Buying Better: The Impossible Challenge of Ethical Shopping

[Kara]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/how-we-can-become-ethical-consumers-a-1028298.html

What would you know of struggle, Perfect Son? When have you fought against the mutilation of your mind?

One day, Claudia Langer found herself in the midst of a spending spree. Like a former smoker lighting up after a long break, she bought out half a toy store -- garish plastic toys, Lego bricks, Barbie dolls. For the past two years, she had been making considered, exceptionally sensible and sustainable consumer choices. She hadn't flown in a plane, and she had only purchased wooden, eco-friendly toys. "Joyless, colorless stuff that was totally uninspiring," she says today.

When have you had to do anything more than tally compliances and polish your armour? The people of your world named you Great One. The people of mine called me Slave.

Langer is the founder of a romantically named online portal for ethical consumerism called Utopia. She had told her customers they could help save the planet with their consumer choices, but that day in the toy store, frustration set in and triggered a crisis of confidence. "For years I'd been telling myself that sacrificing exotic travel made me happy," she says. "But it wasn't true. In fact I'm energized by trips abroad, and it wasn't as if my sacrifice had any effect on climate change."

Which one of us inherited a strong, cultured kingdom? And which one of us had to rise up against a kingdom with nothing but a horde of starving slaves?

Anyone who has ever tried making environmentally friendly or socially and politically responsible consumer choices knows how tempting is can be to eat, buy and waste whatever you'd like or to buy whatever is cheapest. It can be freeing to do so without a guilty conscience, without feeling like you are destroying the planet, without worrying about the consequences.

Listen to your blue-clad wretches yelling of courage and honour, courage and honour, courage and honour. Do you even know the meaning of those words? Courage is fighting the kingdom which enslaves you, no matter that their armies outnumber yours by ten-thousand to one. You know nothing of courage. Honour is resisting a tyrant when all others suckle and grow fat on the hypocrisy he feeds them. You know nothing of honour.

It's not that Utopia wasn't a success: The website was admired and practical, and had a steadily growing consumer base, but Langer thought it was all taking much too long. She felt like she was preaching to the converted, the 15 percent of the population who didn't need to be convinced to buy ethically. She wanted to reach the mainstream, but the mainstream wasn't interested.

"My utopian vision was that consumer pressure on businesses and corporate pressure on politics could change the world," says Langer. "But as long as there isn't a critical mass of consumers harnessing their power, we won't be in a position to create a better future for our children."

Her message may be bleak, but she's not alone in her doubts. Many other Germans want to be responsible consumers, but have also come to the realization that saving the planet through purchasing choices is actually a lot of work. "Consumers aren't good allies either for industry or politics," says Langer. "They're hypocrites, always keen to point the finger of blame and pass the buck whenever it's time to take responsibility themselves."

Claudia Langer has by no means given up on conscientious consumerism. But now and then she treats herself to a long-haul flight or enjoys a snack without knowing its ethical credentials. She's no longer quite as strict as she used to be. But is that acceptable, given the stakes?

[CatsCatsCats]

There aren't enough pictures and too much formatting, I can't read all that

[Madrun Badrun]

Agreed, that's a lot of words for someone I'm assuming isn't worth talking about.  I only read the first two sentences but the tldr from the sounds of it is:ones women's spiritual journey from disheartened consumer to stoic-capitalist.

[toku]

Why do you hate the people so much Kara?

[Kara]

There aren't enough pictures and too much formatting, I can't read all that

There goes the subscription to the New Yorker I got you.

[CatsCatsCats]

I'll stick to my Highlights, thank you

[Eel O'Brian]

Rich white liberal hand-wringing guilt is one of my favorite things in the world. Endlessly entertaining, always some fresh new sack cloth to wear, new ashes to smear. I believe if it could be distilled into a foodstuff I'd buy it by the case and gain ten pounds a week feeding on it.

[Positive Touch]

"what's the best way for me to build up my ego while simultaneously being a huge annoying idiot?"

[Kara]

I like how the article went from talking about someone who couldn't be happy without jet setting to a pregnant woman in Cambodia losing her job for eating while on the clock because she couldn't go on otherwise.

[I'm a Puppy!]

It is virtually impossible in today's economy to do ethical shopping. Sure you might have an ethical front man, but their suppliers? And their supplier's suppliers? It is folly. Not with 10,000 Marxists could you do this.

[suppadoopa]

Ethical shopping is near impossible. Every product is "unethical" in one way or another
"I'm going to buy from AmAp cause it's made in America" But little do they know that the CEO is a huge pervert
"I'm going to buy this safe for the planet Rhodesian blend of coffee beans" But little do they know that child labor is helping harvesting those beans.

