Ditch your Kindle for a Kobo! Your independent bookstore can even link up with Kobo and when you buy a ebook for your Kobo, the bookstore gets a bit, too.
Very random chance, but are you perhaps Joe Cleveland, the trumpeter that attended Osseo High School?
I have a Kobo Libra H2O and it's a nice piece of hardware. Also, Kobo seems quite a bit less anti-author than Amazon Kindle. As an erstwhile author, that does appeal to me. Also appeals due to mere justice. I never tried to earn a living from writing, so I don't really feel the impacts of corporate encroachments the way a professional would.
I remember you because you were The Man on the trumpet at OHS during my time there. We never played in the same band (unless it was pep band or marching band), but I knew of you.
Last time I saw you was at the U of M. It was either fall of '85 or spring of '86. You were crossing Washington heading toward Coffman. I was crossing opposite going to the Physics building. You greeted me and we had a nice, short conversation. You were carrying your horn is a cool looking, soft-sided leather case. I'd had no idea you even knew my name!
And yeah, I'm gushing like a school-girl. But there it is.
I think most (not all) boycotts are fundamentally faddish and therefore often aim at the wrong target, as you describe.
This isn't quite a boycott, but it's close: there was a protest campaign against a large grocery store chain in my country several years ago because it sold kangaroo meat as a sort of cool novelty option for foodies. The campaign seemed to largely take the form of "look at these pictures of cute joeys!" The chain caved and stopped selling it.
Problem is: as I understand it, kangaroos are pests in Australia, and they're killed for that reason, not the meat. You're protesting against people buying the meat of animals that are a) wild, let alone free range and b) going to die either way. And now they've successfully got it taken of shelves, what are people going to buy instead? Battery chicken, maybe?
It was asinine and infuriating. Also I wanted to try the kangaroo meat but didn't get around to it in time.
This is such a terrific example of how misguided boycotts can be. The kangaroo meat was objectively making the world a better place by helping to curb a species that has gotten out of balance with the ecosystem. (And I say that as a vegetarian.) The boycott made things worse—and also deprived you of the experience of trying kangaroo meat.
I actually do partake in several of the ongoing boycotts. I refuse to give Amazon any of my money, mainly because of their disgusting treatment of the workers who make the money for the company but also because Bezos is just such a despicable human being. This is not an easy thing to do but one finds other ways to fulfill the needs previously provided for by that company. I used to have an Audible account but now only listen to audiobooks that I can get through our library. It is more time consuming, but I purchase things from stores in our city or go directly online to the company that also sells via Amazon. Maybe my small actions won't change the world, but if everyone waits until a majority has joined the cause we will be doomed - if we are not already.
Yes! And this is why I try to buy your birthday books not from Amazon but from the Seminary Coop. 😊 And your small actions are helping you to live with integrity, which is a benefit too.
Outrage, like passion, is a limited resource. In these trying times it's hard to muster the gumption to be anti all the things that deserve the effort.
That being said, I still hold enmity toward Disney for not paying creators, and toward Audible for not paying creators enough.
Also, I totally grok the disappointment in a retailer that does not serve your, not so uncommon, needs. My thwarted needs have been rather more plebian than the religious, but disappointing all the same. We must forgive the unwashed for being unwashed. I say this with tongue firmly in cheek. After all, my needs are a mere whim in the cosmic ocean. And I'm not so different that I dare sniff at the common.
So, are boycotts effective? Sure, when the masses revolt. Yet it might be best to husband your outrage until you see the tide turn. Cynical? Yes. Also effective.
P.S. That Vikings cheerleader has great shoulders and hair. I've the shoulders, but envy the mane. ;-)
Well said, Gent! I agree with you about Disney (and I didn’t know about Audible). It is always fair to choose not to spend our money at companies that do things we know are wrong. But you also make the excellent point that it isn’t good for us to be constantly outraged—and our anger doesn’t often cause these companies to change their evil ways either.
We all choose our own hells. Or, said less depressingly, we all choose the windmills at which we tilt. There is little justice in this life. No, I'm not going to soften that statement.
