I Won't Feel Helpless

I said we were getting a bit off topic because I had jumped into debating the merit of big-box stores instead of the broader idea of how and why we should use our degrees. I think the former is pretty interesting, but probably not central to the latter.

Again, I understand that there are externalities in pretty much every action one takes. I think where we disagree is that I may have a different worldview – a different perspective on how society could (and should) look – than, say, Raytheon. My aims are different (in many cases very different) than theirs. Therefore, I couldn’t see myself both holding onto my worldview and taking Raytheon as a client. If they are willing to pay for a certain outcome in the courtroom, I can be pretty sure that such an outcome goes against what I hope to create in the world and so helping them achieve that outcome works against the change I hope to create. I understand that is bad for Raytheon and perhaps (but we don’t really know) bad for some of their employees and their families and a local economy, etc: I see those externalities. All I am saying is that it doesn’t make sense for me to waste any of my time working as a hired gun for an entity I don’t support when I could be working as a hired gun for one that I do.

As for Wal Mart, I strongly disagree that the interests of the company and the interests of the workers overlap. Perhaps the interests of the managers, vice presidents, and board members overlap with those of the shareholders, but to say that the company has the interest of the cashier who they pay next to nothing, offer little to no befits, etc. seems wrong. Sure, if the store closes that person would be out of a crappy job. However, a return to a small-business oriented marketplace would increase jobs (The study conducted, cited at http://www.bigboxswindle.com/, indicates that overall employment actually falls when mega-retailers enter a community.) and so the loss would be short term at most – especially since big box store drive down wages, disproportionately increase local pollution, and generally aren’t good neighbors.

Your final argument (why bankruptcy for Wal Mart is bad) reads, to me, as a call for continuing business as usual for fear that a shake-up might have short-term problems for families immediately affected. I guess I am willing to make that sacrifice if it means getting to a place where one can make a comfortable living if they work hard. That place does not exist at Wal Mart. You might disagree and, if so, it would be in accordance with your worldview to work as a hired gun for Wal Mart.

-- AdamCarlis - 22 Jan 2008