We’re really, really good about supporting local independent businesses in the Bay Area. We rally against big-box retailers encroaching our space (with the exception of the beloved Target) and the thought of being caught at or having supported these behemoths is unsettling. That’s not a surprise. Many of us fled our hometowns where strip malls and chain stores run rampant. We’ve seen the People of Wal-Mart in real life. Some people might call us obnoxious or pretentious, but it’d be horrifying to live in a place like that again.
Even if we’re unaware of real studies and science on how local, indie businesses enrich our quality of life and community, we champion them because our friends and neighbors are the ones behind them. We feel good about spending our money there and are wise to the truth that our dollar often speaks louder than a vote (depressing as that may be). Most of the time, the quality of the products and services is far superior anyways. How could they not be? These folks are loving their work, working their love and taking a risk to do it.
Events like Renegade Craft Fair support indie biz, but don’t wait for them to start making a difference.
Yet as much as supporting indie business is overwhelmingly accepted as the right (or even hip) thing to do, I find myself startled about how we stray from our beliefs (myself included). I found myself shopping on sites like Amazon and Soap.com on the regular, ignoring that I’m supporting what I’ve said I can’t stand. Jim Gaffigan puts it best when he says “It’s all McDonald’s” to describe reading US Weekly or watching Glee. How is Amazon any better than shopping at Wal-Mart? I’m using Amazon here as an example again because it really is a company that has endeared itself to us, despite all the wrong it perpetuates. It’s as if cheap prices and convenience are all it takes for us to forget questionable business practices, labor issues and its not so secret plans for domination. And that’s sad to me. Why are we heralding a business like that and looking up to it? There are much better things and people to aspire to in this world. We know better.
I understand that many of us are just trying to make it here in a land of skyrocketing rent and housing prices. I’m not expecting us all to boycott anything because it’s probably infeasible and maybe there is something you like way better about a larger company. But can we cut back just a little bit? Probably. Is paying a few more bucks for something now going to break you? No. When you’re doing it to support what you believe in, it’s an investment and proclamation of love for your local community. Not having the time to participate is not a good excuse if it’s really important to you. We make time for what’s important in our lives.
I’m challenging myself this year to get better. I can buy my coffee beans from friends that need my support and take the time to source as fair and sustainably as they can. If I want to read a book in paperback, I can use Indiebound or hop on over to a local bookstore and ask for it. God forbid I have to wait a couple days for them to find me a copy. Life should never be too busy to prevent you from making decisions aligned with your values. If it is, maybe it’s time to re-assess your priorities.
I’m not going to be perfect in my efforts, but that’s not what it’s about. It’s about improving and making the best choices a habit. I can no longer pretend that buying cheap foreign goods from factories doesn’t in some way contribute to pollution, poor health and birth defects – just because I don’t see it right in front of me. I don’t need to have items I can readily find in my city shipped across the country and pollute our skies just because it’s drizzling out and I’m a lazy bastard. I know better.
As an educated person I feel like I have a responsibility to act on the knowledge I’ve been so fortunate to receive. If you really love the internet, use it not just to fill voids of boredom or to seek positive feedback from your friends, but learn and improve the world around you. This goes for whatever you believe in. It’s time participate and walk the walk. It’s going to start with a couple of us to change things around here, but at least it’s something we can be proud of.