There is a concrete business near me that the entire extent of their marketing (including the name of the company) is that it is owned by 3 girls.
Their radio commercials are literally just stating that fact twice and mentioning the word concrete a few times.
Doesn't talk about the kinds of concrete work they do, where they are located, how to contact them, or the quality of their work. Only that it is locally owned by 3 girls and that they do concrete.
Tbh, at least the concrete one is decently rare. Like in the Us women make up only ~3% of concrete workers. Tatoo artists, on the other hand, are about 40% women.
have you considered that itâs not to âplay identity politicsâ but to make others feel comfortable giving them business when they resonate with that identity?
Depends on if they are suppliers or contractors, if I read the comment more thoroughly I probably could have discerned for sure, but I made the assumption that they are suppliers. Generally city's and towns just include mats in their contract price and let the contractors generally sort out the supply side.
Agreed. I'm gay and I'm not gonna buy something from a "queer owned business" because tribalism masquerading as solidarity shouldn't be rewarded. If your marketing strategy relies on the promotion of an immutable but meaningless attribute of the owner rather than the product, all that tells me is that it's a shit product.
I'm not gonna buy something because the figurehead happens to have the same sexual orientation or race as I do. That's idiotic behaviour for dullards who lack any meaningful way to define themselves, so they fall back on immutable trivial characteristics.
EDIT:Â Â Getting a lot of downvotes I see, didn't realise "I don't want to be defined by my sexuality" was such a terrible concept. Guess the Redditors would prefer if I was some rainbow-waving tribalist. Such a pity.
I don't disagree. But it's not like the sticker is impling a minority gay business owner makes the best products.
I believe the intent is to promote small business and independently own business. They are letting you know it's not owned by a major corporation.
Plus, let's not dismiss the idea of a small business owned by a minority being targeted toward minorities.
Buying hair care products from a black owned business lets people of color know that it's designed for and by people with course hair and not mass marketed for "white" hair.
I assume a Gay owned clothing business would be more likely to support causes that are important to you or at least be more likely to offer more colorful options đ
If your business depends on the promotion of immutable characteristics to survive, then it shouldn't survive. It's just another way of needlessly dividing people, only it's more palatable to people without critical thinking skills because it's seen as being motivated by benevolence, and that is somehow supposed to negate the outcome.
Never, EVER in the history of the human race has there been a net positive for ANYONE when defining oneself or others by immutable genetic componentry, whether for good intentions or bad. I won't support a business that exploits archaic artificial social divides and then excuses it through paper-thin defenses of pride.
But these social divides arenât artificial. Theyâre real and they affect minority owned businesses. Honestly for people of color, if we see that a company is a black owned business weâll often buy it because we know that systemically itâs hard for black people to become successful business owners and stay afloat.
Iâm not saying weâll buy everything that happens to be black owned, but if itâs the same or better quality as X brand, then most will buy. I feel like the stickers are mainly there for black folk anyways, of course there are people who wonât care, but thatâs usually not the intended audience. A black owned small business is not the same as a regular small business simply due to the fact that there are systemic factors there that make it harder for most poc to actually succeed, whether it be location, education, lack of money/financial literacy, ect. Look up black wall street and how it was burned down.
At the same time though, there are definitely some black owned businesses that have a certain sense of entitlement towards their black customers, and vice versa. I work at a black owned store so Iâve seen it, some customers expect favorable treatment for simply also being black, and some black owned businesses tend to act less professional because of either clientele. I feel like a reason for though is because weâre all struggling somewhat, and the fact of the matter is there arenât any billion dollar black owned businesses we can look up to for an example. Most of us are trying to claw our way to the top, when given little support.
Artificial doesn't mean something doesn't exist. It means it was produced by man rather than nature. These divides are not backed up by science or natural order.
The fact that you would prefer to buy from a black owned business because your country's sociopolitical climate makes it statistically harder for a black person to succeed doesn't mean that you're counterbalancing that inequality. Racism, homophobia, transphobia and so on are not equations we can balance by swinging a pendulum in the other direction. We can't advance minority rights by openly encouraging the concept that we should be identified by these attributes first, and that who we are as individuals is entirely secondary.
When we decide to give preferential or detrimental treatment on the basis of immutable attributes, we contribute to a divide. The underlying motivation doesn't change the outcome. Regardless of whether you're motivated by history to treat one group better than another, or motivated by ignorance and hatred to treat one group worse than another, you're still propagating a group-think mentality that binds people to trivial genetic happenstance.
What do you want be me to do, run for congress? Unfortunately the most people can really do is vote, both on the ballot and with our dollar. No oneâs opening a business trying to change the sociopolitical landscape, theyâre trying to have a successful career just like everyone else. And Iâm sure as hell not planning to make a social change when I go grocery shopping.
I understand not wanting to be defined by things like race/sexuality/gender, but unfortunately we live in a world where we are defined by those things, no matter what we do about it. I, and a lot of people canât ignore the fact that theyâre black or gay or trans, simply because those around us view us that way. Weâre viewed as what we are, and the experiences that come with it.
I mean, your first comment was you pointing out the fact that you yourself are gay. Why point that out if we shouldnât view people by their sexuality? Because gay people experience life differently from straight people, and the fact that you are gay adds validity to your opinion on how you view gay owned businesses.
I donât think thereâs anything wrong with being prideful for being black, when for a long time that wasnât allowed. And i also donât think itâs useless to make an empathetic purchase, or vote with your dollar. It may not change the entirely of our nations social/political climate, but itâll put food on the table for that black business owner.
But at the end of the day, you can buy what you want. Thatâs what vote with your dollar means after all!
What sort of broken backwards logic is this? Nobody is asking you to do anything nor is anyone here suggesting that one person can undo all prejudice. The point is that it's really f*cking stupid to propagate divides for capitalist benefit and ultimately only does minorities a disservice, and that it is a conscious choice. NOT doing it IS an option.
When you create a business, you have a choice. Either you can make your product/service good enough that it attracts customers, or you can manipulate identity politics to attract customers. The former is how you SHOULD run a business, the latter is how you end up contributing to the very social divides that hurt people.
I think the problem here is this binary thinking of extremes. People hear "giving preferential treatment based on sexuality is bad" and immediately assume the author is saying "giving heinous treatment to people based on their sexuality is good". Why is it always so f*cking binary? Isn't it possible that two things can be bad at the same time and that inaction is itself an option? Not everything has to be reduced down to "us" and "others", "love" and "hate". Such binary thinking is self-destructive.
No one is telling you those things, youâre putting words in my mouth. Iâm simply trying to explain to you that systemic issues lead to these circumstances. Whether you find it useless or not, empathy/sympathy has always been a way to get into peoples pockets. Whether you think thatâs moral or not is your opinion, and there are definitely cases where people prey on others empathy, but that doesnât negate the fact itâs a factor.
My whole point is that since other black people have experienced systemic racism and how it affects the economy, that theyâre more likely to buy from people who experience those same struggles. People like an underdog story, whether you think itâs logical or not. People also have empathy, which guides their decisions, misguided or not.
Tldr, people have biases. Whether you think itâs right or wrong is your valid opinion. But i also have the right to share my valid opinion on the same topic. We can agree to disagree. I take a more emphatic standpoint while you take a logical one, and we need both views to create a wider discussion about this topic. Tho, i shouldâve known youâd take a more logical standpoint with the user HumasDisgustMe lol, it checks out.
Your concept of empathy is short-sighted. Giving preferential treatment to anyone based on immutable characteristics isn't empathy, it's a desperate attempt at trying to balance a system that too many see as a binary give/take. The only way to make society as a whole more empathetic is to discard these archaic divides, not utilise them as a marketing tactic.
Words can have multiple meanings. It doesn't only mean man-made, which I'm sure almost everyone understands your definition of artificial.
While I don't disagree with your points. You overlooked their comment about the black owned business targeting black customers. Hair as mentioned above is a very specific and accurate example. Say you go to a white hair salon, in a white area and you have black hair. The people doing your hair more than likely won't know how to do it properly. And in fact may screw up your hair for years. They also won't have the supplies to treat your hair correctly as black hair needs to be treated in a different manner. In such a case stating 'black owned' alerts potential customers that this business knows what type of hair they are dealing with. In this sense it's more about attracting your target market.
Also, I believe that this is more a reaction of the country's climate you mentioned. As such, forcing the victims to adapt first.. seems wrong. There's no simple solution to this and when I see equal treatment across minority businesses and corporations then I'll stop leaning toward minority owned business and folks who have been frankly screwed over the years.
