One may assume it is Brown’s religious beliefs that inform his social conservatism rather than it coming from his capitalism: trade unions were created from christian origins, whether from the dissenting traditions or Frederick Maurice’s Christian Socialism or Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum or from the Christian Trade Unions of Germany and the Netherlands etc.; so those beliefs are also consistent with unions and social justice et al.
Mr. Capiccioni’s disregard for workers is also logical in his belief system; as would be his paying them as much as he could to the point of bankruptcy. In atheism you choose your own ethics.
Other things being equal, I choose to shop at a store whose employes are happy and that will be Brown’s. Walmart closed one of their first Quebec stores when they voted for a union. I don’t know if Costco has a union, but it certainly seems to have happy employes.
I sort of went through this where I live. In town was Pamida, a small department store that was marginally more expensive than Walmart. The employees were always seemingly happy, friendly, and eager to help. I was always recognized and greeted when I visited. The “premium” I paid for shopping there was well worth it. I felt welcome there.
As fate would have it (as fate is cruel,) a slightly larger department store chain bought Pamida. My store was one of only two closed instead of rebranded. This was despite our Pamida being the only department store for twenty miles in any direction. I don’t count Dollar General (and I won’t get started on it either!)
Now we are left with Walmart, twenty miles away. Nice, cheap prices, sure. Completely rude and indifferent employees abound, though. Nobody knows me, and probably never will. I’m only begrudgingly greeted if I somehow manage eye contact with an associate, one who only responds because they must. Even the “greeter” avoids talking to people when they can.
I get great buys, but I feel dirty shopping there. I’m a filthy intruder, a drooling idiot to the employees. I am not welcome. I am cow #836, to be milked of my money, then shoved back out to the pasture in a cold, timely manner.
I save a bit, but I’d happily pay that premium again to feel like a wanted, valued customer. That’s what I really miss, and what I fear I’ll never see again.
If they are the only supermarkets in that vicinity, the neighborhood is crying out for a new company to move in and take business from the other two . . . or at least get Value Mart to be more competitive.
As a recovering Objectivist/libertarian who is also gay, I can at least identify with Capiccioni . . . though I no longer share many of his beliefs. He’s got the union issue against him, but Brown has an entire crappy agenda that I cannot support.
This is a ‘solid gold’ truth, IMHO!
I don’t totally agree with the latter portion of the statement, though.
(bolding mine)
And this pretty much sums it up, as far as I’m concerned.
Of course, I live in a major city where it’s highly unlikely that I personally know the ‘owner’, of any of the places where I shop for my ‘everyday essentials’.
Now, if I lived in a small town where it’s conceivable that I might know the owner of a business (and consequently know his views on subjects that I feel strongly about, or that would effect me or those I personally care about) then that would definitely make a difference, as to where I spend my money.
If it was on my way home, yeah, I’d probably shop there, at least for the types of stuff I pick up on the way home. Major stock up operations still would happen at Sam’s Club, unless Hanoi Jane manages to beat their prices.
Brown’s, for the same reason I try to get all my conservative Christian friends to vote Democrat. The economic thing is much more important than what beliefs people have, as they will directly affect you. The causes Brown pays money to are doomed to failure, the same way ungodly causes would be.
Plus Brown is merely deluded, while the other guy is a greedy bastard and would be even without Objectivism.
What the fuck does that have to do with where I’d rather shop? First off, I’m choosing who I’d rather go to, not who I would actually wind up going to. (I go to [del]Walmart[/del]Value Mart a lot. I can’t eat at [del]Chick-fil-A[/del]Brown’s due to their ingredients) Second, just because everyone’s an asshole doesn’t mean I can’t pick the least assholish one. Thirdly, my choices are based on who will hurt my fellow people more, not how assholish the person actually is. Greedy bastards who harm those who work for them are actively dangerous to society. Guys who are trying to help but are misled about some actions due to bigoted people in their religion are much, much less dangerous. Brown could be an absolute cunt otherwise, and I wouldn’t care.
