Do you think Wal-Mart is evil?
POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Sunday, November 27, 2005 20:12
VIEWED: 21084
PAGE 2 of 17
So. Did anyone actually read the memo, or is this just the normal (for around here)Pavlovian response to capitalism?
I notice no one is mentioning the recommendation for health education, to let their employees (many of whom have never had health insurance before)know there are better and cheaper options for health problems than the emergency room. Or the in-store clinics.
The "hire healthy employees" riff is actually part of overall suggestions for improving the health of employees, such as letting all employees do some physical work, providing store discounts for healthy foods, etc.
"Keep the Shiny side up"
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Of course there were some constructive suggestions in it, but the underlying tone was similar to a memo about a machine in a factory that has useless or rusting parts, and how they should be oiled or replaced.
Like Signy would say, "Please don't think they give a shit."
Which, by the way, that memo clearly indicates IMO.
Just a monkey in the wrench Chrisisall
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Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:Quote:Can you not see that Wal-Mart will have a sizeable hand in making Earth-that-was? Is convience and relativly low prices worth the destruction of our society, its' families and our planet (you know, in the long run, I mean...)?
Originally posted by Kaylee4Simon:
Either way I love that store.
Chrisisall, guilty of purchasing the odd dvd there his self
Walmart is exactly the same as Target, K-Mart, Costco, Sam's Club, and all the other big cut rate low prices mega marts ...
the only reason people are pointing the finger at Walmart is because they are ubiquitous...in the USA they are in every one horse town.
But in fact they are not shutting down competition...
used to be in those small towns you got over-priced goods from some little store that had no competition...those stores couldn't survive having a WalMart open, but they didn't deserve to.
Maybe that is harsh about a lot of places, but I saw the over-priced crapply shoes at the only shoe store in town (which closed after WalMart opened)
and the dreadful little dress shop with no selection (just out of date styles)
and the electronics stores that made you pay through the nose if you didn't want to have to drive over 100 miles to a bigger city.
it is too bad, but WalMart became big and successful because it was needed.
And their low wages? Well I'm not sure what jobs you thought were available in these small towns before, but that shoe store, dress shop, and electronics store were all paying minimum wage with no health insurance at all.
**********************************************
watch the R. Tam Session vids: http://www.hittarivertam.nu/
and buy the 'Serenity' comics published by Dark Horse,
and have you joined the Browncoats yet?
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&u=embers&linkID=36
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Quote:Valid points, thanks for another view, one I'd not thought of.
Originally posted by embers:
And their low wages? Well I'm not sure what jobs you thought were available in these small towns before, but that shoe store, dress shop, and electronics store were all paying minimum wage with no health insurance at all.
I just feel that bigger means worse. Bigger government, bigger corperations, not too good for the average consumer. Short-term price savings can lead to long-term depression and unemployment worldwide. It's like global warming though, won't happen overnight, but giants need to be watched in case they grow too hungry.
Anyway, that's why I asked IF Wal-Mart is evil, I'm still formulating my opinion, with the help of y'all kind folk.
But if you read that memo, you'll be hard pressed to find any positive comments about workers, other than healthy=productive, I just don't feel the love....
Chrisisall
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Chris,
:)
Embers,
Walmart is decidedly different from other stores:
1. THey actively break laws to force competitors out of business, even if they must do so at a loss.
2. THey violate labor laws across the board and run by proxy slave labor camps in third world countries which are surrounded by cyclone fence and barbed wire, and men with machine guns.
3. They have exerted express power to alter content of the merchandise they sell, even when doing so is a violation of free speech.
They are categorically evil and unamerican.
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Huh. I find myself leanin' toward the 'Evil' determination....
Chrisisall
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Quote:That's kind of assuming we only interact with Walmart as consumers. But Walmart has an impact on us as workers (and not just retail shop clerks), citizens, investors and even as animals. (yes, we are animals, and anything that affects the environment affects us.)
Maybe that is harsh about a lot of places, but I saw the over-priced crapply shoes at the only shoe store in town (which closed after WalMart opened) and the dreadful little dress shop with no selection (just out of date styles)
and the electronics stores that made you pay through the nose if you didn't want to have to drive over 100 miles to a bigger city.
---------------------------------
Please don't think they give a shit.
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Wow!
The memo itself is extremely well thought through. They are trying to maximise their health care package to get most bang for buck. They seem to have got the message that prevention is better than a cure, I especially like the healthy eating option.
Your government doesn't provide universal healthcare leaving it to companies to do. Providing healthcare at all is not their core business and is a drain on their resources. I find nothing wrong in the idea that they should try and control this cost rather than just cutting the program once the going gets tough.
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Quote:
Originally posted by embers:
But in fact they are not shutting down competition...
used to be in those small towns you got over-priced goods from some little store that had no competition...those stores couldn't survive having a WalMart open, but they didn't deserve to.
If a large monopoly moves into an area they can drop prices in the new store, in fact make a loss, in order to price out competition, since as a whole the company is still making a profit. A small independent store can't do that, can't afford to make a loss, so of course they close down.
Then up goes the prices when the competition has been stifled.
Dreamtrove:
One little thing, a corporation taking control of the government isn't socialism, in any way shape or form, if anything it's the exact opposite. I'm not a socialist (i.e. I don't want a pure socialist society) but socialism isn't after corporate control of government.
More insane ramblings by the people who brought you Beeeer Milkshakes!
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Not AGAIN!
If you get him started we'll get his same dumb ass reasoning as in the last 300,000 threads. Any system he doesn't like is a "socialist" system. Since none of us will ever live to see one I'm not willing to argue with him about it AGAIN.
Though I can't resist suggesting the word "oligarchy" could describe the kind of government you would get under megacorp control.....
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