Ethics and consumerism

[Beauty Mark]

How much do your ethics influence what you buy? The MAC boycott had me thinking, particularly with own spending. I'm not talking just about that, of course, but about sweatshops, animal issues, buying from companies that support things you do not agree with, organic foods, etc. If you don't like a movie star's political stance or personal life, does that prevent you from seeing whatever they're in?

I try to be an ethical shopper, but it's difficult, because I'm going to guess most of my clothes were produced by cheap labor, because that's what I can afford. I'm curious how other people manage their ethics and their spending. How they feel about buying things that go against their beliefs, where they draw the lines on practicality, and so on.

 

[Hawkeye]

Honestly I usually am pretty laid back with what I wear etc. I won't buy fur. It's nothing I'm particularly fond of. I'm pretty laid back but I am very very adament about hollywood. I hate Hollywood. Only when something really catches my attention (Britney, Anna Nichole) do I really pay attention to it.

I personally do not feel that many people in hollywood have any talent- therefore I will not watch many movies. My exceptions are: Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks.

I have a tendency to not support celebs, musicians, or companies that decide to open their big mouths and mention any political stance (Be it Republican/Democrat) because I don't feel that it's their job to tell us how to vote especially since they probably don't know what the hell they are talking about anyway. It's one thing to have an opinion it's another to go public with it and try to persuade the american people to your beliefs. Especially if you aren't even that talented anyway.

I also have a serious issue with (again in hollywood) with people who show no form of intelligence. I cannot buy anything that Paris Hilton endorses or Tom Cruise or Jessica Simpson because I'm still trying to figure out how they got past the 6th grade.

And finally with hollywood, I have a very very hard time accepting the new trends that come out of hollywood. They just aren't that good.

*shrugs*

This is why I don't do much with hollywood.

 

[Raerae]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark How much do your ethics influence what you buy? The MAC boycott had me thinking, particularly with own spending. I'm not talking just about that, of course, but about sweatshops, animal issues, buying from companies that support things you do not agree with, organic foods, etc. If you don't like a movie star's political stance or personal life, does that prevent you from seeing whatever they're in? I try to be an ethical shopper, but it's difficult, because I'm going to guess most of my clothes were produced by cheap labor, because that's what I can afford. I'm curious how other people manage their ethics and their spending. How they feel about buying things that go against their beliefs, where they draw the lines on practicality, and so on.

Typically... They dont. If I like it, I buy it.

I dont eat red meat, but it's really not out of some huge conscern with the beef industry. I know a lot about it, and how bad farm factories can be, but realistically I dont spend much of my day thinking about the cows going to slaughter. I did the Vegan lifestyle thing more out of supoprt for my friends beliefs (she was really into the animal rights movement etc) than my own. I do believe in giving support to others who believe in a cause. My dislike of redmeat comes now from the fact that after not eating it for so long, it's just really gross now.

I dont buy from Walmart, but not because I'm against Wallmart, but because I found the expierence of shopping there to be TERRIBLE, and also I just dont like the cheap quality of products they offer.

I suppose that if I had another friend who decided to do some, "I'm not supporting X cause" and I felt it was reasonable, I would probably support him/her as well. But typically I dont care enough to get involved on my own.

I have enough things to worry about in my own life at the moment. I dont have enough freetime to worry about others.

 

[calbear]

This thread reminds me of a commercial that I heard the other day. The voice over is a guy who's talking about finding out that the jeans he wears comes from a sweat shop that employs child labor and how he's going to boycott and write letters. Then he thinks about the child's family not being able to eat cause now he's not buying the jeans. Then he starts thinking about all the paper he's using writing letters and the rain forests that are bing cut down because of it. He's basically sitting there freaking out about what he should do.

I really felt the message - that if you think hard enough you can find something wrong with all the aspects of consumerism.

 

[..kels*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calbear This thread reminds me of a commercial that I heard the other day. The voice over is a guy who's talking about finding out that the jeans he wears comes from a sweat shop that employs child labor and how he's going to boycott and write letters. Then he thinks about the child's family not being able to eat cause now he's not buying the jeans. Then he starts thinking about all the paper he's using writing letters and the rain forests that are bing cut down because of it. He's basically sitting there freaking out about what he should do. I really felt the message - that if you think hard enough you can find something wrong with all the aspects of consumerism.

wow. that's really.... wow.

i don't normally think about it. if i did i'd probably drive myself crazy like the guy in the commercial. so i'm on the same page as raerae.. if i like it, i buy it. simple & effective.