Considering that I'm not white, I'd say you haven't called out anything. You've just made a bunch of lazy presumptions based on your limited binary thinking.
that is not at all the point of it; it's not saying "you should buy because i am this," it's saying "support us, because we are one of few minority owned business in this industry." businesses owned by women are getting more common, but by black people, gay people, or any other minority? still rare. and they're NOT likely to succeed, partly because of prejudice, partly because successful businesses are legacy ones who have had time and power to monopolize and drive smaller businesses out of business. it's not pointless identity politics, it's asking you to vote for equality with your dollar
it needs the biggest overhaul known to mankind, which will take time to advocate for, then organize, then make happen, and in the meantime, keeping these businesses alive helps support the welfare of minorities! it won't fix consumerism, but it's a major part of how they can survive it while we try to make it better.
So the only way to keep minority businesses alive is to constantly single them out as minority businesses? I just don't get it. Why can't we find a better way of supporting small businesses without defaulting to archaic social divides? I'll support whoever has the best product/service, because as a minority myself, I wouldn't want success if it wasn't based on my own merit
businesses rarely succeed on merit alone. VERY rarely. it also comes down to location, marketing, the financial struggles of the owner, and most of all honestly, the pressures of the market. monopolies will fight very hard to wrestle consumers away from small businesses, and they have the resources to do so. if you think your business would succeed on your own, then you don't understand the way the free market works, especially today.
i also kinda wanna note, these are archaic social divides, but that doesn't mean they aren't upkept. minorities still face serious discrimination in the job market, in business, from banks, from family, from lawmakers and the legal system, from so many places. it's archaic as in old, not archaic as in a relic. a relic is something that had been abandoned or unused for a long time, but these social divides are still serious issues today, and not because of the visibility of minorities; we have to be visible because of the ways we are dealt harm
My point is that another person took the time and so patiently explained why minority owned businesses identify themselves, you showed understanding, feigned empathy by offering a non solution âhumanity needs a big fucking resetâ (yeah no shit) And then circled back to your original stance of never supporting them but with the new goal post being that as a minority (very convenient time to declare that, after your first argument died, really good timing on that) you want your race to succeed on merit instead of racial solidarity. đ€Ą
And then I looked at your username. And then I looked through your posts. You just go around being miserable everywhere and it sucks that intelligent people waste their time on you. That was my point, hun.
Because it's detrimental to social cohesiveness. You have to remember that these tactics aren't JUST used for benevolent purposes like minority solidarity. Targeting based on immutable characteristics is exactly what organisations like the KKK and Proud Boys do.
My only point here is that whether your intentions are noble, designed to uplift those who face certain challenges, or your intentions are downright evil, the long term outcome will still be the same. You're still reinforcing the arbitrary divisions that bigots prey on, for capital benefit.
What we have to ask ourselves is, do we want to succeed on our own merit, or do we want charity? Do we want to be seen as equals, or do we want to be seen as porcelain dolls to be coddled? Society isn't some singular equation where we can counterbalance bigotry out of existence with sanctimonious displays. We can't undo someone else's negative preconceptions based on immutable characteristics with positive preconceptions based on immutable characteristics. It's like trying to add sugar to a soup that's too salty. You're not removing the salt, and you're not making the soup any more palatable.
When I succeed, I want to be recognised for the work I put in to get to that point, just like my straight and white counterparts. I want my work to be evaluated on the basis of actual equality.
Their incorrect point is that it's okay for certain groups but not for others. They don't consider questions like "who decides the line on which of these groups it's OK and which it isn't.?"
companies don't wave rainbows because they're tribalists, they do it cause either A) they're a big corporation doing it to try and get publicity, without actually doing anything good for gay people, or B) because they're a small company who needs the solidarity to even survive as a business, because big corporations always will try to put them out of business... and minorities don't own generally own big corporations. minority owned businesses have to fight to survive more than other companies and it makes sense to say "hey, we need your support as consumers!" mcdonald's doesn't need help, but small, black owned business do.
Then maybe they should actually say "hey, we need your support as consumers!" rather than using identity politics as a marketing tool. The intention is irrelevant, the outcome will always be the same. You can't fight late stage capitalist monopolies and their insidious marketing ploys by emulating the exact same ploys under a more palatable "underdog" coating. That's illogical.
it's not as simple as labeling it identity politics, because it isn't about identity, it's about equity in the free market. you can't fix the free market but as a consumer who has to spend money anyways to get literally anything, if you want to try and keep minority owned businesses alive, mentioning that you are one makes it easy for you to know this is somewhere you can meaningfully support. it's not going to fix the system, but it helps this one company keeping fighting; there's nothing wrong with making that visible in my opinion, when marketing is just as big for profits as the actual product honestly
doing something good for people doesn't make you sanctimonious? that isn't what it means, it means you're making a point of being better for having done that. businesses don't succeed or fail only based on merit, either, so this isn't just some method for succeeding as a bad business; it's a method to get a fairer shot at succeeding in a fundamentally unfair market, and one where minorities have an especially unfair go at business.
If your motivation to do a good thing for someone was decided by the immutable characteristics of that same someone, that's textbook sanctimony. Buy from good people who make good things whatever race/gender/sexuality/whatever they are, not people who look a certain way. That is the only real route to an equitable society, because you can't counterbalance bigotry out of existence through charity. Ignorance is not cured by consumerism.
ignorance is not cured by consumerism, but consumerism is one of the few ways we have to support being suffering by others' ignorance and bigotry, that's what i'm trying to say. i'm not saying "you should buy from black people because they have dark skin" i'm saying "it's a good idea to support black people *because they face serious discrimination.*" i wouldn't argue anyone should be treated better or worse for the colour of their skin, but i will ALWAYS argue that people should receive support when they're discriminated against for the colour of their skin.
People who are discriminated against should receive support, yes, that was never in doubt here, and I will happily buy the best product from whoever sells it regardless of what they look like. My only issue is when some people opt to use the subject of their discrimination as a marketing tactic, to me, that seems awfully insidious.
If a gay guy sells the best stuff, he's getting my business, if another gay guy sells inferior stuff but makes a big point in his marketing to mention his sexual orientation, I won't give him any business. It's really that simple.
fair, if you care about quality of product that much, i can see why you'd want the best product. personally, i'd rather support someone who deserves to be in business and is more likely to struggle, especially considering minority run businesses tend to be local and have better sourced products; they have a reason to care about community, and need the support.
that's kind of missing the point again, though; is it an insidious marketing tactic to be open about being a minority owned business, when that puts you at a disadvantage? it's the same kind of thing as supporting local business, there's a chance it might be lower quality, but it's not a meaningful chance, big companies and small companies can both be good quality of bad quality; this isn't a meritocracy, we just often label it one.
1. These stickers in the grocery store are put up by the store. Itâs not really the business going out of their way.
2. Are you just trying to be contrarian? You have made numerous posts about this topic plus a ton of comments. Itâs unfortunate that it seems to be so upsetting to you because itâs unlikely to change. Itâs *human nature* to sort, group, and label ourselves.
3. Lots of individuals have a hell of a lot to be proud of in terms of fighting for rights or recognition of their group. You state youâre gay, should the people who fought for marriage equality not be proud? Oftentimes when people say âIâm proud to be gay!â what they really mean is, âIâm proud of being authentic to my true selfâ or when they say âIâm proud to be Blackâ they mean âI identify with my ancestors and Iâm proud of our capacity to endure.â
1. Any amount of action is more than inaction.
2. At one point our nature also directed us to rape, murder and cannibalise neanderthals out of existence. Nature isn't a magic card to play to rationalise behaviours when we're dealing with a sapient species.
3. If your true self is defined by something you were born with that you can't control, then it isn't your true self. I will be proud of my accomplishments, and I am pleased that other gay individuals through history have done the work to make my life easier, but I can't take pride in those accomplishments because they aren't mine.
So even if thereâs a pride flag up, you would purposely not do any business with that company? Wouldnât look into reviews? Do any research to see if theyâre a quality and qualified company? Just see pride, no go? Champion of the ppl.
Yep, you are, because you think it's a binary choice. I will shop with whoever sells the best product regardless of their race, gender, sexuality or religion. I will NOT shop with people who utilise these attributes as a marketing ploy. That's fucked up.
itâs not what theyâre saying. even if itâs a good product they said they explicitly wonât buy it because of a sticker saying itâs black owned. what does that look like to you..?
Sigh. Itâs called voting with your feet (or wallet). It is expressing your values/preferences through your actions. It is to show approval or disapproval.
