Don't like big corporations? Stop buying their products!?

Question

How do you think they got big? Because all of us little people forked over our hard-earned money for their stuff! People talk of McDonald's "making us fat" - but did they force anyone to go into their restaurants? They make the food that the customers pay for! In fact, the customers DID speak, DID cause McDonald's to add healthier choices to their menus and that is why the company is making a comeback!

Who rules the free markets? The CONSUMERS do.

Well gee "thatsnotright" since "people like me" changed our economic policies in 1981, unemployment has been cut in half and inflation has been cut by 2/3.

Answer 1

I agree with you. If someone is unhappy with a particular company; don't partake of their product or service. Take your business somewhere else. Competition is what drives the free market.

Answer 2

I don't have an issue with big corporations when they have healthy competition. I have a problem when a big corporation has eliminated all or most of their competition to the point that they can get away with price fixing or gouging. For example, take the utilities industries. Even though it's deregulated, there usually remains only one dominant available energy supplier in most areas of the country. Laws have been written to allow for line sharing but in reality regional players control the market. If the government did not have public utilities boards to overlook these energy suppliers, they would be free to charge whatever they wanted for their electricity or gas, and consumers would have no choice but to pay it because of lack of competition.
Ticketmaster is another example. They pretty much run a racket selling a "convienence fee" to distribute tickets. Because they eliminated all their competetors and pursued exclusivisity contracts with promoters and venues - they are free to charge what they want. If you are a consumer, you can either pay it or not go see the show. Again, when big business runs unregulated and swallows it's industry competition, it always turns out bad for the consumer.

Answer 3

It's true. We are a country of consumers. And if we were knowledgeable consumers and made smart choices based on our health, our future and the environment this world would be in better shape. You are right about McDonald's - let the free market - unencumbered by government rules designed to protect big corporations - correct the economy. But without a free press this will never happen.

Answer 4

I agree, ( Mattel apologizing to China for them poisoning us!!!, are you kidding me!!!), there is nothing on this earth that would get me to buy a Mattel product again. The so called "free market"; although the idea is good the "free for all" economy has cost millions of Americans their jobs due to insane/ suicidal trade deals; including giving them tax breaks to move offshore, (EXCUSE ME!!!) the virtually unhindered, (at least until recently; thank you Lou Dobbs ) use of illegal alien labor and sticking everyone else with the bill in the form of massive increases in health/ education/ social service and other costs while not paying any taxes, and those employers putting the money in their pocket, and putting employers who use American workers at a considerable disadvantage. I don't shop at Wal-Mart either or any of the other mass merchandisers because their only consern is off the wall profits, no matter what the actuall costs to the country of those profits are. I understand companies need to make money, that's what drives this economy but how many "profitable"
companies closed plants here ( destroying whole communities in the process ) because this government made it so easy for them to; pulled up stakes and went overseas; and we just keep buying their products. As consumers we desperately need to be aware of what the true costs of our consumerism are, and start making better choices. I urge everyone to read the book "Cheap at any cost" to get a real sense of what all of this is actually costing us.

Answer 5

Well, as to free market, I took a look at things around my home, my clothes, some of the kitchen stuff, etc. Most of my clothing was made in China. I had stuff from Thailand, Peru, and several other countries and only 1 piece was made in the US. That speaks to what we have available to buy. What you're proposing will work to a point, but if we don't have choices because all we sell is stuff made in China...

BTW, I won't shop at WalMart and try not to eat at McDonalds...

Answer 6

Not as simple as this, but you're right that consumers have far more power than they realize. Consumption is indeed a choice, and commerce can be made much more responsive if consumers used their power deliberately and judiciously. It doesn't have to be only the stock market that gets corporations' attention.

Answer 7

only in some things. Like the generic brand for Imodium-D works just as good and is cheaper, same with the generic brand for Tylenol. BUT, I have found that the generic brand of vegetables are not as nice as some of the bigger name brands. AND, most of my medications are 'generic' and much cheaper that the real name brand and I appreciate that alot.

Answer 8

Boy you're just gonna fix the world aren't you???


Been tried before....


EDIT: Boy, That Ritch Williams.....What an all knowing Guru and Sooth Sayer. Why don't we all turn to his vast experience and knowledge and be edified and enlightened? He apparently has the answers to all the errors and shortcomings that we have been making in our own lives and judgments and for the world at large. We've just been too foolish and arrogant but too submit to his superior wisdom and endowed sense of knowing what's best for us...better than even we ourselves do.

Answer 9

Resentment is a human characteristic. So is ignorance. These folks cannot understand your premise because they don't want to. If they did, they would have to take responsibility for their actions and that's just not something that fits into their mentality.

So, you're right. Corporations create jobs. Corporations create opportunity. Corporations invest in research and development into newer and better products. Corporations drive the economy. Without them we'd be living in huts, eating grub worms. But people see them as single mysterious and evil entities. They are not. Corporations are people. People like you and me and everyone in your neighborhood. Sure there are folks at the top that make a butt load of money, but so what? How does that affect you or your life? Paying them that butt load of money was a corporate decision and trust me, corporations don't generally hand out butt loads of money unless they expect to get double butt loads back.

Folks that despise corporations and business in general are merely resentful of their own personal failures. The success of others and of the 'big corporation' in general is a daily reminder of what a loser this person is. But rather than look in the mirror and talk to the person responsible for their failure and come to terms with that, they'd prefer to find a scape goat and so, rather than address the real problem, they continue to wallow.

Answer 10

I agree about not buying products or services from businesses that I do not like. It is my choice to assist them to make a profit or not make a profit. No one is holding a gun to make you to spend your money.