 

[lemurian]

I do what I can with a limited budget, and I see a lot of other people doing the same, because truly ethical living in the US is FRIGGIN EXPENSIVE!

But, I absolutely will not buy conventionally grown food, aside from a few items that I know receive only nominal treatments of pesicide, insecticide, etc. All of my skincare is organic and non-toxic, all the clothes and bedding I use for my baby is made of organically grown cotton, and I use non-chlorine bleached, biodegradable diapers. I buy biodegradable, non-toxic cleaning supplies and no-VOC paints, plasters, lubricants, etc. for my house. I have two cars -- one 4x4 SUV for Iowa Winters and one '85 Crown Vic that gets incredible gas mileage for Summer I recycle everything. I try to order from companies who allow you to buy a tree at checkout to offset the energy expended shipping...

It's all about the little things, for me. As far as supporting celebrities or politicians who are supposedly "champions" of the environment, I don't find that they actually exist. And in the case of someone like Al Gore, I find that his heart is in the right place but his logic is crap. I'm also a student of science and history and cannot support someone who uses such fuzzy facts and fear tactics to try to get his point across.

I don't wear fur, but I do wear leather -- animals don't suffer for the latter. And I'd rather wear natural materials than those man-made ones that take enourmous amounts of energy to create and contribute tons of pollution to the environment.

I'd love to do better! At this point most of my conscious shopping decisions have to do with maintaining proper health, which is my vocation. I think there is a direct correlation between our health, both mental and physical, and the utterly polluted environment we live in. If I had a six figure income I'd be an eco-nut! I'd have bio-dynamic farms galore instead of renting land to a man getting rich on ethanol, which isn't THAT bad, but doesn't directly benefit me, much. I hate making rich men richer

Which also reminds me that I try to buy from the lil guys -- small businesses rather than huge corporations

 

[Beauty Mark]

I think about the consumerism aspect and how your money can speak volumes and how people use it. I've seen liberals, conservatives, and everyone in between do strange things with it.

For the record, I have no problem with celebrities who involve themselves in causes if they're educated on them and something besides talk. Edward Norton does something with solar panels and housing; I think his family has always been involved in that kind of thing and he's doing more than just talking (I think the org he's involved with supplies solar panels to low-income people), so I can be okay with that. The Vote or Die campaign, however, pissed me off, even though I believe in the importance of voting. It's sad but we live in a society where celebrity reigns supreme.

 

[mzcelaneous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark It's sad but we live in a society where celebrity reigns supreme.

Agree

 

[MiCHiE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calbear This thread reminds me of a commercial that I heard the other day. The voice over is a guy who's talking about finding out that the jeans he wears comes from a sweat shop that employs child labor and how he's going to boycott and write letters. Then he thinks about the child's family not being able to eat cause now he's not buying the jeans. Then he starts thinking about all the paper he's using writing letters and the rain forests that are bing cut down because of it. He's basically sitting there freaking out about what he should do. I really felt the message - that if you think hard enough you can find something wrong with all the aspects of consumerism.

That reminds me of the whole Michael Richards fiasco. Should I not buy "Seinfeld" because Richards is a so-called "racist" even though I like the show and find Jerry hilarious? Like Raerae, I buy what I like. I don't have time to check in with Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson when I'm browsing DVDs

.

 

[MAC_Whore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ♥MiCHiE♥ .... I don't have time to check in with Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson when I'm browsing DVDs .

That gave me a giggle.

 

[glamdoll]

I worry sometimes about the whole sweatshop things but sadly it takes place in third world countries and if we dont buy they dont get labor.. I try to help in whatever way I can.

wen it comes to meat and animal testing, I dont wanna offend anyone, but it doesnt concern me.
I rather they test on animals then on someone in an under developed country..
animals where placed on this earth for a reason, to keep us alive.
I love chicken and meat .. specially growin up mexican thats what most of our food consist of..

Im sorry but thats just how I feel