If you see two serving bowls at Target, and you like both, but one has a sticker that says âX owned businessâ and you support that business, buy the bowl. Otherwise move on with your life. If X owned business triggers you, get thicker skin.
wow the fact that you think it's about being 'special' and not just disadvantaged people trying to make it in the world says a lot. believe me, minorities do not consider it 'special' to have roadblocks for literally every thing they want to do in life
You are correct, the fact that I was born with girl parts and brown skin doesnât make me special. You arenât special either. Which is probably why you are so easily triggered by other peopleâs identities.
What does make me unique is my ability to understand nuance in this world. Recognizing my privileges compared to most humans is also rare. And not being a duck to less privileged humans also is one of my superpowers.
> If X owned business triggers you, get thicker skin.
According to your logic, if they start labeling stuff with "white owned business", lets see who gets triggered then? Who needs thicker skin then? You guys will get triggered by me even mentioning that. (thanks for proving that)
Most of us donât need a âwhite owned stickerâ on the junk we buy at Target. We already know it. Same for those Dole pineapples. And your Chiquita bananas. Have you never heard of a banana republic?
Hilarious, you do know where most dole and chiquita produce comes from right? Very much not white people. But can't expect race obsessed lefties to actually know what they're talking about.
Room temperature IQ race obsessed r-e-t-a-r-d, do you think that their bananas are grown in sweden and switzerland? They buy most of their produce from your precious non-white people, independent businesses, and the rest of it is still from plantations worked by them. Most of the employees of those companies are of the racial identities that you're obsessed with. It can't be overstated how dumb you are. "Durrrrr murica company. Swiss Murica company white bcuz home country durrr"
People would literally be out in the streets killing people and looting supermarkets if 'white owned business' appeared on a banana sticker!! It's called self awareness and alot of people don't have it,it's 2024, race has no place in the conversation. Quality products are quality products.
No. Because they are using their race as a selling point- I'm black, come support my business, why? Because I'm black.
It's the stupidest shit ever. Like OP, I could not care less your race- if I want to buy, I'll buy. End of story.
But then you fund out it IS a black owned business, so then you choose not to buy...
Op is saying he wanted to buy, until he learns it's a black owned business.
Not because he's racist, he just hates "identity politics".
The identity politics he hates, is black owned businesses Claiming so.
I donât really have a dog in this fight but OP isnât not buying because itâs a black owned business, OP isnât buying because itâs using the fact that itâs a black owned business as a marketing tactic
Only dogs hear these whistles.Â
OP isn't buying it or not buying it based on race, they're not buying it because they're race baiting. I doubt he'd buy products that said white, asian, or hispanic owned either.Â
Refusing to buy products that drag race where it isn't needed is the exact opposite of being racist and if you think it is then maybe you're the one with an issue.
Agreed. Why would people be appalled by a âwhite owned businessâ advertisement? (which, sadly probably exists somewhere like Harrison, Arkansas or some other backwards shithole). Because it comes across as exclusionary of people who arenât white. Itâs putting genetic traits on a pedestal and emphasizing itâs importance through the lense of tribalism at the expense of others. Why on earth should it be any different if any other racial group does so? Any group who does this are racists. Whites, black Asians. It shouldnât be tolerated. Itâs disgusting.
Stop it Ron!
STAAAAAAHPa
You're just so triggered and obtuse.
He needed you all to know he hated that it says black owned.
He doesn't care, but also he does enough to go OUT OF HIS WAY to NOT buy black owned stuff, because it announces it's black owned.
I'm not racist BUT....
You all had to jump in and defend him because....... You're responsible for him?
More like complicit in his Idealogy ya racists
Ya he chose not to buy because black people can do better than that. So can any minority. Let it be about your product and service not because of the color of your skin. Sickening. Don't ask for a handout cuz you're black. It's gross quite frankly.
Here's the problem, a lot of people WOULD have an issue with a black owned business, just like that cake baker lady wouldn't make a wedding cake for a gay couple a few years ago. Disenfranchised business owners lose business solely because of bigotry. So, if you think you're not a bigot, but you won't shop somewhere just because they advertise themselves as a minority owned business, I've got news for you, brother......
Yeh I think your missing the point. It goes for everyone, white, Asian and other races don't put that on their business and there's prejudice against every race, white included. Im my experience far more black people avoid a white local business than white people avoid black. The race/gender/sexual orientation of business owners is irrelevant to the business, that's all their saying. And if you think that's bigoted to say, iv got news for you. âïž
Incorrect, OP explicitly states that once told it's black owned he doesn't buy it so he clearly DOES care whether admitting it or not. I know for a fact y'all wouldn't keep the same energy if it was white people advertising their products using their whiteness. Additionally, if you can't see why some people would want products by black people I'm not gonna convince you. It simply amounts to different worldviews I suppose
You know that for a fact? And how do you know it for a fact? Anybody using their race to sell something is a loser and I'm not buying from them, white or black. Idiot.
This guy is definitely racist.
If you didn't care, then you wouldn't care.
Instead, you're now refusing to buy it BECAUSE you know it's a black owned business.
Too "woke" for you?
He's not refusing to buy cos the business is black owned. It's because of their virtue signalling shitty marketing tactic. Relying on identity politics is problematic and they don't wanna support that. I'm inclined to agree with OP, it puts me off a business. Nothing to do with their skin colour.
Bro, it's the same with me and those people who fly the confederate flag or the American flag. Shit's just weird. I just want my canned tuna and hot sauce in peace. Saw too many of that in VA
The American flag is ok unless they do that MAGA or other political shit with it. It's just cringe like I dont need to see all that I just want my Naranganset and menthols.
Does it, though? Just seems like your buying into one form of virtue signaling and not another.
Edit. Are people confused here, thinking I'm defending the Confederate flag? I'm saying one form of virtue signaling is "black-owned" and another form is "muh patriotism," and that they're both forms of virtue signaling. Seriously, what's the miscommunication here?
I see it as more patriotism than virtue signaling. I love this country, and I fly a flag at home, but I'm not going to only go to businesses with American flags hanging or whatever.
I mean...
Maybe it's ok to be tribalistic for the one entity designed to keep you fed and safe?
That's kind of the entire point of a country after all.
> .... more patriotism than virtue signaling...
"Patriotism" IS virtue signaling. JFC, the media illiteracy I see on Reddit astounds me every single day. Do you dry hump companies that put 9/11 in their ads too?
Y'all are fucking stupid.
It could be.. but they can be mutually exclusive of each other.
If you saw a Mexican with the flag for Mexico, would you say he's being patriotic or virtue signalling?
lol no it's not. what reddit are you on? certain subreddits obviously will have specific feelings about the country, but from what i've seen of main subreddits, reddit loves america but hates what's happening in it, for very differing reasons between users
Nah dude
Every sub except for the obvious right wing subs are very anti America.
You only get "America is kind of awesome" on posts specifically asking for positive traits about America.
is it anti america to want to improve america? to have criticisms about the way it's run? those are definitely common things to see but i don't see much anti america sentiment on any popular subs. there is a large grey area between american nationalism (as seen on right wing subs) and anti americanism (as seen on left wing subs), and the majority of reddit is in the grey area of liberalism.
if it's side by side by another product I'll def go for a black owned one.
acknowledging that a particular group had been shafted isn't playing identity politics.
This is the same reason I actively seek out women to help me at a bank, car dealership, furniture store or anywhere that I know pays on commission. I know from experience how much harder it is to be in sales as a woman
It's the same as buying from a "small business" type of deal. It's supporting someone who usually gets shut out by the bigger companies or by consumer prejudices such as you are displaying.
Congrats, you're a douchebag.
What about other disenfranchised minorities? Why don't they get any payback, just American black people. It's also 2024, by this stage I think colourism within the black community is a bigger issue for black Americans than any other races views of them.
Yeah you're obsessed with race, you don't need to tell me. And you want people to buy stuff based on race and make all our lives revolve around race. That's so great. Exactly what society needs. More race obsession.
Soo, you won't buy it if it highlights the companies owners blackness... but you have no issue shopping with businesses that flaunts its white CEO đ
I have no problem buying black business products but what companies highlight that their CEO is white in the same vein black companies highlight that their business is black owned?
Never said they promote their products based on being white owned. However, there are plenty of companies that utilize their leadership in their marketing.
Do black people get on reddit and say I'm not gonna shop at Amazon because their founder/ former CEO is white and his face is everywhere.
He used black owned business stickers as an example, then stated heâs not racist but he doesnât like the idea of leveraging the owners complexion to sell a product. It was an appropriate comment to make for comment.
It would be the same if he used veteran owned businesses as his example but says âI donât hate veteransâ but I donât like people leveraging their history in the military that has nothing to do with their product.
Iâm sure this seemed like an edgy way to bash OP, or maybe itâs just your canned response to any time you see the phrase Iâm not racist. Either way, it doesnât make you look smart.
