Thanks for outlining your process and the emotions that accompanied it. I think it’s important for us to talk about what it looks like practically to break up with big corporations and unethical institutions. The local portion of a giant grocery corporation went on strike a few weeks ago, and the strike ended without a new contract, so the union has asked us customers to continue boycotting the store. I’ve shopped there for 11 years, and as someone with tons of food sensitivities, become pretty reliant on the products I’ve found there. But my partner and I have committed to not shopping there while the boycott is happening. And it’s hard! We’ve talked about our frustration that some other viable options are other massive grocery corporations who probably aren’t treating their workers any better. We’ve spent a lot of time going to different stores around town to source what we need. And it makes me reflect all over again on the ways that our systems are designed to keep us from having the time or energy or financial resources to choose more ethical companies to do business with. But I’m committed to keep chipping away at my reliance on unethical companies where I’m able to, and give myself grace when my energy runs out. Thanks for sharing this, and providing the links to more ethical news sources!
Thank you for sharing your experience. I recall a similar situation when the employees of one of my local grocery stores were in strike. It can absolutely be exhausting to source news, shop around, and otherwise try to consume more conscientiously. Which is why community is so essential. Mutual Aid, buy nothing groups, apps like “No Thanks” that are collaboratively built to determine which products are BDS-friendly, are all part of this ecosystem of care. And grace, as you note, is also needed — disinvestment from these systems is built to be taxing, and we are finite humans! To that end, it’s worth noting that good organizers will target a few brands to help consumers not be overwhelmed. There are extensive community-sourced boycott lists, but the official BDS list is strategically super short.
Whew, indeed! Thanks for all of this investigation, Lauren. Especially grateful for the alternate news links. It is getting more and more difficult to find un-curated reporting.
The Anat Schwarz desaster, really was a punch in the groin to any1 still believing in some decency left in institutions like the NYT...
Boy, did that bother me. It really took my world view and threw it out the window.
I still have those days, where I just want the blue pill, the steak and the cabernet... and a memory wipe...
Thanks for outlining your process and the emotions that accompanied it. I think it’s important for us to talk about what it looks like practically to break up with big corporations and unethical institutions. The local portion of a giant grocery corporation went on strike a few weeks ago, and the strike ended without a new contract, so the union has asked us customers to continue boycotting the store. I’ve shopped there for 11 years, and as someone with tons of food sensitivities, become pretty reliant on the products I’ve found there. But my partner and I have committed to not shopping there while the boycott is happening. And it’s hard! We’ve talked about our frustration that some other viable options are other massive grocery corporations who probably aren’t treating their workers any better. We’ve spent a lot of time going to different stores around town to source what we need. And it makes me reflect all over again on the ways that our systems are designed to keep us from having the time or energy or financial resources to choose more ethical companies to do business with. But I’m committed to keep chipping away at my reliance on unethical companies where I’m able to, and give myself grace when my energy runs out. Thanks for sharing this, and providing the links to more ethical news sources!
Thank you for sharing your experience. I recall a similar situation when the employees of one of my local grocery stores were in strike. It can absolutely be exhausting to source news, shop around, and otherwise try to consume more conscientiously. Which is why community is so essential. Mutual Aid, buy nothing groups, apps like “No Thanks” that are collaboratively built to determine which products are BDS-friendly, are all part of this ecosystem of care. And grace, as you note, is also needed — disinvestment from these systems is built to be taxing, and we are finite humans! To that end, it’s worth noting that good organizers will target a few brands to help consumers not be overwhelmed. There are extensive community-sourced boycott lists, but the official BDS list is strategically super short.
Whew, indeed! Thanks for all of this investigation, Lauren. Especially grateful for the alternate news links. It is getting more and more difficult to find un-curated reporting.
Thanks so much, Patti. It definitely takes time, time that a lot of us don’t have, to find reliable reporting.