All was fine, until...the trigger.
________________________________________________________
Hey Guys-
So, really, where do you shop a lot? I'm trying to get you flippin' discounts at these places. I'm soliciting businesses to give discounts to members of the Collective (that would be YOU). It works a lot better if I know that:
A. These businesses are places where bike people like to go.
B. I know someone's name at the business (like your friend, the manager, etc.).
C. You give me a rough location so I can find the bloody place.
I've only heard back from a few of you. This is your chance to get discounts at stores you already love and patronize. Where do you get food? Where do you buy clothes? Do you get your clothes laundered? Buy books? Art supplies? Tattoos? Piercings? Shoes? Mouthwash?
Little help, little help.
Acey G.
Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective
June 20
________________________________________________________
Sorry Acey,
I do not "shop" much. Small bookstores, Wild Oats on occasion, but mostly at the Smith's Marketplace one kilometer down the street from my house. My wife is planning on buying a Mac computer; how about the Mac Store at the Gateway?
I do not "shop" much. Small bookstores, Wild Oats on occasion, but mostly at the Smith's Marketplace one kilometer down the street from my house. My wife is planning on buying a Mac computer; how about the Mac Store at the Gateway?
Ou M.
June 20
___________________________________________________________________________
Barbacoa
Curry in a Hurry
Bombay House
Del Taco
The Mac store would be amazing. Work your magic on that one.
How about EcoMoto?
That's all I can think of now. Keep harassing and I might come up with more
Reg
June 20
________________________________________________________
Hi Acey,
How about Autozone and Wal-Mart? Smiths Marketplace?
The independant grocery stores? (Macey's, Dans,
Winegars? Reams?)
Home Depot is good too.
Es
June 20
________________________________________________________
How about:
B&D Burgers
Any of the local Coffee Shops (i.e. Coffee Garden, Beans & Brew, etc.)
Ginza
Takashi
Barbacoa
The Pie
Caputo's
man, I must really like food.
Ony B.
June 20
________________________________________________________
Yeah, get me a Bike Collective discount at Wal-Mart!
Step up!
N
June 21
________________________________________________________
"Yeah, get me a bike collective discount at Wal Mart!
Step up!"
Ya'll realize that Wal-Mart is giant corporation that exploits
humans all over our planet and in addition to that, money spent at
any national chain store immediately leaves the community in which
it was spent, economically benefiting a small few individuals.
When you spend money at a locally owned and operated business/store
etc. your money tends to stay in the local community and provide
economic benefits to the entire community.
I was under the impression that the SL Bicycle Collective was all
about building community, not providing incentives to support
exploitative corporations who use that support to further
exploitation.
Give it some thought, yeah?
Acob
June 22
________________________________________________________
(Head spinning, emotions welling, adolescent rage surfacing; keep it in check! Calm, calm...fingers to the keyboard.)
This is where I had a hard time holding my tongue. It's bad enough, this Acob is slamming another's idea (especially, when he had yet to post any ideas, himself), but then to go off on a half-cocked, condescending rant about corporate politics and exploitation of foreign workers, when he has obviously never thought about the issue; only the arguments for and against the issue. (People often forget that there are actual beings at the other end of the issues about which they argue.) Arguments, half-baked at best, thrown around coffee shops in quick-witted banter by semi-intellectual wanna-bes, don't actually make the world go round. At their pinnacle, the most they ever hope to achieve is a flirtatious glance from a passing barista.
Then, to imply the SL Bike Collective is not supporting local merchants, because two people, in a huge email list, mentioned Wal-Mart in email going to the collective, not coming from the collective, is exceptionally...well, junior-high.
The following was my response to the SL Bike Collective, but to the organizers only, thus leaving its posting to their discretion.
________________________________________________________
Dear Acey,
Ohnathan mentioned that certain ideas should not be sent around to everyone on the SLBC group mailing list. So, I thought I would keep my ideas to myself until both of you had a chance to review them, then, forward them to the list, if you see fit.
I know the following is a rant, but I tend to get a little ticked when I hear people monkey-repeating what they hear on the news with little or no thought into the subject matter on their own.
Attn: anti-Wal Mart shoppers.
I applaud your efforts, yet disagree with your logic in respect to discounts and exploitation.