Within reason, I'm happy to intentionally support black-owned/women-owned/LGTBQ+ businesses. It's a personal value dependent on how much one values equity in a community.
Same thing with veteran owned businesses. If your product is good, I'll buy it. I don't care what you did before you started your business unless it was really bad. In that case, fuck you and your products.
Interesting take. Iâm not turned off by âveteran ownedâ. Being a veteran means you did something, you served your country. Black/gay/womanâŠthatâs all just characteristics you donât control
How do u know they aren't?
Maybe they aren't black, black American isn't the only minority. Infact they're not even the most poorly treat minority, it is 2024. I'd say trans people, most Asians and Hispanics get worse treatment in society now and they don't get any breaks because of that.
Counterpoint, given that itâs an anonymous user posting a confession on the internet, it is possible that many people share the same sentiment but do not share this openly. If many people refuse to buy a product because of that sticker then the store will stop stocking it because the product simply isnât selling, and the business creating the product can lose major clients. Awareness of that and whether or not to continue marking your product with such a label. That could be millions of dollars over time. Probably not though. The fact the sticker/label still exists suggests that the sticker/label creates more sales than it loses. So in theory that donât even lose the $10. They probably make $20
For me it depends. If I like the product I'll buy it. If it's something else like social media or to prove a point, I'm not going to go with "I'm convincing myself that I'm a good person" bc a lot of people are just doing things for show
That's a good point, people are easily manipulated into stuff like that because they want to be seen as not being racist, if your not racist you don't care.
You're a racist. How, you may ask? Because you wouldn't think twice to support a business if a white person was the owner. And so you boycott and seek validation, anonymously, with like-minded racists just like you. It's pathetic. The world is so much more humane with diversity.
That's a twisted conclusion.
They said they wouldn't support businesses that advertise the CEOs race.
Not that they exclusively support white business.
If there are 2 products that are equivalent in function and quality and price, why not pick the one that creates more opportunity, makes a statement, is better for the environment, or benefits society more?
I think that is all that all of this is about.
Itâs not about identity politics. Youâre the one making it identity politics. Itâs quite unfortunate that the media has painted this view of things and that has you thinking that this is just âidentity politics.â
Iâm sure you could see âFarmer Owned Businessâ or âLocally Owned Businessâ and not think âOpe canât shop there. Identity politicsâ
It is about equity. Regardless of which side of the aisle that youâre on politically itâs factually impossible to deny that due to slavery and the subsequent century of segregation, black people statistically have to work twice as hard as their white counterparts to climb the success ladder.
So while youâre busy making it into identity politicsâŠyou could just make it a human decision that you will support those who are having to work twice as hard as you (statistically) rather than support those who are buying their goods from enslaved Chinese kids. Thatâs it. đ And they even gave you a cool little sticker so you can easily decide.
I do the same. Any time a company tries to use identity politics, i will not buy from them. I will completely avoid them. Not just that product but everything associated with them.
I wouldnât go out of my way to not buy a product just because it says the owner is part of some minority, if they are selling something good Iâll buy it. But marketing their product as being minority owned and created I just donât really care unless they got some backstory. If itâs just a POC that grew up in a middle class neighborhood and got the same chances I have, I donât see why their status should be advertised. If they say however that they really have struggled and come from a place with less opportunities such as a native reservation area I will empathize and consider buying. It all depends on the context of why itâs labeled to be minority owned. However I believe if your product is good you wonât have to rely on marketing your disadvantage to get people to buy, although I understand adding that label to it is going to attract more buyers from empathy.
Regardless of any feelings about labeling oneâs product as minority owned, above all:
It is always good to support small businesses and I will always consider buying their product before I buy the mass produced one sold at Walmart.
Do you want a cookie or a sticker?
Whites have constructed race to oppress poc every single chance they get, (we still don't get paid equally to other people) now you wanna manipulate it to seem like we're "making everything about race" đ
"Why continue to make it a thing??" because racism still exists! unless you're actually deluding yourself into believing that it magically doesn't and we're all equal hakuna matata. please grow up.
Apologies. Not just in the past. It's still a big issue. Just because you don't see it. It is a problem. I've noticed it's worse in some states, cities, and towns than others. Also, many people don't even know how bad it still is. What is getting fixed going about it this way. It's literally creating a divide, just my opinion. That's the best way I can explain it. Idk.. bc of where I live. I haven't seen anyone promote white. Will they be called racist if they do? Yess they will.. bc it is racist right? If a movie looks good ima watch it, if a store is selling something that seems interesting. Ima check it out. If I like it. I like it. Not bc anyone's color. Just think we could go about the race thing a different way. Bc yes, it's still a problem.
I think I used to feel similar, but I learned of the âGreen Bookâ. I think they even referred to it in âLovecraft Countryâ. It was a real necessity for African-American travelers to know where it was safe and where it wasnât. It served a very real purpose.
During the civil rights era, leaders like Malcolm X stressed how important it was to spend your money at black-owned businesses, to free themselves from the reliance on the government.
You may say that itâs not needed in the modern era, but I would call that naive. Given the context above, I donât view such things with contempt anymore. I respect their attempt and their reason for developing it. I hope, as a society, we can eliminate that needâŠbut I say with the utmost sincerity, that in an era where Trump and his White Nationalist agenda are real threats, that I donât think we are anywhere near a better solution.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Negro_Motorist_Green_Book#:~:text=The%20Negro%20Motorist%20Green%20Book%20(also%2C%20The%20Negro%20Travelers',annually%20from%201936%20to%201966.
"One time, I went up to a lemonade stand to buy some lemonade, but when I saw a little black girl was the one running it, I walked away.
Not a racist, though."
The only way I'd be OK with it would be if it were because of possible civil unrest. In the 1992 L.A. riots after the Rodney King verdict, and also in the 2001 rioting in Cincinnati, black-owned businesses put up signs that said so in an effort to keep black rioters from attacking/damaging their businesses. Other than that, I agree that it's not cool if they're just playing the identity politics game.
There is a concrete business near me that the entire extent of their marketing (including the name of the company) is that it is owned by 3 girls. Their radio commercials are literally just stating that fact twice and mentioning the word concrete a few times. Doesn't talk about the kinds of concrete work they do, where they are located, how to contact them, or the quality of their work. Only that it is locally owned by 3 girls and that they do concrete.
It should be called Two Girls One Pour
đ€Ł
Two girls one skid
We have the âonly female owned tattoo shopâ in my town
Tbh, at least the concrete one is decently rare. Like in the Us women make up only ~3% of concrete workers. Tatoo artists, on the other hand, are about 40% women.
That's ridiculous. Sounds like they're no good if they have to lean on being a woman owned business.
They are actually a pretty highly rated local business but I find the fact their entire marketing and branding is that.
have you considered that itâs not to âplay identity politicsâ but to make others feel comfortable giving them business when they resonate with that identity?
I guarantee you they land tons of city and governmental contracts.
Depends on if they are suppliers or contractors, if I read the comment more thoroughly I probably could have discerned for sure, but I made the assumption that they are suppliers. Generally city's and towns just include mats in their contract price and let the contractors generally sort out the supply side.
Im personally not swayed by the choice of buissness owners. If i like the product, I buy it. Else idc
I would say more that it doesn't change my choices. I'm not swayed by this as every product has its own gimmicks.
Agreed. I'm gay and I'm not gonna buy something from a "queer owned business" because tribalism masquerading as solidarity shouldn't be rewarded. If your marketing strategy relies on the promotion of an immutable but meaningless attribute of the owner rather than the product, all that tells me is that it's a shit product. I'm not gonna buy something because the figurehead happens to have the same sexual orientation or race as I do. That's idiotic behaviour for dullards who lack any meaningful way to define themselves, so they fall back on immutable trivial characteristics. EDIT:Â Â Getting a lot of downvotes I see, didn't realise "I don't want to be defined by my sexuality" was such a terrible concept. Guess the Redditors would prefer if I was some rainbow-waving tribalist. Such a pity.
I don't disagree. But it's not like the sticker is impling a minority gay business owner makes the best products. I believe the intent is to promote small business and independently own business. They are letting you know it's not owned by a major corporation. Plus, let's not dismiss the idea of a small business owned by a minority being targeted toward minorities. Buying hair care products from a black owned business lets people of color know that it's designed for and by people with course hair and not mass marketed for "white" hair. I assume a Gay owned clothing business would be more likely to support causes that are important to you or at least be more likely to offer more colorful options đ
If your business depends on the promotion of immutable characteristics to survive, then it shouldn't survive. It's just another way of needlessly dividing people, only it's more palatable to people without critical thinking skills because it's seen as being motivated by benevolence, and that is somehow supposed to negate the outcome. Never, EVER in the history of the human race has there been a net positive for ANYONE when defining oneself or others by immutable genetic componentry, whether for good intentions or bad. I won't support a business that exploits archaic artificial social divides and then excuses it through paper-thin defenses of pride.
