Alternatives to Wal-Mart?

Oh, come on. It's a corporation, and corporations are bad. It offers the same products as those other guys for cheaper prices so the small businesses can't compete, but is that Wal Mart's fault? Is it like they go out of their way to do that? For pete's sake, I'm not going to drive an extra ten minutes to not buy something from Wal Mart. Sorry to be blunt, but it's just stupid (NOTE: I'M NOT CALLING TEK STUPID, I'M CALLING THIS IDEA OF DODGING WAL MART FOR THE SAKE OF DODGING WAL MART STUPID. HOPEFULLY THAT LOWERS MY CHANCE OF BANNINATION FOR CALLING IT STPUID LIKE 87%) and is another liberal scheme with finger-pointing at the "cold, heartless, soulless corporation of America". Get over it, man.
 
jammer7 said:
Maybe I will clarify seeing my point was lost. Were talking Walmart stores that are within maybe between 5 - 25 minutes apart from each other. My city isnt that big so the distance between outlets is closer rather then far away. Its pretty ridiculous IMO.

If your city is so big that it has two Wal Marts within 5 minutes of each other....
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kraniac said:
I shop at local grocers or Target, instead of Wal-Mart, whenever I can.

Yes, target is a saint. It's not a corporation, it doesn't do anything bad or support bad things.
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Lazarus said:
My parents haven't gone to a Wal-mart in years for those reasons.
Dad used to work at one, btw... about ten years ago.

Ah. They must go to Target.

And yes, everything they sell can be found in other stores... *cough*
Well hey, it's true.

Wal Mart is ch33p.
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Tek7 said:
Agreed, sir.

I don't deny that the media has a liberal bias in general, but media is a business and Wal-Mart has cash to burn on advertising. There's incentive not to publish stories about Wal-Mart exploiting their employees.


I've studied enough history to know that any group of people wielding that much power will exploit others. Egypt, Rome, Britain, and the US have all exploited others. Government leaders are part of a group of people with authority over other people. Corporate leaders are part of a group of people with authority over others.

Peter, with great power comes great responsibility. Obviously, Wal Mart is big, therefore bad, and no one else is, and boycott is t3h 0nly w4y.

In other words, any company as large as Wal-Mart will try to exploit its workers. From slavery in ancient Egypt to using Christianity as a front to claim natural resources in Africa to slavery in the United States to using young children as chimney sweeps in 19th century London to outsourcing to violating labor laws, exploitation is nothing new.

And obviously only occuring at Wal Mart.


Could Wal-Mart be worse? Certainly.

But is it? I think not.

Is denying employees breaks and forcing them to work off the clock as bad as slavery or indentured servitude? No, it's not. But that's not the point.

I forget who said it, but he addressed this point. It was basically said that the contract says you can't work off the clock and stuff.

Is there such a thing as an unbiased journalism outlet? Nope. Everyone has their own particular leaning.

Well, of course. There's the 300 bajillion tv stations with all the liberals, and there's FOX News.

Is my forum post going to change anyone's mind? Probably not.

Can't argue with that.

So why am I posting it? Because I don't like monopolies. I don't like when people throw up their hands and say, "What can I do?" I don't like when people feel they have no choice.

Bah! They are big and make lots of money and small companies don't stand a chance in this town! AAAUUHGH evil!!!

But don't take my word for it. Do your own research. Watch carefully for bias.

Erm, I don't think I'll be taking your word for it.

Just don't accept things blindly. (I'm not saying anyone is, I'm just warning against blind faith in groups of humans.)

I don't.

I'm still researching the matter from time to time, so I don't claim to be an authority on the matter. One purpose of this thread was to stir up discussion and see if we can talk about a controversial topic in a civil fashion. So far, I think things are going well.

Ha ha! And then I came with a wave of semi-sarcastic realism.

Noun

Singular
realism

Plural
uncountable

realism (uncountable)
  1. A concern for fact or reality and rejection of the impractical and visionary.
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random words because I need more than 3 characters to post!!

EDIT: I don't mean to sound scathing, caustic, overly blunt (well that is my forte :o ), or mocking, but this kind of issue is just plain silly and, to me, irrelevant and makes me think that someone in the ACLU had too much spare time on their hands so they came up with this.
 
if i remember right o nthe liberal note: didt jess jackson preach against teh evils of wal-mart a few months ago?
 
Is Wal-Mart the only company to exploit its employees and its customers? Certainly not.

Does that mean we should just ignore social injustice because "everyone else is doing it" and individuals have very little power to right social wrongs? Some say yes, some say no.

I find the attitude of "Oh well, the world's a bad place, boo hoo" more than a little disturbing--especially in a set of Christian forums. Aren't we supposed to be outraged by the exploitation of others?

We can argue whether or not Wal-Mart is exploiting others or not (or to what extent), but we should agree that Christians should be upset when we see others exploited--and do something, no matter how small, about it.

