I feel I should make something clear. The point of my video today was not to convince people not to buy from Amazon. I think it's good to buy less things in general, but amazon is a symptom of the larger problem.
Yes amazon is an evil exploitative company, but do you think there's a way to buy the things they sell on amazon WITHOUT exploitation? Do you think buying them from Wal-Mart, or Best Buy is any more moral?
You cannot buy or boycott your way out of capitalism. You are forced to participate in this exploitation no matter what you do.
This is not to say that people should not try to be conscious with what they buy. Obviously some things are worse than others.
This is not to say that people should not try to be conscious with what they buy. Obviously some things are worse than others.
Like, you won't catch me eating Sabra hummus for example. I'm not gonna stroll up to Chik Fil A and order myself a bigotry sandwich.
The phrase "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism" does not mean "so do whatever ya want, it's all the same baby."
The phrase "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism" does not mean "so do whatever ya want, it's all the same baby."
It means that you cannot avoid participating in capitalist exploitation so long as you live within capitalism. Just as you are exploited you are also forced to exploit others. There is no opting out, and when they tell you there is that's just a marketing ploy.
I don't think anyone "should" buy from Amazon, it's certainly not BETTER, but aside from maybe the extra environmental impact of delivering each item in more packaging, it doesn't seem morally any worse than buying from any other big store to me.
And even the environmental impact of these deliveries has to be weighed against the unassailable good that having the option to buy shit without leaving the house does for some disabled people.
Shouldn't be a for profit service, but some people will always need things delivered.
Shouldn't be a for profit service, but some people will always need things delivered.
That's not to let Amazon off the hook for its exploitation, but to point out that exploitation is the norm. It's everywhere, and as long as we live within capitalism it cannot be escaped.
Rather than trying to buy from "good companies", we must destroy the tools of "bad ones."
Rather than trying to buy from "good companies", we must destroy the tools of "bad ones."
All that being said, I could be being completely head-ass myopic here so take what I'm saying with a grain of salt.
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