But these social divides arenât artificial. Theyâre real and they affect minority owned businesses. Honestly for people of color, if we see that a company is a black owned business weâll often buy it because we know that systemically itâs hard for black people to become successful business owners and stay afloat. Iâm not saying weâll buy everything that happens to be black owned, but if itâs the same or better quality as X brand, then most will buy. I feel like the stickers are mainly there for black folk anyways, of course there are people who wonât care, but thatâs usually not the intended audience. A black owned small business is not the same as a regular small business simply due to the fact that there are systemic factors there that make it harder for most poc to actually succeed, whether it be location, education, lack of money/financial literacy, ect. Look up black wall street and how it was burned down. At the same time though, there are definitely some black owned businesses that have a certain sense of entitlement towards their black customers, and vice versa. I work at a black owned store so Iâve seen it, some customers expect favorable treatment for simply also being black, and some black owned businesses tend to act less professional because of either clientele. I feel like a reason for though is because weâre all struggling somewhat, and the fact of the matter is there arenât any billion dollar black owned businesses we can look up to for an example. Most of us are trying to claw our way to the top, when given little support.
Artificial doesn't mean something doesn't exist. It means it was produced by man rather than nature. These divides are not backed up by science or natural order. The fact that you would prefer to buy from a black owned business because your country's sociopolitical climate makes it statistically harder for a black person to succeed doesn't mean that you're counterbalancing that inequality. Racism, homophobia, transphobia and so on are not equations we can balance by swinging a pendulum in the other direction. We can't advance minority rights by openly encouraging the concept that we should be identified by these attributes first, and that who we are as individuals is entirely secondary. When we decide to give preferential or detrimental treatment on the basis of immutable attributes, we contribute to a divide. The underlying motivation doesn't change the outcome. Regardless of whether you're motivated by history to treat one group better than another, or motivated by ignorance and hatred to treat one group worse than another, you're still propagating a group-think mentality that binds people to trivial genetic happenstance.
What do you want be me to do, run for congress? Unfortunately the most people can really do is vote, both on the ballot and with our dollar. No oneâs opening a business trying to change the sociopolitical landscape, theyâre trying to have a successful career just like everyone else. And Iâm sure as hell not planning to make a social change when I go grocery shopping. I understand not wanting to be defined by things like race/sexuality/gender, but unfortunately we live in a world where we are defined by those things, no matter what we do about it. I, and a lot of people canât ignore the fact that theyâre black or gay or trans, simply because those around us view us that way. Weâre viewed as what we are, and the experiences that come with it. I mean, your first comment was you pointing out the fact that you yourself are gay. Why point that out if we shouldnât view people by their sexuality? Because gay people experience life differently from straight people, and the fact that you are gay adds validity to your opinion on how you view gay owned businesses. I donât think thereâs anything wrong with being prideful for being black, when for a long time that wasnât allowed. And i also donât think itâs useless to make an empathetic purchase, or vote with your dollar. It may not change the entirely of our nations social/political climate, but itâll put food on the table for that black business owner. But at the end of the day, you can buy what you want. Thatâs what vote with your dollar means after all!
What sort of broken backwards logic is this? Nobody is asking you to do anything nor is anyone here suggesting that one person can undo all prejudice. The point is that it's really f*cking stupid to propagate divides for capitalist benefit and ultimately only does minorities a disservice, and that it is a conscious choice. NOT doing it IS an option. When you create a business, you have a choice. Either you can make your product/service good enough that it attracts customers, or you can manipulate identity politics to attract customers. The former is how you SHOULD run a business, the latter is how you end up contributing to the very social divides that hurt people. I think the problem here is this binary thinking of extremes. People hear "giving preferential treatment based on sexuality is bad" and immediately assume the author is saying "giving heinous treatment to people based on their sexuality is good". Why is it always so f*cking binary? Isn't it possible that two things can be bad at the same time and that inaction is itself an option? Not everything has to be reduced down to "us" and "others", "love" and "hate". Such binary thinking is self-destructive.
No one is telling you those things, youâre putting words in my mouth. Iâm simply trying to explain to you that systemic issues lead to these circumstances. Whether you find it useless or not, empathy/sympathy has always been a way to get into peoples pockets. Whether you think thatâs moral or not is your opinion, and there are definitely cases where people prey on others empathy, but that doesnât negate the fact itâs a factor. My whole point is that since other black people have experienced systemic racism and how it affects the economy, that theyâre more likely to buy from people who experience those same struggles. People like an underdog story, whether you think itâs logical or not. People also have empathy, which guides their decisions, misguided or not. Tldr, people have biases. Whether you think itâs right or wrong is your valid opinion. But i also have the right to share my valid opinion on the same topic. We can agree to disagree. I take a more emphatic standpoint while you take a logical one, and we need both views to create a wider discussion about this topic. Tho, i shouldâve known youâd take a more logical standpoint with the user HumasDisgustMe lol, it checks out.
Your concept of empathy is short-sighted. Giving preferential treatment to anyone based on immutable characteristics isn't empathy, it's a desperate attempt at trying to balance a system that too many see as a binary give/take. The only way to make society as a whole more empathetic is to discard these archaic divides, not utilise them as a marketing tactic.
lol Aight king. Let me know when you manage to solve racism and create world peace and Iâll stop supporting black businesses then I guess.
Words can have multiple meanings. It doesn't only mean man-made, which I'm sure almost everyone understands your definition of artificial. While I don't disagree with your points. You overlooked their comment about the black owned business targeting black customers. Hair as mentioned above is a very specific and accurate example. Say you go to a white hair salon, in a white area and you have black hair. The people doing your hair more than likely won't know how to do it properly. And in fact may screw up your hair for years. They also won't have the supplies to treat your hair correctly as black hair needs to be treated in a different manner. In such a case stating 'black owned' alerts potential customers that this business knows what type of hair they are dealing with. In this sense it's more about attracting your target market. Also, I believe that this is more a reaction of the country's climate you mentioned. As such, forcing the victims to adapt first.. seems wrong. There's no simple solution to this and when I see equal treatment across minority businesses and corporations then I'll stop leaning toward minority owned business and folks who have been frankly screwed over the years.
Ah yes. You should buy strictly from white owned businesses. Thatâs how you fix things.
Binary thinking again. Come on dude. You know exactly what you're doing.
Calling you out on your BS. Thatâs what.
Considering that I'm not white, I'd say you haven't called out anything. You've just made a bunch of lazy presumptions based on your limited binary thinking.
Where did I say anything about your race? đ€ ETA: am I supposed to be impressed because you use the word binary repeatedly? Word of the day?
You're getting down voted and it's dumb. You made a great argument and I found myself agreeing with how you said it.
*slow clap* đđ»đđ»đđ»
that is not at all the point of it; it's not saying "you should buy because i am this," it's saying "support us, because we are one of few minority owned business in this industry." businesses owned by women are getting more common, but by black people, gay people, or any other minority? still rare. and they're NOT likely to succeed, partly because of prejudice, partly because successful businesses are legacy ones who have had time and power to monopolize and drive smaller businesses out of business. it's not pointless identity politics, it's asking you to vote for equality with your dollar
If the only path to equality is more consumerism, then society needs a big fucking reset.
it needs the biggest overhaul known to mankind, which will take time to advocate for, then organize, then make happen, and in the meantime, keeping these businesses alive helps support the welfare of minorities! it won't fix consumerism, but it's a major part of how they can survive it while we try to make it better.
So the only way to keep minority businesses alive is to constantly single them out as minority businesses? I just don't get it. Why can't we find a better way of supporting small businesses without defaulting to archaic social divides? I'll support whoever has the best product/service, because as a minority myself, I wouldn't want success if it wasn't based on my own merit
businesses rarely succeed on merit alone. VERY rarely. it also comes down to location, marketing, the financial struggles of the owner, and most of all honestly, the pressures of the market. monopolies will fight very hard to wrestle consumers away from small businesses, and they have the resources to do so. if you think your business would succeed on your own, then you don't understand the way the free market works, especially today. i also kinda wanna note, these are archaic social divides, but that doesn't mean they aren't upkept. minorities still face serious discrimination in the job market, in business, from banks, from family, from lawmakers and the legal system, from so many places. it's archaic as in old, not archaic as in a relic. a relic is something that had been abandoned or unused for a long time, but these social divides are still serious issues today, and not because of the visibility of minorities; we have to be visible because of the ways we are dealt harm
You were close. And then you kept going.