The Audible situation is involved, but the short version is that in the guise of raising royalities, they have created a system where some authors will lose royalities to other, favored, authors. So I could spend a credit on 'The Sparrow' by Mary Doria Russell (outstanding scifi book with deep religious themes) and have a portion of my $ go to another author(s). Daniel Greene has several videos about this on YouTube. If you are interested, check them out.
P.S. I love the story about your dad fabricating a Menorah ex nihilo. That's a bit outside my skill set, but I appreciate the ability to fix a problem with a visit to the workbench.
Oh Mari, I imagine your dad's menorah has become a cherished family possession. What a beautiful man. As for boycotts, if I don't depend on a place or product a boycott is easy (I've never been a fan of Burger King or Pepsi), and I can always find an excuse to NOT boycott the places I am addicted to (writing this as I sip on my Starbuck's cold press likely delivered by Amazon). We were so smug having Costco cards in our wallets with DEI in question, then were hit with the headlines about not selling mifepristone (when they never sold it to begin with). My goodness a person gets whiplash trying to shop/not shop at the right places. And do boycotts hurt the lowly employees before they hit the corporate overlords? Good stuff to muddle about, as always. Thanks Mari!
Thanks so much for this thoughtful comment! To me the most important issue is that boycotts can work, but they’re difficult and require real commitment. Just telling people not to shop at Target is not going to improve the world.
And yes, it was such a beautiful act of love when my dad built that menorah for us—and totally characteristic of the kind of man he was.
I boycotted grapes for decades but it didn't seem to make a difference. Agree that the boycotts don't get much traction. You can make some individual choices that make you feel better but the big loud boycott isn't too effective. However, the Cracker Barrell hue and cry that called for a boycott seems to have made a difference as Uncle Herschel will be back on the logo.
I read that about Cracker Barrel! I guess an additional category of successful boycott is when it’s a minor issue and the company realizes that their choice was unpopular and changes back. (Another example is New Coke.)
Ditch your Kindle for a Kobo! Your independent bookstore can even link up with Kobo and when you buy a ebook for your Kobo, the bookstore gets a bit, too.
I think my uncle has a Kobo. I will ask him how he likes it!
Very random chance, but are you perhaps Joe Cleveland, the trumpeter that attended Osseo High School?
I have a Kobo Libra H2O and it's a nice piece of hardware. Also, Kobo seems quite a bit less anti-author than Amazon Kindle. As an erstwhile author, that does appeal to me. Also appeals due to mere justice. I never tried to earn a living from writing, so I don't really feel the impacts of corporate encroachments the way a professional would.
He is indeed that Joe Cleveland!
Yes! I am me!
Wow! Cool to hear from you again.
I remember you because you were The Man on the trumpet at OHS during my time there. We never played in the same band (unless it was pep band or marching band), but I knew of you.
Last time I saw you was at the U of M. It was either fall of '85 or spring of '86. You were crossing Washington heading toward Coffman. I was crossing opposite going to the Physics building. You greeted me and we had a nice, short conversation. You were carrying your horn is a cool looking, soft-sided leather case. I'd had no idea you even knew my name!
And yeah, I'm gushing like a school-girl. But there it is.
Hope you're doing well.
Cheers!
-Brent
To be remembered is a pretty great feeling, so thanks for returning the favor!
I think most (not all) boycotts are fundamentally faddish and therefore often aim at the wrong target, as you describe.
This isn't quite a boycott, but it's close: there was a protest campaign against a large grocery store chain in my country several years ago because it sold kangaroo meat as a sort of cool novelty option for foodies. The campaign seemed to largely take the form of "look at these pictures of cute joeys!" The chain caved and stopped selling it.
Problem is: as I understand it, kangaroos are pests in Australia, and they're killed for that reason, not the meat. You're protesting against people buying the meat of animals that are a) wild, let alone free range and b) going to die either way. And now they've successfully got it taken of shelves, what are people going to buy instead? Battery chicken, maybe?
It was asinine and infuriating. Also I wanted to try the kangaroo meat but didn't get around to it in time.
This is such a terrific example of how misguided boycotts can be. The kangaroo meat was objectively making the world a better place by helping to curb a species that has gotten out of balance with the ecosystem. (And I say that as a vegetarian.) The boycott made things worse—and also deprived you of the experience of trying kangaroo meat.
