What WON'T You Buy?

[CRaZy]

When I go shopping I take four lists. One has Australian made brand names on it. I try to buy those.

Another has a sweat shop list of brands on it (it's four pages of small print) with everything from Nike to The Gap. I try to avoid those.

The third list contains products tested on animals. Everything from shampoo and soap brands to eucalyptus oil. I try to avoid those too.

The fourth list contains brand names like Nestle which exploit consumers in third world countries. Avoid those obviously.

My partner REFUSES to shop with me anymore. It's HELL being a politically correct shopper. I just know that my new joggers were made in the same factory as Nike but haven't made it to the list yet. Sigh.

Okay. I'm just insane. However, there must be certain brands/items you don't buy for politically correct reasons. What are they?

 

[SexyThang]

Well, the obvious like Nike because of the sweatshop allegations.

Any product that is tested on animals i.e: doesn't show a disclaimer like cosmetics and shampoos.

Tuna if it doesn't show the dolphin friendly label

The list is endless!

 

[Isabella Thorne]

I would never buy sex ...

I would never buy love ...

and I would never buy Tommy Hilfiguer.
____________________
Shop shop shop 'til you drop.

 

[Merelan]

Isabella, I love you...

 

[Adoratrice]

Paul Newman products....it's just wrong.

 

[Isabella Thorne]

ooooh ... I love you too Merelan
____________________
If I had a million dollars (if I had a million dollars)
I'd buy you a fur coat
But not a real fur coat that's cruel ...

If I had a million dollars (if I had a million dollars)
I'd buy you a green dress
But not a real green dress that's cruel

~Barenaked Ladies~

 

[WriterDom]

Monica Piginsky

I won't buy HBO after she cashes in.

 

[bluntforcemama]

CRAZY!!!!!

Oh ,love! I didn't think anyone else knew about Nestles! WOW! I think I LOVE you! ANyway, I only shop at a natural food store, where everything is organic and is not tested on anything, not made by slave labor, and has no added perfumes or dyes. It's a little place called "The Good Earth Market." As for clothes... I sew, so most of my clothes I make by hand, so I suppose that could be classified as slave labor

 

[KillerMuffin]

Nike is made in the sweatshop up the street from me. They pay 8 bucks an hour to start and you get 50 hours a week right now. It's awful and they have to take breaks every two hours. Reebok is made there too, you might want to stick them on your list. It horrible how they keep those people from collecting their welfare checks.

I don't buy Paul Newman stuff anyway. Only because we differ politically. Which is kind of a dumb reason to not support capitalism.

 

[Flagg]

I don't really boycott anything though I probably should. There is something so incredibly annoying about people with too many principles - I guess its a mixture of guilt and practicality.

When I was forced into walking for three hours to get petrol because my damned sister refused to fill the tank at an Esso station despite the fuel light blinking alarmingly fast, I can't say I was too impressed.

What I have been boycotting though are certain films. That one about the Enigma machine for example and The Patriot too. They're presumably not that good anyway, so its not like I'm killing myself over it.

 

[Merelan]

Myst, no offense, but where do you buy your fabric? And where is it brought in from?

 

[Ambrosious]

And the thread! Sheep labor.

 

[bluntforcemama]

To sum it all up

I only buy American, and never at WalMart or Kmart, or Gibsons, or Shop-Ko, or Target.... you get the idea. The precise reason I don't have a car... I prefer Japanese! But I won't buy it, so I can't have it... *sigh*

 

[CreamyLady]

An interesting note.

Several manufacturers have had to go off several shores. It seems that workers in developing countries quite often get the idea that more work means more wages and benefits, driving up the costs and forcing the manufacturers to find another population to exploit.

With any luck, they'll run out of developing nations with cheap labor in no time at all.

 

[Ally C]

It's all about power ...

Nike and the like [!] will put profits first every time for as long as possible for the following simple reason: Because they can ...

Caution: don't believe the 'dolphin friendly' hype: All nets have by-catches of immature fish / other species. These by-catches significantly impact upon fish stocks.
[... this list goes on ...]

We have a power also. In some cases it is a 'potential' power, say the fact that we have time to sit at our computers and bemoan the world order. Yes, I'm sat at my computer right now saying my piece! What I mean is the fact that we have a 'comfort zone' (or whatever you want to call it) which usually [historically for sure] relies on there being those who do not have the same privileges. When we put our feelings into practice as you have done CRaZy then an actual political statement has been made. I don't think you are being 'politically correct' though - because I don't think the term has any use, in short I don't believe in it. I know what you mean, but I'd call it a principled, responsible and moral stance.

 

[Iris]

I won't buy Gap just because they're Gap. Half the shit in that store you can buy at Walmart for at least half the price as at The Crap.