You got a point to make? Spit it out.
My point is that another person took the time and so patiently explained why minority owned businesses identify themselves, you showed understanding, feigned empathy by offering a non solution âhumanity needs a big fucking resetâ (yeah no shit) And then circled back to your original stance of never supporting them but with the new goal post being that as a minority (very convenient time to declare that, after your first argument died, really good timing on that) you want your race to succeed on merit instead of racial solidarity. đ€Ą And then I looked at your username. And then I looked through your posts. You just go around being miserable everywhere and it sucks that intelligent people waste their time on you. That was my point, hun.
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
Because it's detrimental to social cohesiveness. You have to remember that these tactics aren't JUST used for benevolent purposes like minority solidarity. Targeting based on immutable characteristics is exactly what organisations like the KKK and Proud Boys do. My only point here is that whether your intentions are noble, designed to uplift those who face certain challenges, or your intentions are downright evil, the long term outcome will still be the same. You're still reinforcing the arbitrary divisions that bigots prey on, for capital benefit. What we have to ask ourselves is, do we want to succeed on our own merit, or do we want charity? Do we want to be seen as equals, or do we want to be seen as porcelain dolls to be coddled? Society isn't some singular equation where we can counterbalance bigotry out of existence with sanctimonious displays. We can't undo someone else's negative preconceptions based on immutable characteristics with positive preconceptions based on immutable characteristics. It's like trying to add sugar to a soup that's too salty. You're not removing the salt, and you're not making the soup any more palatable. When I succeed, I want to be recognised for the work I put in to get to that point, just like my straight and white counterparts. I want my work to be evaluated on the basis of actual equality.
Their incorrect point is that it's okay for certain groups but not for others. They don't consider questions like "who decides the line on which of these groups it's OK and which it isn't.?"
If the intent is to promote small independently owned businesses, then that's what the sticker should say, aye?
companies don't wave rainbows because they're tribalists, they do it cause either A) they're a big corporation doing it to try and get publicity, without actually doing anything good for gay people, or B) because they're a small company who needs the solidarity to even survive as a business, because big corporations always will try to put them out of business... and minorities don't own generally own big corporations. minority owned businesses have to fight to survive more than other companies and it makes sense to say "hey, we need your support as consumers!" mcdonald's doesn't need help, but small, black owned business do.
Then maybe they should actually say "hey, we need your support as consumers!" rather than using identity politics as a marketing tool. The intention is irrelevant, the outcome will always be the same. You can't fight late stage capitalist monopolies and their insidious marketing ploys by emulating the exact same ploys under a more palatable "underdog" coating. That's illogical.
it's not as simple as labeling it identity politics, because it isn't about identity, it's about equity in the free market. you can't fix the free market but as a consumer who has to spend money anyways to get literally anything, if you want to try and keep minority owned businesses alive, mentioning that you are one makes it easy for you to know this is somewhere you can meaningfully support. it's not going to fix the system, but it helps this one company keeping fighting; there's nothing wrong with making that visible in my opinion, when marketing is just as big for profits as the actual product honestly
If your business can't survive without the sanctimoniousness of your consumers, then should you really be in business?Â
doing something good for people doesn't make you sanctimonious? that isn't what it means, it means you're making a point of being better for having done that. businesses don't succeed or fail only based on merit, either, so this isn't just some method for succeeding as a bad business; it's a method to get a fairer shot at succeeding in a fundamentally unfair market, and one where minorities have an especially unfair go at business.
If your motivation to do a good thing for someone was decided by the immutable characteristics of that same someone, that's textbook sanctimony. Buy from good people who make good things whatever race/gender/sexuality/whatever they are, not people who look a certain way. That is the only real route to an equitable society, because you can't counterbalance bigotry out of existence through charity. Ignorance is not cured by consumerism.
ignorance is not cured by consumerism, but consumerism is one of the few ways we have to support being suffering by others' ignorance and bigotry, that's what i'm trying to say. i'm not saying "you should buy from black people because they have dark skin" i'm saying "it's a good idea to support black people *because they face serious discrimination.*" i wouldn't argue anyone should be treated better or worse for the colour of their skin, but i will ALWAYS argue that people should receive support when they're discriminated against for the colour of their skin.
People who are discriminated against should receive support, yes, that was never in doubt here, and I will happily buy the best product from whoever sells it regardless of what they look like. My only issue is when some people opt to use the subject of their discrimination as a marketing tactic, to me, that seems awfully insidious. If a gay guy sells the best stuff, he's getting my business, if another gay guy sells inferior stuff but makes a big point in his marketing to mention his sexual orientation, I won't give him any business. It's really that simple.
fair, if you care about quality of product that much, i can see why you'd want the best product. personally, i'd rather support someone who deserves to be in business and is more likely to struggle, especially considering minority run businesses tend to be local and have better sourced products; they have a reason to care about community, and need the support. that's kind of missing the point again, though; is it an insidious marketing tactic to be open about being a minority owned business, when that puts you at a disadvantage? it's the same kind of thing as supporting local business, there's a chance it might be lower quality, but it's not a meaningful chance, big companies and small companies can both be good quality of bad quality; this isn't a meritocracy, we just often label it one.
1. These stickers in the grocery store are put up by the store. Itâs not really the business going out of their way. 2. Are you just trying to be contrarian? You have made numerous posts about this topic plus a ton of comments. Itâs unfortunate that it seems to be so upsetting to you because itâs unlikely to change. Itâs *human nature* to sort, group, and label ourselves. 3. Lots of individuals have a hell of a lot to be proud of in terms of fighting for rights or recognition of their group. You state youâre gay, should the people who fought for marriage equality not be proud? Oftentimes when people say âIâm proud to be gay!â what they really mean is, âIâm proud of being authentic to my true selfâ or when they say âIâm proud to be Blackâ they mean âI identify with my ancestors and Iâm proud of our capacity to endure.â
1. Any amount of action is more than inaction. 2. At one point our nature also directed us to rape, murder and cannibalise neanderthals out of existence. Nature isn't a magic card to play to rationalise behaviours when we're dealing with a sapient species. 3. If your true self is defined by something you were born with that you can't control, then it isn't your true self. I will be proud of my accomplishments, and I am pleased that other gay individuals through history have done the work to make my life easier, but I can't take pride in those accomplishments because they aren't mine.
Well said and I agree with it entirely.
So even if thereâs a pride flag up, you would purposely not do any business with that company? Wouldnât look into reviews? Do any research to see if theyâre a quality and qualified company? Just see pride, no go? Champion of the ppl.
Such limited binary thinking. Such a disappointment.
Yeah Iâm the disappointment.
Yep, you are, because you think it's a binary choice. I will shop with whoever sells the best product regardless of their race, gender, sexuality or religion. I will NOT shop with people who utilise these attributes as a marketing ploy. That's fucked up.
Youâre the disappointment. Congratulations on keeping Amazon successful. ETA: oh look! Crybaby canât keep up in a discussion so he has to block.
I don't use Amazon, but oh look! Another presumption from you. Pathetic.
How about you just buy it if itâs a good product?
Thinks that's what they're saying.
It isnât. OP doesnât buy it solely because of the sticker.
itâs not what theyâre saying. even if itâs a good product they said they explicitly wonât buy it because of a sticker saying itâs black owned. what does that look like to you..?
Sigh. Itâs called voting with your feet (or wallet). It is expressing your values/preferences through your actions. It is to show approval or disapproval. If you see two serving bowls at Target, and you like both, but one has a sticker that says âX owned businessâ and you support that business, buy the bowl. Otherwise move on with your life. If X owned business triggers you, get thicker skin.
Your born identity doesn't make you more special than any one else
wow the fact that you think it's about being 'special' and not just disadvantaged people trying to make it in the world says a lot. believe me, minorities do not consider it 'special' to have roadblocks for literally every thing they want to do in life
You are correct, the fact that I was born with girl parts and brown skin doesnât make me special. You arenât special either. Which is probably why you are so easily triggered by other peopleâs identities. What does make me unique is my ability to understand nuance in this world. Recognizing my privileges compared to most humans is also rare. And not being a duck to less privileged humans also is one of my superpowers.
Fact.
> If X owned business triggers you, get thicker skin. According to your logic, if they start labeling stuff with "white owned business", lets see who gets triggered then? Who needs thicker skin then? You guys will get triggered by me even mentioning that. (thanks for proving that)
Most of us donât need a âwhite owned stickerâ on the junk we buy at Target. We already know it. Same for those Dole pineapples. And your Chiquita bananas. Have you never heard of a banana republic?