I actually do partake in several of the ongoing boycotts. I refuse to give Amazon any of my money, mainly because of their disgusting treatment of the workers who make the money for the company but also because Bezos is just such a despicable human being. This is not an easy thing to do but one finds other ways to fulfill the needs previously provided for by that company. I used to have an Audible account but now only listen to audiobooks that I can get through our library. It is more time consuming, but I purchase things from stores in our city or go directly online to the company that also sells via Amazon. Maybe my small actions won't change the world, but if everyone waits until a majority has joined the cause we will be doomed - if we are not already.
Yes! And this is why I try to buy your birthday books not from Amazon but from the Seminary Coop. 😊 And your small actions are helping you to live with integrity, which is a benefit too.
Outrage, like passion, is a limited resource. In these trying times it's hard to muster the gumption to be anti all the things that deserve the effort.
That being said, I still hold enmity toward Disney for not paying creators, and toward Audible for not paying creators enough.
Also, I totally grok the disappointment in a retailer that does not serve your, not so uncommon, needs. My thwarted needs have been rather more plebian than the religious, but disappointing all the same. We must forgive the unwashed for being unwashed. I say this with tongue firmly in cheek. After all, my needs are a mere whim in the cosmic ocean. And I'm not so different that I dare sniff at the common.
So, are boycotts effective? Sure, when the masses revolt. Yet it might be best to husband your outrage until you see the tide turn. Cynical? Yes. Also effective.
P.S. That Vikings cheerleader has great shoulders and hair. I've the shoulders, but envy the mane. ;-)
-Brent
Well said, Gent! I agree with you about Disney (and I didn’t know about Audible). It is always fair to choose not to spend our money at companies that do things we know are wrong. But you also make the excellent point that it isn’t good for us to be constantly outraged—and our anger doesn’t often cause these companies to change their evil ways either.
We all choose our own hells. Or, said less depressingly, we all choose the windmills at which we tilt. There is little justice in this life. No, I'm not going to soften that statement.
The Audible situation is involved, but the short version is that in the guise of raising royalities, they have created a system where some authors will lose royalities to other, favored, authors. So I could spend a credit on 'The Sparrow' by Mary Doria Russell (outstanding scifi book with deep religious themes) and have a portion of my $ go to another author(s). Daniel Greene has several videos about this on YouTube. If you are interested, check them out.
P.S. I love the story about your dad fabricating a Menorah ex nihilo. That's a bit outside my skill set, but I appreciate the ability to fix a problem with a visit to the workbench.
Wow, that Audible practice is really unfair.
And yes, this was such a boss move by my dad! He really could do pretty much anything!
Oh Mari, I imagine your dad's menorah has become a cherished family possession. What a beautiful man. As for boycotts, if I don't depend on a place or product a boycott is easy (I've never been a fan of Burger King or Pepsi), and I can always find an excuse to NOT boycott the places I am addicted to (writing this as I sip on my Starbuck's cold press likely delivered by Amazon). We were so smug having Costco cards in our wallets with DEI in question, then were hit with the headlines about not selling mifepristone (when they never sold it to begin with). My goodness a person gets whiplash trying to shop/not shop at the right places. And do boycotts hurt the lowly employees before they hit the corporate overlords? Good stuff to muddle about, as always. Thanks Mari!
Thanks so much for this thoughtful comment! To me the most important issue is that boycotts can work, but they’re difficult and require real commitment. Just telling people not to shop at Target is not going to improve the world.
And yes, it was such a beautiful act of love when my dad built that menorah for us—and totally characteristic of the kind of man he was.
I boycotted grapes for decades but it didn't seem to make a difference. Agree that the boycotts don't get much traction. You can make some individual choices that make you feel better but the big loud boycott isn't too effective. However, the Cracker Barrell hue and cry that called for a boycott seems to have made a difference as Uncle Herschel will be back on the logo.
I read that about Cracker Barrel! I guess an additional category of successful boycott is when it’s a minor issue and the company realizes that their choice was unpopular and changes back. (Another example is New Coke.)