16 If I have refused the wishes of the poor
or let the widow's (L) eyes go blind,

17 if I have eaten my few crumbs alone
without letting the fatherless eat any of it—

18 for from my youth, I raised him as [his] father,
and since the day I was born [d] I guided the widow—

19 if I have seen anyone dying for lack of clothing
or a needy person without a cloak, (M)

20 if he [e] did not bless me
while warming himself with the fleece from my sheep,

21 if I ever cast my vote [f] against a fatherless child
when I saw that I had support in the [city] gate, (N)

22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my back,
and my arm be pulled from its socket.
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Source: Job 31:16-22
Woe to those enacting crooked statutes
and writing oppressive laws

2 to keep the poor from getting a fair trial
and to deprive the afflicted among my people of justice,
so that widows can be their spoil
and they can plunder the fatherless.

3 What will you do on the day of punishment
when devastation comes from far away?
Who will you run to for help?
Where will you leave your wealth?

4 [There will be nothing to do]
except crouch among the prisoners
or fall among the slain.
In all this, His anger is not removed,
and His hand is still raised [to strike].
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Source: Isaiah 10:1-4

This theory will likely ruffle a few feathers, but:

Perhaps the reason the American church is so apathetic in the face of social injustice is because the Health and Wealth Gospel has placed the blame for poverty on the poor. The logical conclusion, then, is that the poor are getting their just desserts and the rich earned their wealth.

1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
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Source: John 9:1-3

People are content to write an extra check for missions to third-world countries, as long as they don't have to actually step outside their comfort zones and come into contact with people that aren't like them.

I don't mean to say that I'm doing my part. I'm as guilty as the next person of remaining content to attend church, read the Bible in the privacy of my own home, and discuss it with Christian friends but not take the Gospel to the poor and downtrodden. I'm not saying this to tout my valiant character; this thread is a challenge to myself and to others.

I don't think we're debating whether or not we should fight against social injustice. The Bible is exceedingly clear on this.

I think there are a few key questions at the heart of this thread:
  • Does Wal-Mart exploit its employees and its customers?
  • If so, to what extent does Wal-Mart exploit its employees and customers?
  • What, if anything, can individuals do to fight against social injustice perpetrated by mega-corporations?
 
Tek7 said:
Does that mean we should just ignore social injustice because "everyone else is doing it" and individuals have very little power to right social wrongs?

I find the attitude of "Oh well, the world's a bad place, boo hoo" more than a little disturbing--especially in a set of Christian forums. Aren't we supposed to be outraged by the exploitation of others?

We can argue whether or not Wal-Mart is exploiting others or not (or to what extent), but we should agree that Christians should be upset when we see others exploited--and do something, no matter how small, about it.
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To be honest, Tek, I lost a little faith in the forums when I saw how callous everyone was in the short Illegal Immigration debate. If people are caught, they are sent to prisons for up to 2 months, where they can be physically, mentally, verbally, and sexually abused by guards with the idiology that, "Well, they're not Americans, so they should be treated like dirt." If this isn't a social wrong, then I don't know what is. If this isn't exploitation, then I don't think anyone understands the definition. No one that posted in that thread showed even a shred of sincere concern.

But alas, that isn't what this discussion is about, so I'll try to say something on topic... uh... I got it. We need need to stand up to social injustice!
 
Tek7 said:
I find the attitude of "Oh well, the world's a bad place, boo hoo" more than a little disturbing--especially in a set of Christian forums. Aren't we supposed to be outraged by the exploitation of others?
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but tek, most of the people that prefer wal-mart here do not believe wal-mart exploits its customers. since thats true why would be outraged?

edit:
If so, to what extent does Wal-Mart exploit its employees and customers?
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no more than most ma and pa businesses that cant afford to pay for medical or ask people to close and not always get paid for the hours doing it.
 
tjguitarz said:
To be honest, Tek, I lost a little faith in the forums when I saw how callous everyone was in the short Illegal Immigration debate. If people are caught, they are sent to prisons for up to 2 months, where they can be physically, mentally, verbally, and sexually abused by guards with the idiology that, "Well, they're not Americans, so they should be treated like dirt." If this isn't a social wrong, then I don't know what is. If this isn't exploitation, then I don't think anyone understands the definition. No one that posted in that thread showed even a shred of sincere concern.

But alas, that isn't what this discussion is about, so I'll try to say something on topic... uh... I got it. We need need to stand up to social injustice!
Click to expand...

Erm, for the record, I believe a lot of these illegal immigrants SHOULD be treated rather harshly. Maybe not brutally abused, but hey you know what, we're starting to have a lot of problems with these people.

What, if anything, can individuals do to fight against social injustice perpetrated by mega-corporations?
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Once again, this is another "little guy pointing his finger at the big guy".
 
Oh, come on. Don't pity lawbreakers. Sure, they may be trying to get a better life, but look at the drug smuggler who was shot at a while back. Those border guards are in for 20 years.