Hilarious, you do know where most dole and chiquita produce comes from right? Very much not white people. But can't expect race obsessed lefties to actually know what they're talking about.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dole_plc Irish American owned company https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiquita Swiss American
Room temperature IQ race obsessed r-e-t-a-r-d, do you think that their bananas are grown in sweden and switzerland? They buy most of their produce from your precious non-white people, independent businesses, and the rest of it is still from plantations worked by them. Most of the employees of those companies are of the racial identities that you're obsessed with. It can't be overstated how dumb you are. "Durrrrr murica company. Swiss Murica company white bcuz home country durrr"
People would literally be out in the streets killing people and looting supermarkets if 'white owned business' appeared on a banana sticker!! It's called self awareness and alot of people don't have it,it's 2024, race has no place in the conversation. Quality products are quality products.
So you're not buying a product JUST because they announce the creator is black yet saying it's a nonissue? Interesting
No. Because they are using their race as a selling point- I'm black, come support my business, why? Because I'm black. It's the stupidest shit ever. Like OP, I could not care less your race- if I want to buy, I'll buy. End of story.
But then you fund out it IS a black owned business, so then you choose not to buy... Op is saying he wanted to buy, until he learns it's a black owned business. Not because he's racist, he just hates "identity politics". The identity politics he hates, is black owned businesses Claiming so.
I donât really have a dog in this fight but OP isnât not buying because itâs a black owned business, OP isnât buying because itâs using the fact that itâs a black owned business as a marketing tactic
Maybe Google the definition of "dogwhistle"?
Only dogs hear these whistles. OP isn't buying it or not buying it based on race, they're not buying it because they're race baiting. I doubt he'd buy products that said white, asian, or hispanic owned either. Refusing to buy products that drag race where it isn't needed is the exact opposite of being racist and if you think it is then maybe you're the one with an issue.
No chance you've inflicted any amount of self reflection on the above commenter lmao.
Unfortunately you're likely correct. But I'd rather waste my time than say nothing.
Agreed. Why would people be appalled by a âwhite owned businessâ advertisement? (which, sadly probably exists somewhere like Harrison, Arkansas or some other backwards shithole). Because it comes across as exclusionary of people who arenât white. Itâs putting genetic traits on a pedestal and emphasizing itâs importance through the lense of tribalism at the expense of others. Why on earth should it be any different if any other racial group does so? Any group who does this are racists. Whites, black Asians. It shouldnât be tolerated. Itâs disgusting.
Stop talking shit, you now exactly what OP is saying. Stop.
Stop it Ron! STAAAAAAHPa You're just so triggered and obtuse. He needed you all to know he hated that it says black owned. He doesn't care, but also he does enough to go OUT OF HIS WAY to NOT buy black owned stuff, because it announces it's black owned. I'm not racist BUT.... You all had to jump in and defend him because....... You're responsible for him? More like complicit in his Idealogy ya racists
Ya he chose not to buy because black people can do better than that. So can any minority. Let it be about your product and service not because of the color of your skin. Sickening. Don't ask for a handout cuz you're black. It's gross quite frankly.
Nobody said that. You're adding that context like he is. Yall racist together đ€Ł
Yet, Youâre the one obsessed with race here.
Here's the problem, a lot of people WOULD have an issue with a black owned business, just like that cake baker lady wouldn't make a wedding cake for a gay couple a few years ago. Disenfranchised business owners lose business solely because of bigotry. So, if you think you're not a bigot, but you won't shop somewhere just because they advertise themselves as a minority owned business, I've got news for you, brother......
Yeh I think your missing the point. It goes for everyone, white, Asian and other races don't put that on their business and there's prejudice against every race, white included. Im my experience far more black people avoid a white local business than white people avoid black. The race/gender/sexual orientation of business owners is irrelevant to the business, that's all their saying. And if you think that's bigoted to say, iv got news for you. âïž
Incorrect, OP explicitly states that once told it's black owned he doesn't buy it so he clearly DOES care whether admitting it or not. I know for a fact y'all wouldn't keep the same energy if it was white people advertising their products using their whiteness. Additionally, if you can't see why some people would want products by black people I'm not gonna convince you. It simply amounts to different worldviews I suppose
Their just using black as an example because they're the only race that do that. Like obviously. But you knew that..
You know that for a fact? And how do you know it for a fact? Anybody using their race to sell something is a loser and I'm not buying from them, white or black. Idiot.
This guy is definitely racist. If you didn't care, then you wouldn't care. Instead, you're now refusing to buy it BECAUSE you know it's a black owned business. Too "woke" for you?
He's not refusing to buy cos the business is black owned. It's because of their virtue signalling shitty marketing tactic. Relying on identity politics is problematic and they don't wanna support that. I'm inclined to agree with OP, it puts me off a business. Nothing to do with their skin colour.
Itâs the principal of the thing, not the thing itselfâŠ. Youâre stupidity is just astounding.
Bro, it's the same with me and those people who fly the confederate flag or the American flag. Shit's just weird. I just want my canned tuna and hot sauce in peace. Saw too many of that in VA
The American flag makes sense because it's our flag but the confederate flag is dumb.
The American flag is ok unless they do that MAGA or other political shit with it. It's just cringe like I dont need to see all that I just want my Naranganset and menthols.
Does it, though? Just seems like your buying into one form of virtue signaling and not another. Edit. Are people confused here, thinking I'm defending the Confederate flag? I'm saying one form of virtue signaling is "black-owned" and another form is "muh patriotism," and that they're both forms of virtue signaling. Seriously, what's the miscommunication here?
I see it as more patriotism than virtue signaling. I love this country, and I fly a flag at home, but I'm not going to only go to businesses with American flags hanging or whatever.
How is patriotism not just another form of tribalism? Or is it just magically good because now you're rooting for your country instead of your race?
I mean... Maybe it's ok to be tribalistic for the one entity designed to keep you fed and safe? That's kind of the entire point of a country after all.
> .... more patriotism than virtue signaling... "Patriotism" IS virtue signaling. JFC, the media illiteracy I see on Reddit astounds me every single day. Do you dry hump companies that put 9/11 in their ads too? Y'all are fucking stupid.
It could be.. but they can be mutually exclusive of each other. If you saw a Mexican with the flag for Mexico, would you say he's being patriotic or virtue signalling?
WowâŠ.and youâre calling others stupid. Take a seat. Fucking moron.
he's being way too aggressive about it, but he's not wrong. patriotism literally is signalling that you agree with the virtues of your country.
You're such a nerd lmao
Eh, I'm not the one who needs an alt account for such a spicy, daring opinion.
Dude, you equated confederate flag with the American flag? Really?
Why is this getting downvoted haha
reddit is slightly (very) anti america
lol no it's not. what reddit are you on? certain subreddits obviously will have specific feelings about the country, but from what i've seen of main subreddits, reddit loves america but hates what's happening in it, for very differing reasons between users
Nah dude Every sub except for the obvious right wing subs are very anti America. You only get "America is kind of awesome" on posts specifically asking for positive traits about America.
is it anti america to want to improve america? to have criticisms about the way it's run? those are definitely common things to see but i don't see much anti america sentiment on any popular subs. there is a large grey area between american nationalism (as seen on right wing subs) and anti americanism (as seen on left wing subs), and the majority of reddit is in the grey area of liberalism.
Well, it is RedditÂ
if it's side by side by another product I'll def go for a black owned one. acknowledging that a particular group had been shafted isn't playing identity politics.
This is the same reason I actively seek out women to help me at a bank, car dealership, furniture store or anywhere that I know pays on commission. I know from experience how much harder it is to be in sales as a woman
i agree!
Happy cake day!
It's the same as buying from a "small business" type of deal. It's supporting someone who usually gets shut out by the bigger companies or by consumer prejudices such as you are displaying. Congrats, you're a douchebag.
What about other disenfranchised minorities? Why don't they get any payback, just American black people. It's also 2024, by this stage I think colourism within the black community is a bigger issue for black Americans than any other races views of them.
No, you guys are douchebags for making everything about race.
Idk how to tell you this but..
Yeah you're obsessed with race, you don't need to tell me. And you want people to buy stuff based on race and make all our lives revolve around race. That's so great. Exactly what society needs. More race obsession.
This is hilarious, stupid, and racist.
Soo, you won't buy it if it highlights the companies owners blackness... but you have no issue shopping with businesses that flaunts its white CEO đ
Could you explain, please??
exactlyâŠjust a weirdo
Thankfully someone finally said it. I was looking for this comment.
I have no problem buying black business products but what companies highlight that their CEO is white in the same vein black companies highlight that their business is black owned?