Correct, Wal-mart does not offer any real discount to their employees. Why? Because, stores like Wal-Mart run on quantity sales while maintaining a very low mark up. They do have sales on items at, or below, cost. This is only a gimmick to get customers in the door knowing full well, those consumers will buy other products out of convenience. This is how they put local businesses out of business.
If they offered anyone a discount of any real value, employees included, across the board (as in the discount Acey is looking to employ), they would lose the strategy of impulse purchases of non-sale items (because, everything would then be on sale). So, they would, in effect, lose money. When enough people in the community only support calculated shopping practices, a business can be "shopped" out of business.
This is supporting local business. Not in the respect of $5 in their pocket this weekend, rather, saving their store 5 years down the road. You can buy only the items at Wal-Mart that you are certain are below cost, then, sacrifice convenience, and ride your bike to the local market and purchase those items that will offer profit to your local merchant.
As for exploitation, these people all over the world that you are referring to, would rather be exploited and have a little food on the table for their loved ones, as opposed to watching their family fade away to malnutrition and starvation. I don't care what country you're from, or what national blood runs through your veins, hunger isn't pleasant. It feels the same to your daughter, brother, cousin or neighbor, as it does to a farmer or a laborer on the other side of the globe. The only difference being, the majority of the farmers and laborers of which we speak, lack a social welfare safety net guarding them from ruin.
(Though I am not an avid Michael Strong supporter, he does maintain some valid points concerning Americans applying our values to living situations abroad. People need food first; then, we can work on social reform. If we pull jobs, then instill social reform, many will suffer unnecessary hardship far worse than mandatory overtime in sweatshops. We need to feed people during transition. Jumping too quickly to a desired end result is a strategy that has failed this country on far too many occasions.) (This video was not in the original email.)
So, before people scream "exploitation" (and yes, exploitation is exactly what it is), please keep in mind that exploitation is far preferable to starvation. Social and economic reform need to come first!!
Shopping a store out of existence is a slow process, but it allows time for countries to shift labor concentrations and take care of their citizenry as best as can be managed.
So, to Acey and the efforts of the SL Bike Collective, I say, "Go for it! Get the best possible discount you can. I'll stand at the the register, smile on my face, listening to button-punching of the till, knowing all the while I'm helping Wal-Mart shoot itself in the foot."
Adam B.
June 22
________________________________________________________
I remember, far too well, I remember the look of hungry faces in Myanmar, India, Thailand, Malaysia.
I have seen hunger in other areas, here in the US for instance, but here, there is a much different hue to the situation, when those hungry faces believe the system, our system, to which they belong, will not allow them to completely fall.
June 20
___________________________________________________________________________
Barbacoa
Curry in a Hurry
Bombay House
Del Taco
The Mac store would be amazing. Work your magic on that one.
How about EcoMoto?
That's all I can think of now. Keep harassing and I might come up with more
Reg
June 20
________________________________________________________
Hi Acey,
How about Autozone and Wal-Mart? Smiths Marketplace?
The independant grocery stores? (Macey's, Dans,
Winegars? Reams?)
Home Depot is good too.
Es
June 20
________________________________________________________
How about:
B&D Burgers
Any of the local Coffee Shops (i.e. Coffee Garden, Beans & Brew, etc.)
Ginza
Takashi
Barbacoa
The Pie
Caputo's
man, I must really like food.
Ony B.
June 20
________________________________________________________
Yeah, get me a Bike Collective discount at Wal-Mart!
Step up!
N
June 21
________________________________________________________
"Yeah, get me a bike collective discount at Wal Mart!
Step up!"
Ya'll realize that Wal-Mart is giant corporation that exploits
humans all over our planet and in addition to that, money spent at
any national chain store immediately leaves the community in which
it was spent, economically benefiting a small few individuals.
When you spend money at a locally owned and operated business/store
etc. your money tends to stay in the local community and provide
economic benefits to the entire community.
I was under the impression that the SL Bicycle Collective was all
about building community, not providing incentives to support
exploitative corporations who use that support to further
exploitation.
Give it some thought, yeah?
Acob
June 22
________________________________________________________
(Head spinning, emotions welling, adolescent rage surfacing; keep it in check! Calm, calm...fingers to the keyboard.)