They've caused so much trouble, and the only solution is to start taking it more seriously and act a bit more harshly. Like, a concrete wall along the entire border.


ANYWAY I'm sorry Tek for getting off topic with that. Just had to say that.
 
Why is being successful bad? Being successful or rich doesn't make a company bad, nor does being small or poor make one good.

Here's what matters: how did you get successful? Why are you poor?

Are you successful because you do a better job that your competitor? Do you do that, on the whole, ethically? Good for you.

Are you a small business that works hard to provide superior service and fair prices in a tough market? Good for you.

Are a big corporation who mistreats their employees and rips off their customers? I'm not interested.

Are you a small business that will do anything to get ahead, and doesn't care about the customers? Again, not interested.

And as for the poor...
If you are poor because you couldn't get an education, you have health problems, or you're just down on your luck, I'm all in favor of helping you become self-sufficient. If extreme circumstances prevent that, we as a society and as individuals need to do whatever we can to help you.

But...
If you are poor because you don't want to work, you're lazy, you won't do anything for yourself, or you have drug, alcohol, or gambling problems you won't get treatment for, I'll give you a chance. If you don't want it, I'm moving on to someone who wants my help and not just a handout.

Before you criticize me for being heartless...
I worked and went to school in the heart of downtown Atlanta. I know how much money some of the panhandlers made each day: way more than me! The guy in a wheelchair on the corner, who was otherwise in excellent shape, made a hundred dollars a day or more, each day. (I know because a co-worker sort of befriended him.) I would SEE people put a five, ten, or twenty in the guy's cup, then ten minutes later I would walk past and the cup would be almost empty, with a couple of ones and some change.

When I was in school downtown, I used to carry granola bars and cereal bars with me. If someone asked for money, I offered them food. If they wanted it, good. If not, they must not be so hungry after all...and I bought food for more than one person (usually male) who was genuinely in need.

I have an old friend I've known since elementary school who has severe health problems and has been in a wheelchair all her life. She has someone who lives with her to help her with basic personal tasks. But she's a smart woman, and she went to college and has worked consistently since graduating; she's now back in school and getting a degree for social work. I think of her every time I see a healthy person panhandling.
 
theres also a girl i heard about who runs track blind....

how that relates i dont know but i felt like saying it
 
Atown said:
theres also a girl i heard about who runs track blind....

how that relates i dont know but i felt like saying it
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yup, on another note their are people who apply for jobs, get accepted yet don't go in for a job and claim they "Can't get a job" so they can continue to receive welfare checks.
 
ChickenSoup said:
EDIT: I don't mean to sound scathing, caustic, overly blunt (well that is my forte :o ), or mocking, but this kind of issue is just plain silly and, to me, irrelevant and makes me think that someone in the ACLU had too much spare time on their hands so they came up with this.
Click to expand...

ACLU (Atheists Communists Liberals United)
 
I don't shop at Wal-Mart often because its just too busy. I can't stand being in crowds because people in a general mob tend to be inconsiderate. I suspect its becaue they are tired of having others run over their toes with a shopping cart that causes them to become inconsiderate to others.

I have not seen any proof that it is Wal-Marts goal to exploit its labour force, customers or vendors. All I have is confirmation from Kidan that Wal-Marts policies that are in place seem to protect against exploitation. If exploitation is happening, it is being done by over zealous managers. And over zealous mangers is not Wal-Mart anymore then a murderer in England is England.

I mean to say that if the policies that govern Wal-Marts relationship with employees are akin the laws of a Country; then to say "I'm boycotting Wal-Mart because it exploits its employees" is akin to saying "I'm not going to England because somebody in that country is breaking the law." If somebody can show me documentation that it is the goal of Wal-Mart to exploit its relationship with employees, then I will be happy to join in on the boycott with you. Without it, all you have is over zealous managers breaking corporate policy, who should face the consequences of such behavior; like a person who breaks the law of a country.

Business should be free to set thier own pricing based on which ever pricing strategy they feel correct given their market. Can you tell that I am right of center? I believe people are intellegent enough to go to another store if they feel that a current stores pricing is not for them. I believe people are intellegent enough to shop between different branches of the same store if one store has the item they are looking for cheaper then the rest of the same stores in the city. Manager of Wal-Mart A may feel that the consumers of his or her store come primarly from an underpriviledged area and may choose to up the prices of high end stuff and lower the prices on necessities of life to ensure his or her consumers spending habits are curbed towards what is needed to get by day to day versus the fluff stuff. I would have a problem if government came in and told industry to do that but, I really have no problem if industry decides to do that for themselves.
 
I mean to say that if the policies that govern Wal-Marts relationship with employees are akin the laws of a Country; then to say "I'm boycotting Wal-Mart because it exploits its employees" is akin to saying "I'm not going to England because somebody in that country is breaking the law."
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Well, England's just awesome.

Anyway... yeah I think changing prices according to where it's located is called capitalism. If you can make more money in a rich neighborhood, go for it!
 
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