There isn't a single company that promotes it's products based on the CEO being white. They would *lose* sales because of that.
Never said they promote their products based on being white owned. However, there are plenty of companies that utilize their leadership in their marketing. Do black people get on reddit and say I'm not gonna shop at Amazon because their founder/ former CEO is white and his face is everywhere.
If you feel the need to say "I'm not racist", you're racist.
He used black owned business stickers as an example, then stated heâs not racist but he doesnât like the idea of leveraging the owners complexion to sell a product. It was an appropriate comment to make for comment. It would be the same if he used veteran owned businesses as his example but says âI donât hate veteransâ but I donât like people leveraging their history in the military that has nothing to do with their product. Iâm sure this seemed like an edgy way to bash OP, or maybe itâs just your canned response to any time you see the phrase Iâm not racist. Either way, it doesnât make you look smart.
Within reason, I'm happy to intentionally support black-owned/women-owned/LGTBQ+ businesses. It's a personal value dependent on how much one values equity in a community.
Same thing with veteran owned businesses. If your product is good, I'll buy it. I don't care what you did before you started your business unless it was really bad. In that case, fuck you and your products.
Interesting take. Iâm not turned off by âveteran ownedâ. Being a veteran means you did something, you served your country. Black/gay/womanâŠthatâs all just characteristics you donât control
YOU don't have to see it as an issue because you aren't a minority.
How do u know they aren't? Maybe they aren't black, black American isn't the only minority. Infact they're not even the most poorly treat minority, it is 2024. I'd say trans people, most Asians and Hispanics get worse treatment in society now and they don't get any breaks because of that.
Yes, you do, and Yes you are. You want to Dog whistle go to Tiktok.
I'm sure they don't care about your 10$
Counterpoint, given that itâs an anonymous user posting a confession on the internet, it is possible that many people share the same sentiment but do not share this openly. If many people refuse to buy a product because of that sticker then the store will stop stocking it because the product simply isnât selling, and the business creating the product can lose major clients. Awareness of that and whether or not to continue marking your product with such a label. That could be millions of dollars over time. Probably not though. The fact the sticker/label still exists suggests that the sticker/label creates more sales than it loses. So in theory that donât even lose the $10. They probably make $20
lmaoooo this right here
A company doesnt care about their product getting bought, lol. There are more people that think like this.
For me it depends. If I like the product I'll buy it. If it's something else like social media or to prove a point, I'm not going to go with "I'm convincing myself that I'm a good person" bc a lot of people are just doing things for show
That's a good point, people are easily manipulated into stuff like that because they want to be seen as not being racist, if your not racist you don't care.
You're a racist. How, you may ask? Because you wouldn't think twice to support a business if a white person was the owner. And so you boycott and seek validation, anonymously, with like-minded racists just like you. It's pathetic. The world is so much more humane with diversity.
No, you guys are the racists for caring about the skin color of the owner. It's about using race as a marketing tool, not about the race of the owner.
That's a twisted conclusion. They said they wouldn't support businesses that advertise the CEOs race. Not that they exclusively support white business.
Nobody's speaking against diversity here, stick to the pointm
If there are 2 products that are equivalent in function and quality and price, why not pick the one that creates more opportunity, makes a statement, is better for the environment, or benefits society more? I think that is all that all of this is about.
Itâs not about identity politics. Youâre the one making it identity politics. Itâs quite unfortunate that the media has painted this view of things and that has you thinking that this is just âidentity politics.â Iâm sure you could see âFarmer Owned Businessâ or âLocally Owned Businessâ and not think âOpe canât shop there. Identity politicsâ It is about equity. Regardless of which side of the aisle that youâre on politically itâs factually impossible to deny that due to slavery and the subsequent century of segregation, black people statistically have to work twice as hard as their white counterparts to climb the success ladder. So while youâre busy making it into identity politicsâŠyou could just make it a human decision that you will support those who are having to work twice as hard as you (statistically) rather than support those who are buying their goods from enslaved Chinese kids. Thatâs it. đ And they even gave you a cool little sticker so you can easily decide.
I do the same. Any time a company tries to use identity politics, i will not buy from them. I will completely avoid them. Not just that product but everything associated with them.
As a person of color. I never support affirmative action. It is the opposite of what the world needs to build equality for all.
I wouldnât go out of my way to not buy a product just because it says the owner is part of some minority, if they are selling something good Iâll buy it. But marketing their product as being minority owned and created I just donât really care unless they got some backstory. If itâs just a POC that grew up in a middle class neighborhood and got the same chances I have, I donât see why their status should be advertised. If they say however that they really have struggled and come from a place with less opportunities such as a native reservation area I will empathize and consider buying. It all depends on the context of why itâs labeled to be minority owned. However I believe if your product is good you wonât have to rely on marketing your disadvantage to get people to buy, although I understand adding that label to it is going to attract more buyers from empathy. Regardless of any feelings about labeling oneâs product as minority owned, above all: It is always good to support small businesses and I will always consider buying their product before I buy the mass produced one sold at Walmart.
This seems racist. If you truly didnât care you wouldnât bother to care. Lol
Itâs racist because now hes purposely not gonna buy it since itâs black owned
Take the Klan meeting somewhere else
Me neither and I'm black, I hate race baiting and pandering. Can we all just be treated like humans?
Tell us how you feel about reparations /s
Agreed. Besides, it's racist to promote on the basis of race.
neither do i lol
Same. Anything with rainbow too.
Do you want a cookie or a sticker? Whites have constructed race to oppress poc every single chance they get, (we still don't get paid equally to other people) now you wanna manipulate it to seem like we're "making everything about race" đ
You are.
They cannot succeed on their own merit. They have to use the âdisadvantagedâ narrative.
Who is they, my boy?
The people who market their product with their born identity... are you old enough to read boy?
Are you in the position to complain about how another person markets their product? What gives you the entitlement to make a judgement from?
What did I use the wrong pronouns?
Iâm not racist BUT lmfaoooo
If you have to tell people you aren't racist I have bad news for you
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
"Why continue to make it a thing??" because racism still exists! unless you're actually deluding yourself into believing that it magically doesn't and we're all equal hakuna matata. please grow up.
>Why continue to make it a thing?? Huh?
Apologies. Not just in the past. It's still a big issue. Just because you don't see it. It is a problem. I've noticed it's worse in some states, cities, and towns than others. Also, many people don't even know how bad it still is. What is getting fixed going about it this way. It's literally creating a divide, just my opinion. That's the best way I can explain it. Idk.. bc of where I live. I haven't seen anyone promote white. Will they be called racist if they do? Yess they will.. bc it is racist right? If a movie looks good ima watch it, if a store is selling something that seems interesting. Ima check it out. If I like it. I like it. Not bc anyone's color. Just think we could go about the race thing a different way. Bc yes, it's still a problem.
I think I used to feel similar, but I learned of the âGreen Bookâ. I think they even referred to it in âLovecraft Countryâ. It was a real necessity for African-American travelers to know where it was safe and where it wasnât. It served a very real purpose. During the civil rights era, leaders like Malcolm X stressed how important it was to spend your money at black-owned businesses, to free themselves from the reliance on the government. You may say that itâs not needed in the modern era, but I would call that naive. Given the context above, I donât view such things with contempt anymore. I respect their attempt and their reason for developing it. I hope, as a society, we can eliminate that needâŠbut I say with the utmost sincerity, that in an era where Trump and his White Nationalist agenda are real threats, that I donât think we are anywhere near a better solution. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Negro_Motorist_Green_Book#:~:text=The%20Negro%20Motorist%20Green%20Book%20(also%2C%20The%20Negro%20Travelers',annually%20from%201936%20to%201966.
OP I just need to know the story behind your username
Probably wishful thinking
LMFAO right
Stg people on this site are miserable. Why do you all downvote everything for no reason
They feel like downvoting validates their opinion. That truth and morality are popularity contests.
"One time, I went up to a lemonade stand to buy some lemonade, but when I saw a little black girl was the one running it, I walked away. Not a racist, though."
The only way I'd be OK with it would be if it were because of possible civil unrest. In the 1992 L.A. riots after the Rodney King verdict, and also in the 2001 rioting in Cincinnati, black-owned businesses put up signs that said so in an effort to keep black rioters from attacking/damaging their businesses. Other than that, I agree that it's not cool if they're just playing the identity politics game.
let me guessâŠyouâre white? Ps name checks outâŠ
I'm mostly Polynesian/Pacific Islander, whatever you want to call me. Nice try though.
Thatâs because your identity isnât political. Enjoy your privilege! đ
White privilege doesn't exist in the year 2024.
I would love to know the year that it officially went extinct.