Apr 29
Is Walmart killing me slowly? Not so sure. Listen in.
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Really enjoyed listening to the diary today. Here’s a documentary I watched on Netflix a couple months back that talks a lot about the subject.
http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Wal-Mart_The_High_Cost_of_Low_Price/70040809?lnkce=seRtLn&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1961587947_0_0
I find the idea of monopolies and megacorps fascinating. Personally I’m a fan of the Austrian school of economy, where commerce controls itself, and works out its own problems. While I’m not necessarily an anarcho-capitalist, I find the idea very appealing, and I think that it might actually be possible to institute such a type of government (or anti-government) if/when the economy completely collapses and we end up in a depression. Just some food for thought I suppose, just like the diary today.
I couldn’t agree more. Wal-Mart, Microsoft, & big oil are all very successful companies. I’m not a fan of monopolies, but I can’t bring myself to begrudge successful retailers and suppliers. Where does one draw the line? At what point did pursuing the American dream by thriving in our capitalistic society become something to be punished?
Were there ever ma & pa stores? In the south black people could not get in ma & pa stores, but could shop like humans when WM came along.
love all the Nascar bumper stickers in the parking lot at Wallmarts. Also don’t miss the Velvet Dale Earnhardt paintings.
The companies that wallmart buys from, so does everyone else. Plastic is plastic. The tupperware you buy at Costco was made by the same slave labor as the stuff at Wallmart.
But do know this, WM is a Volume Store when it comes to making money. They make very little per item. No Ferrari dealership they are. Could they be too big to fail? Take very little flux in profit to hose a store.
Lord Craigly.
The problem with Wal-Mart is how it affects the local economy when it moves in a big store. Does the wages they provide fit the area that the store is being placed? In a medium-sized city, that’s probably the sweet spot for their target consumer. Put a Wal-Mart in a low population city, and alot of the stores that are gear towards specific needs will lose their customers for Wal-Mart’s massive selection. In doing so, causes those people’s pay scale to drop to minimum wage levels because they now have to work for Wal-Mart in their area to have a job, when previously they were living more comfortable. Then people don’t make enough money to pay for their insurance and health care…. and the impact goes on and on…
agreed
I’d highly suggest watching the documentary recommended above. I used to shop at Walmart on a weekly basis in college because it was cheap, but once I watched that documentary I will never again shop at that store unless I absolutely have to. I’m not one to picket outside stories and urge for their closing, but I’m just doing what I believe to be my part by not shopping there because I just do not agree with their company and their practices.
But I suggest if you want to know more about Walmart and why people don’t like it outside the fact that it runs small businesses into the ground, I’d definitely recommend watching Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price. Very eye opening.
Scott, the diaries lately have been very thought provoking. It is interesting to hear what is on your mind lately, especially since ELR is only EVERY OTHER WEEK!!! Will ELR ever go back to the once a week schedule?
Monopolies are basically taking away from the nature of a free market economy. If there is a monopoly, there is no competition, and hence, no choice in the market, thus no freedom in the market.
I think you misunderstand the “free” in free market, Jack. That “free” refers to the freedom from government economic control. Nevertheless, monopolies are the end result of a free market economy. If you don’t want monopolies, then reject free market; that’s the only way to effectively stop monopolies from forming.
The problem is that everyone thinks that they want freedom of choice in a market. They don’t; they want good products at decent prices. Everyone who really cares about freedom of choice in a market (besides political philosophers) is concerned about choice because they don’t like the products available, and want them to improve.
The problem with Wal-Mart isn’t just that they shut down small businesses, it’s that they don’t offer quality products. Wal-Mart is focused on a price range, and most definitely not quality. When products can’t be produced/bought at a certain quality level they lower the quality or buy lower quality products. I work at Best Buy selling cameras, and whenever I walk into Wal-Mart I laugh my ass off at the crap-quality cameras that they sell.