This is where I had a hard time holding my tongue. It's bad enough, this Acob is slamming another's idea (especially, when he had yet to post any ideas, himself), but then to go off on a half-cocked, condescending rant about corporate politics and exploitation of foreign workers, when he has obviously never thought about the issue; only the arguments for and against the issue. (People often forget that there are actual beings at the other end of the issues about which they argue.) Arguments, half-baked at best, thrown around coffee shops in quick-witted banter by semi-intellectual wanna-bes, don't actually make the world go round. At their pinnacle, the most they ever hope to achieve is a flirtatious glance from a passing barista.
Then, to imply the SL Bike Collective is not supporting local merchants, because two people, in a huge email list, mentioned Wal-Mart in email going to the collective, not coming from the collective, is exceptionally...well, junior-high.
The following was my response to the SL Bike Collective, but to the organizers only, thus leaving its posting to their discretion.
________________________________________________________
Dear Acey,
Ohnathan mentioned that certain ideas should not be sent around to everyone on the SLBC group mailing list. So, I thought I would keep my ideas to myself until both of you had a chance to review them, then, forward them to the list, if you see fit.
I know the following is a rant, but I tend to get a little ticked when I hear people monkey-repeating what they hear on the news with little or no thought into the subject matter on their own.
Attn: anti-Wal Mart shoppers.
I applaud your efforts, yet disagree with your logic in respect to discounts and exploitation.
Correct, Wal-mart does not offer any real discount to their employees. Why? Because, stores like Wal-Mart run on quantity sales while maintaining a very low mark up. They do have sales on items at, or below, cost. This is only a gimmick to get customers in the door knowing full well, those consumers will buy other products out of convenience. This is how they put local businesses out of business.
If they offered anyone a discount of any real value, employees included, across the board (as in the discount Acey is looking to employ), they would lose the strategy of impulse purchases of non-sale items (because, everything would then be on sale). So, they would, in effect, lose money. When enough people in the community only support calculated shopping practices, a business can be "shopped" out of business.
This is supporting local business. Not in the respect of $5 in their pocket this weekend, rather, saving their store 5 years down the road. You can buy only the items at Wal-Mart that you are certain are below cost, then, sacrifice convenience, and ride your bike to the local market and purchase those items that will offer profit to your local merchant.
As for exploitation, these people all over the world that you are referring to, would rather be exploited and have a little food on the table for their loved ones, as opposed to watching their family fade away to malnutrition and starvation. I don't care what country you're from, or what national blood runs through your veins, hunger isn't pleasant. It feels the same to your daughter, brother, cousin or neighbor, as it does to a farmer or a laborer on the other side of the globe. The only difference being, the majority of the farmers and laborers of which we speak, lack a social welfare safety net guarding them from ruin.
(Though I am not an avid Michael Strong supporter, he does maintain some valid points concerning Americans applying our values to living situations abroad. People need food first; then, we can work on social reform. If we pull jobs, then instill social reform, many will suffer unnecessary hardship far worse than mandatory overtime in sweatshops. We need to feed people during transition. Jumping too quickly to a desired end result is a strategy that has failed this country on far too many occasions.) (This video was not in the original email.)
So, before people scream "exploitation" (and yes, exploitation is exactly what it is), please keep in mind that exploitation is far preferable to starvation. Social and economic reform need to come first!!
Shopping a store out of existence is a slow process, but it allows time for countries to shift labor concentrations and take care of their citizenry as best as can be managed.
So, to Acey and the efforts of the SL Bike Collective, I say, "Go for it! Get the best possible discount you can. I'll stand at the the register, smile on my face, listening to button-punching of the till, knowing all the while I'm helping Wal-Mart shoot itself in the foot."
Adam B.
June 22
________________________________________________________
I remember, far too well, I remember the look of hungry faces in Myanmar, India, Thailand, Malaysia.
I have seen hunger in other areas, here in the US for instance, but here, there is a much different hue to the situation, when those hungry faces believe the system, our system, to which they belong, will not allow them to completely fall.
Desperation fills the eyes. Desperation for a good meal. Desperation for a sense of dignity, a sense of self. But , never in this country, have I seen the desperation of a hungry child, who wonders if tomorrow will yield any food, much less a meal.