I remember as a child my mom would leave during the middle of mass sometimes and drag me along to get a new Prada purse cause according to her "the good Lord has blessed this Earth with Prada"

[I'm a Puppy!]

Somewhere Nudemacs is shouting "Your mom ain't wrong!"

[Kara]

It is virtually impossible in today's economy to do ethical shopping. Sure you might have an ethical front man, but their suppliers? And their supplier's suppliers? It is folly. Not with 10,000 Marxists could you do this.

Choosing the option that hurts the least amount of people would then be the ethical choice. Or not choosing at all if you're a Kantian type.

[nudemacusers]

I try to minimize buying crappy slave junk but a) that's really a self-serving attitude wrapped up in feelgood words, and b) i still buy apple shit so I'm obviously not hardline about it. it's basically impossible to do this in a significant way, at some level someone is getting fucked. I do make efforts to avoid companies who treat workers here like dook ie the walmart.

Somewhere Nudemacs is shouting "Your mom ain't wrong!"

well i mean I'm assuming this is mid 90s prada we're talking about tho

[I'm a Puppy!]

It is virtually impossible in today's economy to do ethical shopping. Sure you might have an ethical front man, but their suppliers? And their supplier's suppliers? It is folly. Not with 10,000 Marxists could you do this.

Choosing the option that hurts the least amount of people would then be the ethical choice. Or not choosing at all if you're a Kantian type.

But thinking that you can quantify the "least amount" is silly. You can't . You have no way to realistically do that.

[Positive Touch]

eh I wouldn't say it's impossible to be at least marginally informed about a lot of products. diamonds, for instance. now of course, your one little is gonna mean jack shit overall, but generally this conscious buying shit becomes trendy, and then it is possible to make a difference

[I'm a Puppy!]

OK skipping out on certain products is a small thing that can be done. However, those account for less than 1% of what you buy.

[Kara]

Housing, food, and transportation are the three biggest household expenditures. Housing is the only one that you really have almost no control over.

[I'm a Puppy!]

But how are you going to make sure you got ethical food?
Sure you might buy from an ethical farm, what about the trucking? Distribution? Stocking? Accounting? etc. etc. Same with transportation. Even if you're walking, those shoes were made buy some kid in Indonesia.

[nudemacusers]

But how are you going to make sure you got ethical food?
Sure you might buy from an ethical farm, what about the trucking? Distribution? Stocking? Accounting? etc. etc. Same with transportation. Even if you're walking, those shoes were made buy some kid in Indonesia.

#notallshoes

[Rufus]

Farmer's markets are a thing over yonder, right? That'll cover veggies at least.
Over here some farmers drive around the neighborhoods to sell their crops directly to you outside of market days. On market days you just go to their stall. The only thing you have to worry about is how much fertilizer (read: liquid pig shit) they spray on their fields.

[I'm a Puppy!]

LOL. Hate to tell you. Go to a car rental place on a day of a farmers market.
Ask them where all their vans are. They'll tell you that a company rents them all on the day of the market.
It's the same game as the food truck thing. Make it seem local and locally owned. When really it's just as nameless and faceless as any corporation.

[Rufus]

Well, in your neck of the woods maybe. The people who sell their stuff here are actually from the area. Sucks for you I guess.
That aside, it doesn't entirely invalidate more concious choices, even if they don't live up to some unattainable ideal.

[Fifstar]

That was the first Spiegel I bought in a long time. Mainly because of this cover story. Actually was better than I thought, expected it to be more cynical.


The problem as a whole obviously can't be solved by ethical consum. And yes, most people do it in an desperate attempt to feel better about themselves. On the other hand the realistic/cynical position that a lot of people take feels like a front for being to lazy and comfortable to change anything.

[benjipwns]

But now and then she treats herself to a long-haul flight or enjoys a snack without knowing its ethical credentials. She's no longer quite as strict as she used to be. But is that acceptable, given the stakes?

NO. The Party would have solved this with a suspiciously staged blatant suicide.

It's not that Utopia wasn't a success: The website was admired and practical, and had a steadily growing consumer base, but Langer thought it was all taking much too long.

A real revolutionary must be ready to turn back the counter revolutionary wreckers, hoarders and Kulaks.

[Kara]

Don't forget Trotskyists and fascists.

[benjipwns]

I bet she votes for the social fascists in the SPD.

[Mr Gilhaney]

LOL. Hate to tell you. Go to a car rental place on a day of a farmers market.
Ask them where all their vans are. They'll tell you that a company rents them all on the day of the market.
It's the same game as the food truck thing. Make it seem local and locally owned. When really it's just as nameless and faceless as any corporation.

I know for a fact that's not true for my area.

But I dont give a fuck, I just want cheap shit.