I don't really boycot anything other than that. I try to avoid big designers like Tommy et al for the simple fact that I don't need the label and I can't afford it. I'm short on cash so I do a lot of shopping at Target and Walmart. I think I look pretty decent most days albeit sans designer label. I do wear CK Be though, guess that's a mark against me.

 

[cactiphile]

I agree with Flagg about the films...
I don't mind a mindless romp as long as it doesnt
try and rewrite history.

I also boycott any films which are rammed down ur throat
by too much hype and advertising.

RE Iris and the labels, designer labels are the biggest
scam that there is, the fact that some want to spend double or triple the money on a product just because it has a designer label shows the stupidity of the human race!

Apart from that I only boycott on a personal basis,
eg whether a particular shop has really annoyed me before.

Lifes much too short to carry about 4 lists!

Cactiphile (New and prickerly)

 

[Comshaw]

Quote
Myst said:
"I only buy American, and never at WalMart or Kmart, or Gibsons, or Shop-Ko, or Target.... you get the idea. The precise reason I don't have a car... I prefer Japanese! But I won't buy it, so I can't have it... *sigh*"
__________________

A little know fact: more of the Honda Accord is produced in the USA then the Ford Taurus.

Let me turn this around: If I have a choice I'll buy a product with the "Union made in the USA" everytime, even if it's more expensive. Being a died in the wool unionist, I figure I should walk the talk. Never did learn the knack of talking out both sides of my face.

Comshaw

 

[OUTSIDER]

If your into this kind of thing then you need to track down a guy called Mark Thomas, he has a show in this country and he is the big corperation's worst nightmare and he has a web site too thats full of interesting stuff too.

 

[DarkAngel]

I will buy anything...

But if the slaves made it is all the better...

Get the children of the world doing something useful...

 

[Blackbich]

I try to avoid products that don't have the 'not tested on animals' label. Anything from the "Kathy Gifford" line either.

 

[Charly]

Paul Newman products....it's just wrong.

What did Paul do wrong? I think he gives the proceeds to good causes does he not.

 

[bluntforcemama]

I won't buy condoms at my grandmother's grocery store!

 

[Charly]

When I go shopping I take four lists. One has Australian made brand names on it. I try to buy those.

Another has a sweat shop list of brands on it (it's four pages of small print) with everything from Nike to The Gap. I try to avoid those.

The third list contains products tested on animals. Everything from shampoo and soap brands to eucalyptus oil. I try to avoid those too.

The fourth list contains brand names like Nestle which exploit consumers in third world countries. Avoid those obviously.

My partner REFUSES to shop with me anymore. It's HELL being a politically correct shopper. I just know that my new joggers were made in the same factory as Nike but haven't made it to the list yet. Sigh.

Okay. I'm just insane. However, there must be certain brands/items you don't buy for politically correct reasons. What are they?

I can certainly empathise with your feelings on these things and we probably don't need some of those things.

However. I have one problem with it that leaves me torn. I believe our science and technology have made it possible for us to make man's lot better - we don't always do it, but even the poorest of us in modern civilisation is far more comfortable and healthy than the majority were a hundred years ago.

I cannot think of a time or a single invention which did not result in someone seeming to be exploited. The person with capital, says, "see here, i will buy the equipment, risk my money, if you will work for $ xx per hour." The deal is made. The worker so exploited begins, however slowly, to build up capital and he someday does the same thing for or to someone else. We inch up on being able to support more people on this lovely planet, even though sometimes we trample it badly.

The entire population of South Korea were once exploited by the Japanese who paid them low wages to make microwaves to sell to the goddam americans (who invented them and hired the japanese to produce them for low wages. Today, there is probably not a single microwave oven produced anyplace but in South Korea, by companies owned by South Koreans!

My problem is that the people making the Nikes may have no chance to find a decent living if I don't buy the shoes he makes! I notice that my wonderful New Balance Shoes, which I have bought largely because they were always made in the U.S., have a made in china label in them. Go Figure. Tempis Fugits, etc.

What do you think of that?

 

[Charly]

I won't buy condoms at my grandmother's grocery store!

I love that! Great!


A friend of mine was invited home to meet the family of his beautiful girlfriend. On the way he stopped at a pharmacy and asked for condoms. The pharmacist asked if he wanted one, three, one dozen or the family pack containing 36 condoms in a variety of colors.

That night they sat down to dinner and her mother asked if anyone would say grace over the meal. To the girl's surprise, my friend launched off into an eloquent, deeply religious prayer invoking every grace that god might provide.

His girlfriend leaned close and muttered. "I had no idea you were so religious?"

He whispered back, "I had no idea your father was a pharmacist."