I used to agree with a standard liberal-minded, western economists' take on the situation, spouting text as though the ideas brought to light were of my own creation. And, much the same as Acob, I rode my righteous mule to the market, telling others of their wicked ways. While I recalled inspirational arguments of others, I was filled with passion and vigor, believing, honestly believing, I could help shape the world with my second-hand knowledge, as long as I spoke loud enough.
Soon, that second-hand knowledge, became a drug; my drug. I wanted to know more. I wanted a better understanding of what it was that I so passionately talked about.
Once I had the opportunity to see hunger in a land without social systems in place, my texts, lectures, news clips and every other form of intellectual security, to which my mind so desperately clung, melted away.
A young girl, of approximately 13 years, held the limp body of a baby of no more than 1 year. She tried to rouse the child by gently bouncing up and down, then to and fro. No response from the child; its arms dangled lifelessly around the girl's shoulders. She had a few small pieces of food to offer the child, still, no response. She began to bounce more rapidly. The child stirred, took a bite, and its head fell back to her shoulder.
I had no defense for this; I still have no defense for this. After watching many such instances, I became curious about hunger. I remember feeling hungry as a child, but it was not an experience I had had in a very long time.
One morning, while I was living in Thailand, I woke and just decided I didn't need to eat anything until I had experienced hunger. I was looking for the type of hunger I saw in India and Myanmar; I wanted to live that feeling. One day turned into two days; three days stretched to five. Hiking and swimming all the while to simulate a full day's activity in the life of a working, hungry person.
On day five, I woke to pins and needles in my extremities. When I sat up in bed, I fell over. After about ten minutes, I had my feet under me, and with labored concentration, I made it to the shower. I figured I had had enough. After my shower, I went to get some breakfast. I ordered a salad, and with about two bites, my enthusiasm waned. By the third bite, I was finished. I could not eat for the rest of the day.
I believed I had begun to understand the child's reaction to the food offered by the young woman. Food took on a different meaning, it was foreign, not normal. By habit alone, I knew I wanted to eat; but, what happens to a baby who has yet to build that habit? Once again, I realized I knew very little about hunger.
During my time away from food, I had a lot of time to think about desperation, or what I perceived to be desperation, on the part of some of the people I had seen in my travels. How could I try to experience that desperation? It was then that I realized I could never experience true hunger or desperation. The mere fact that I have once considered it normal to not worry, or even think about, food, means that I have a point of comparison. With that point of comparison, comes the ability to wander back to lavish dinners swimming around in the depths of my mind. Also, I can never experience desperation, when I know my self-deprivation is by choice alone; with a phone call, my family will pull me from any situation. Of all the things my family has offered during my life, I look for two of the most base states. Desperation and hunger; one emotional, one physical, and I can experience neither.
So, when I hear people speak of exploitation, in reference to certain circumstances, my hair stands on end, teeth clench and knuckles turn white. I'm taken back to a different time in my life, a time most people strive to never see.
To Acob,
Now that I've had a chance to mellow and vent, I understand you position...and, I kindly disagree.
To any readers,
If you're looking for any conclusion to this story, you may be disappointed. I've yet to die, so this story will remain unfinished. I was simply walking with you through a triggered memory. This is my life.
3 comments:
I really liked how you started this post, the line "the trigger" really captured my interest and practically forced me to read further.
I thought you did a great job of incorporating conversation, description, and observation throughout the post and utilized multimedia effectively.
I think this is a very good post Adam. There is no lack of detail or insight on your behalf. The structure of the post itself is both unique and effective. By begining with the e-mail conversations the reader has a better understanding of where you are coming from.
My only critique would be length. I was not deterred by the length, though some readers might. On the other hand you have to accept that this author has something important to express, so I wouldn't be to worried about it.
"Of all the things my family has offered during my life, I look for two of the most base states. Desperation and hunger; one emotional, one physical, and I can experience neither."
I tried to reflect on the structure dilema of this sentance. Perhaps a semi-colon after "base states" and a period after "hunger". Either way this is a good informative post.
Considering the medium, it's just way too long. Cut it down, choose shorter videos (or, learn how to edit these videos, then take only the segments pertinent to the overall idea).
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