I Can't Take Much More Of This Crap, I Really Can't

Boycotting Whole Foods

17 Aug 2009 09:49 am

I have to say, I basically agree with Radley Balko here:

Whereas I must type that I basically think Radley Balko is full of shit & a lying sack of crap. The end of what Megan pulled:

These people don't want a dicussion[sic]. They don't want to hear ideas. They want you to shut up and do what they say, or they're going to punish you.

By "these people," Mr. Balko means, of course, "The Left." And he is completely correct. Indeed, the number of atrocities committed by boycotters in front of Whole Foods stores is such old news the media no longer even reports on it. Not to mention all the gun-totin' boycotters. How much discussion, we wonder, has Mr. Mackey had w/ his employees about the subject?

Isn't there a free-market principle of sorts here? Aren't people supposed to be able to spend their money as they will, based on any considerations they'd like to make about the business in question? It seems Mackey wants to punish the people who work for him. We don't hear too many complaints about that from the libertarians & conservatives.

Then Megan brings the logic.

Here's why boycotts don't work: the vast majority of customers don't care. And yes, that includes the vast majority of Whole Foods customers, a surprising number of whom drive SUVs and even--I swear!--occasionally vote Republican. Now consider the demographic that cares enough about health care to actually boycott a company over it. Most of them are a) wonks or b) political activists. The latter group is disproportionately young and does not spend a great deal of money on groceries. The former group is tiny.

News flash! Political activists don't spend a great deal of money on groceries. Is that because they're so well paid they're always eating at four-star restaurants?

Boycotts are ridiculous, but the "counter-boycott," on the other hand, well,

Then there's the problem of counter-boycotts. Radley is one. I myself do not particularly care for Whole Foods--I find them overpriced, and their prepared food isn't very good. But as long as the progressive boycott lasts . . . well, Mr. Mackey, you've got another customer. I doubt I'm the only conservative or libertarians who will make the same pledge.

Of course, since the number of "right-thinking" Americans so outnumbers "wonks & activists," Megan's counter-boycott will be a vast success. And she's actually "making a pledge." So even though she finds WF to be overpriced & their "prepared food" (Is that what those activists eat, instead of groceries?) isn't very good, she'll waste her money & eat crap she doesn't like to line Mackey's coffers a little more? Doesn't sound like enlightened self-interest to me. Sounds like cutting one's nose off to spite one's face.

Elements of Style©

In the last blockquote, "Radley is one." One what? A counter boycott? A problem? Let's hope there's but one of him.