[lbo-talk] Re: one day "shopping" boycott

[John Thornton]

I agree that Adbusters hipster ways are off-putting to many. I simply 
cannot stomach the over-stylized graphics that make their publication 
unreadable to me and many others. It is a style used elsewhere so somebody 
likes it. I also figure that what they do isn't counterproductive so I 
generally refrain from saying anything nasty about them. If they are not 
very effective, oh well. Ineffective, well meaning non-counterproductive 
actions shouldn't be criticized or at least not harshly. It's an attempt to 
do something positive. If they were somehow undermining a much better 
effort in the process that would be different but they aren't.
Adbusters by themselves are hardly the answer to societies woes but they 
don't claim to be. What organization is? The fragmentation of the left, 
such as it is, in the US isn't helped by sniping at groups like Adbusters.
I wish there was a large organized labor movement that could effectively 
call for a similar action and get noticeable results but there isn't. 
Pointing that fact out while ridiculing the small efforts of others does 
seem somewhat counterproductive to me though. I'd be happy to be proven 
wrong. To be shown that Adbusters and similar efforts are all holding back 
the formation of a unified progressive movement. This would be good news 
because it would help define a specific action to take that would bring 
about necessary change.
Kelley is right in that there has been an extra helping of surly around 
here lately. Maybe it is just tension caused by holiday cheer?

John Thornton


>Here's another question:  What percentage of the population would hold a
>copy of adbusters in their hands for more than 30 seconds?  For a thing that
>claims to be smashing corporate marketing tactics, it's pretty damned
>reliant on conveying winking flatteries to its eency-beency audience of
>hipster "activists."  Two frauds does not make a truth.
>
>Michael Dawson
> >
> > these things are well intentioned, but hardly effective given the small
> > groups that promote them...
> >
> > now if something called the american labor movement actually existed and
> > called for a boycott, aimed at a major commercial enterprise, that might
> > amount to something positive...but this? agree with michael d, that most
> > who participate will just put off spending one day to do it the
> > next...so?
> >
> > further, if such a thing could actually happen, and "everyone" did not
> > spend any money in any shop or enterprise, an awful lot of small
> > businesses would suffer greatly, and some even go belly up, while large
> > enterprise would simply make up the difference the next day...
> >
> > we need better planning, and actions , than this sort of thing, which
> > may seem to feel good, but won't really do much material good...
> >
> > fs

-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.296 / Virus Database: 265.6.6 - Release Date: 12/28/2004

---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0453-0, 12/27/2004
Tested on: 12/30/2004 5:52:58 PM
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2004 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com