aussie.zone 8 months ago
Boycotts work in luxury markets with strong competition. Necessity markets with highly concentrated monopolies? No chance. Without legislation to protect consumers, they are powerless to defend themselves against the greed and exploitation of corporate interests.
henfredemars@infosec.pub 8 months ago
We live in an apartment. I can’t grow my own food. What do you expect us to eat? Do you have any idea how hard it is to actually avoid buying products that support one of these greedy brands? It’s almost everything on the shelf.
Drusas@kbin.social 8 months ago
The biggest shrinkflation culprit is food. People need food. Recent trends do, in fact, show that American consumers have been switching to cheaper brands and reducing consumption of some items, but boycotting is unrealistic. People need to eat and a handful of massive corporations own most brands.
Behaviorbabe@kbin.social 8 months ago
I certainly have stoped buying a lot of things. Skipping our vacation this year as well. I’m never gonna spend $8 on a box of cereal, they can get fucked on that price point. Buying more in bulk at Costco. I already didn’t use Amazon.
guyrocket@kbin.social 8 months ago
I do wonder this.
I buy most of my groceries from Costco and Aldi. I'm sure it saves me a lot of $$ but I've not done any price comparisons recently.
Consumers need a union. Badly.
MasterHound@lemmy.world 8 months ago
It’s so effective, but you just can’t expect to get everyone on board sadly. Unfortunately it seems that there will always be those that value the convenience of Amazon, for example, over pushing for real change. Look at Bud Light, I hated the reasoning behind the boycott but it showed just how powerful collective action can be against corporations.
rufus@discuss.tchncs.de 8 months ago
Boycott Nestlé
Do this first, boycott other companies who make a profit with child-labor and exploiting the poor.
Behaviorbabe@kbin.social 8 months ago
I certainly have stoped buying a lot of things. Skipping our vacation this year as well. I’m never gonna spend $8 on a box of cereal, they can get fucked on that price point. Buying more in bulk at Costco. I already didn’t use Amazon.
TruthAintEasy@kbin.social 8 months ago
When 'let them eat kellogs' becomes more of a reality
You see, were old poor. Were used to it. You need new poor to really get things going
spittingimage@lemmy.world 8 months ago
When will politicians start muttering about price controls?
wintermute_oregon@lemm.ee 8 months ago
I have shrinkflation more than inflation. I have receipes that are all screwed up
kylie_kraft@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Montagge@kbin.earth 8 months ago
I learned what cowards Americand are when it was admitted that the Iraq War was started on lies and everyone just shrugged and went about their day.