Boycotts

[furiosity]

0001 - I'm all for boycotting companies that support SOPA/PIPA/ACTA/etc. I am generally a fan of voting with my wallet, and I've boycotted Walmart (for its discriminatory employment practices) and a number of cosmetics manufacturers (for their refusal to stop animal testing), among others, for years

Comments

[teaberryblue]

This is the best post.

[furiosity]

aw shucks >_>

[mijan]

Agree with all points.

And actually, I do plan to stop buying books that month, in the very least. In fact, except for books from minor publishers, or from second-hand bookstores, I really don't buy books anymore. If I need a well-known title, I go to Half-Price Books or other second-hand bookstores, and I can always find what I'm looking for.

I was planning, after Naka-Kon is over, to review which companies I actually patronize which are on that list. There's no need to punish companies that aren't behind SOPA.

Also, one of my big projects leading up to Black March will be to create a list of "alternative entertainment and media." For example, buy from those second-hand bookstores, if you want books. Or, just as good (if not better), buy obscure titles from obscure publishers. There's some great stuff out there from smaller publishing companies, including fandom's own ravenna_c_tan's Circlet Press. Instead of mainstream movies (if the movie studio supports SOPA) through a major theater company (if it supports SOPA), see independent films at

[furiosity]

I plan to stop buying books altogether from any publishing house that doesn't issue a press release disassociating themselves from SOPA altogether. That's a good point you make about second-hand books; the publishers make nothing on those, and I have a Powell's account. :D I'm less enthusiastic about small presses; perhaps I've just had bad luck, but most of the small-press stuff I've come across is not much better than the fair-to-middling-quality end of the fanfic spectrum. And, well, fic is free.

[mijan]

I'm definitely all for the second-hand books. Those stores are usually very local businesses, no new paper is wasted, and while you're perusing a used book store, you can find some amazing things that are no longer in print. :D

[reddwarfer]

The thing that amuses me about the whole thing is those that pirate stuff and get all righteous indignation at the thought of someone curtailing their pirating. How dare someone stop me stealing stuff? lol. Though, I don't agree with the laws and do agree with letting your wallet speak for you.

I think the issue for a lot of these companies is they have every reason to want to stop piracy, but most of the people running them are woefully ignorant about how to go about it, how the internet works, or the true impact these laws will have. Some of them, however, are completely aware.

Though, it's hard because there are plenty of people who will be impacted by any massive boycott who are bystanders in the whole mess.

le sigh.

[furiosity]

It is kind of annoying to watch people have meltdowns of the "but I'm entitled to my free movies" sort.

The whole ignorance thing is particularly true of the MPAA and the RIAA -- I can't believe that the RIAA has not once even considered changing its tune from the Napster days. I mean, seriously, their strong-arm approach hasn't worked for OVER A DECADE, what the fuck makes them think it will work any better if they just keep attempting it in different ways? The mind boggles.

[hollyxu]

Is this in response to the Black March post? It's incredibly lame of me, but I did a reassessment of what I spend money on, and really, I freeload media and then buy it if it's to my taste, so I guess I'm that terrible bitch who insists on previewing absolutely everything - and if I can't, I won't spend money on it... Ugh I wish the textbook publishers would stop making us pay through the nose for everything. D:

Now I want to start boycotting Apple just based on general human decency principles, though I have a feeling if I start I won't be able to do anything except live in a tent I stitch by myself.

[furiosity]

I'm not down with the practice of making a post in my journal if what I mean to do is comment on someone else's individual post. I've been in California on business over the weekend and read a bunch of discussions on the subject of SOPA and planning boycotts; this is kind of an aggregate reaction post

[henpecked]

The point of a boycott is to vote with your wallet. If someone's wallet isn't big enough to let them vote with it and you upbraid them for that, you're judging someone for being poorer than you. That makes you a fucking asshole, as above.

SO MUCH THIS.

f, how are you so wise?

[furiosity]

not wise, just angry-faced! XD