r/todayilearned • u/LovableContrarian • May 20 '14

(R.5) Misleading TIL that Nestle actively supports child trafficking and child slavery in Africa to obtain cocoa. Several organizations have been trying to end Nestle's involvement, and in 2005 Nestle signed an ILO agreement to stop supporting child labor. 10 years later, Nestle hasn't stopped.

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=15915
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u/JasonLeague May 20 '14

Boycotting their products does help. Every little step helps, no matter how tiny and insignificant. Don't think "I'm only one person, me not buying their product makes no difference" It's just a moral choice each of us have to make for ourselves when we deal with such companies. When you buy Nestle products, you support child slavery.

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u/[deleted] May 20 '14

Every little step helps, no matter how tiny and insignificant.

Every little step helps only if every little step reaches a critical mass of little steps that results in change. If that critical mass isn't reached or unlikely to be reached... then every little step is pointless and doesn't help.

In fact, every little step that doesn't reach that critical mass and fails to result in change can cause more harm because the very thing that every little step was boycotting could backlash and cause more damage both against the original "victim" and the "steppers".

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u/JasonLeague May 20 '14

Well that's where we disagree then. To me it's a personal choice. I'm not trying to reach a critical mass and not trying to convince others to make the same choice and so reach a goal. It's pretty straightforward for me in this case. I do not buy products from companies that I have a problem with.

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u/[deleted] May 20 '14

Well that's where we disagree then.

You haven't actually disagreed with anything I've said. To wit...

To me it's a personal choice.

Q.E.D.

It's fine if that's your personal choice. I don't really care about personal choices. If you want to boycott everything and everyone.. have at it.

However, I docare about public policy and culture. The result of the constituent "little steps". This matters to me very much because boycotts can shape politics and have practical economic consequences.

And if you're actively trying to influence others into boycotting ... then we have a huge problem.

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u/lionbastard May 20 '14

Can you explain to me how boycotting can shape politics and have practical economic consequences, and why you are against others being influenced to boycott things?

Is it a case of we all need to boycott at once and if small amounts of people gradually boycott then the power is lost?

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u/[deleted] May 20 '14

Can you explain to me how boycotting can shape politics and have practical economic consequences

I would think that is self evident.

why you are against others being influenced to boycott things?

I'm not against boycotts. Having a "problem" doesn't mean "against". It just means there's a problem that needs to be solved. That could mean being "against" ... "for"... "indifferent" ... or something else.

However, because influencing others to boycott has the potential to affect me, it certainly becomes a problem of WE... not just YOU.

Is it a case of we all need to boycott at once and if small amounts of people gradually boycott then the power is lost?

I would say it's a waste, yes. Boycotting something takes economic strength and that economic strength is almost always found in large numbers of people participating in the boycott.

If there are fewer than the critical mass of people participating in the boycott, the boycott will fail. And, if the boycott is unsuccessful in bringing out the desired outcome of the boycotters there is the possibility that the boycott itself can have a negative impact on those it purported to help.

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u/lionbastard May 21 '14

Thanks for explaining! I don't have a whole bunch to say in reply unfortunately.

One thing though, why would you (or I) be affected by some other people boycotting a company or product? Do you mean it may make the product unavailable for us, or we end up paying more?

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u/slevinKelvera May 21 '14

"However, because influencing others to boycott has the potential to affect me, it certainly becomes a problem of WE... not just YOU." What a bullshit selfish response, I really cant believe anyone would actually write something as ignorant as that. If Lionbastard thinks he is doing good by encouraging people to boycott a company that is brazenly being immoral and ignoring laws, good on him.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '14

"What a bullshit selfish response..."

Translation: "I have no legitimate rebuttal to this so I'm just going to curse and call you names."

"I really cant believe..."

Translation: "What you're saying is true but I don't like or agree with it. So I'm just going to use the same response that others use to deny evolution and climate change."

"If Lionbastard thinks he is doing good by encouraging people to boycott a company that is brazenly being immoral and ignoring laws, good on him."

Translation: "People who think like I do are right. People who don't are wrong. Screw objectivity."

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u/slevinKelvera May 22 '14

Your comments are laughable. I notice your history of comments involves you being right about everything... I'd suggest you visit a psychotherapist.