It seems there's a grassroots movement in the free world to boycott American products, 80% of Swedes are ready to boycott all things American for example.
How do you guys feel about that? For my part, as a gamer and software developer it is very difficult to boycott US companies, I can't do much without Windows or MacOS, I despise Linux for everyday use. Same with phones, to boycott the US is to go back to a dumb phone.
But when it comes to other things it's easier, local brand instead of Heinz or Lay's or whatever.
And what do you fascist pigs over there think? Are you doing your part and boycotting the companies that openly support the government?
For items or services where alternatives are readily available I certainly try to avoid US products from now on. "US products" here includes US-owned. For IT and finance, switching to non-US stuff is often difficult, and not something I plan to do right now at least. Will I stop using American streaming services? Unlikely right now, but when picking something to watch I would choose the non-American movie or TV show, other things being equal. At least that may hurt US production companies and whatnot.
I fully support a boycott in American cars.
Alas I suspect those who would take this up are already doing it.
I've definitely kept track of what companies have kept their DEI initiatives in place and have chosen them whenever possible. The same with foreign and domestic companies who have made stands against the current regime and their horrid policies. I fully support any boycotting of the US. :)
No, I'm unlikely to do so as I don't think it would have much impact beyond adding extra labor for myself. I don't mind those who do.
I've got nothing to boycott.
Good luck to the people who participate. Hope it does some good.
Anecdotal data point for you.
I had five calls yesterday from clients wanting to make sure they were in compliance with the Canadian competition bureau's regulation for advertising their products as either "made in Canada" or "Product of Canada".
The reason? Retailers are scrambling to stock Canadian products because American products are not selling.
You gotta feel for retailers locked into supply agreements with American suppliers. They are getting stuck with inventory they can't sell, and where those products are perishable (fruit and veg for example) the retailers are in some trouble.
As we talked in the Canadian thread boycotting American companies is a phyric victory in Canada. Lay's is the easy example. Yes, it's owned by Pepsi Co but for Quebec's market, products are made locally will local products.
I'm boycotting American products either Made in the USA or Products of the USA. Not that hard outside groceries, everything is made in China.
Well, no.
Our democracy is volatile, but still better than the alternative.
I live in central Virginia, and pretty much everyone I know was a subscriber to the Washington Post. I cancelled my subscription when the whole "Democracy dies in Bezos" announcement was made, and that's pretty universally true among those I have talked to. The school I teach at had a WaPo subscription for each of the three teacher's lounges, but those have been cancelled as well.
I understand the urge to just boycott all things American, regardless of whether that hurts those opposed to Trump or not, because there is no good way of telling the difference. Inside the US, we have the info to be a little more selective in our boycotts.
I generally only boycott companies that do something bad enough to get my attention. That list is starting to get annoyingly long these days <_<
Quote from: grumbler on March 01, 2025, 09:56:27 AMI live in central Virginia, and pretty much everyone I know was a subscriber to the Washington Post. I cancelled my subscription when the whole "Democracy dies in Bezos" announcement was made, and that's pretty universally true among those I have talked to. The school I teach at had a WaPo subscription for each of the three teacher's lounges, but those have been cancelled as well.
I understand the urge to just boycott all things American, regardless of whether that hurts those opposed to Trump or not, because there is no good way of telling the difference. Inside the US, we have the info to be a little more selective in our boycotts.
Same here, canceled my subscription as soon as Bezos blocked the endorsement.
I have cancelled a variety of services which, amazingly, cost over $1k per annum. I have relented on my elder scrolls online subscription though, figuring that the LGBT friendly options in that game will be enraging to the Magerati.
Boycotting WaPo is easy. Amazon is a bit tougher (though I did cancel Prime).
Apropos of nothing, just leaving this link here: https://www.removepaywall.com/ :P
Quote from: grumbler on March 01, 2025, 09:56:27 AMI live in central Virginia, and pretty much everyone I know was a subscriber to the Washington Post. I cancelled my subscription when the whole "Democracy dies in Bezos" announcement was made, and that's pretty universally true among those I have talked to. The school I teach at had a WaPo subscription for each of the three teacher's lounges, but those have been cancelled as well.
I understand the urge to just boycott all things American, regardless of whether that hurts those opposed to Trump or not, because there is no good way of telling the difference. Inside the US, we have the info to be a little more selective in our boycotts.
Same. I've stopped reading the Post as well, with two exceptions. My office still has a WaPo subscription so I pilfer the Sunday comics page for my kids, and I read the Capital Weather Gang's live updates for local weather info, but that's it.
I still have my Prime subscription and card, but will probably cancel soon. I've found ebay and Target to generally be a better option.
Doing all the easy things.
The more difficult thing is trying to figure out how to extract our family from Silicon Valley tech dependence (and would appreciate any advice as well).
Looking at de-googling, switching to proton mail instead of gmail.
Would love to figure out a phone solution that was less exposed to both American and Chinese data harvesting.
If there was a way to get my kids' school to stop using whatsapp groups that would be great, but that's probably a hard battle (and I'm not sure what the alternative is).
I'm not ready to give up XBox gamepass and Steam yet. We're having conversations about Netflix in the family, but they are - as of yet - inconclusive.
I don't think boycotting all American products is such a good idea, different if it were like Apartheid SA in the 1980s where the morale case for avoiding a racist state seemed clear-cut, but a wide ranging a boycott can be used as propaganda by the Trump 'Administration'/'Regime'.
It's best for people to do what they feel comfortable with and without major family ructions, especially given the cultural dominance American and it's products have on younger people especially.
I've got a Proton mail address, the trouble with it is though that Google is just so normalised that Proton sets off a lot of alarm bells with people and often hits spam filters <_<
I've heard proton has a good drive equivalent too.
I've dabbled with switching away from Google search in the past but the alternatives I've tried just aren't as good.
Quote from: HisMajestyBOB on March 01, 2025, 11:10:47 AMI still have my Prime subscription and card, but will probably cancel soon. I've found ebay and Target to generally be a better option.
Yes, it does make sense based on the cost of items, ebay also seems cheaper with same seller vs them on Amazon and they're probably paying small fees as well.
Plus trying to search for a product sold by Amazon itself is a nightmare, as all of that $30 billions worth of advertising revenue, just wrecks one's searches.
Quote from: mongers on March 01, 2025, 03:41:55 PMI don't think boycotting all American products is such a good idea, different if it were like Apartheid SA in the 1980s where the morale case for avoiding a racist state seemed clear-cut, but a wide ranging a boycott can be used as propaganda by the Trump 'Administration'/'Regime'.
It's best for people to do what they feel comfortable with and without major family ructions, especially given the cultural dominance American and it's products have on younger people especially.
I think "as much as you reasonable can, given your circumstances" is a good target, and aiming at more destructive American companies is worthwhile.
From my perspective, the primary targets are big red state companies, especially ones aligned with the Trumpists (fairly easy, I think); and the big companies and VCs that have both bankrolled the Trumpists and who are facilitating his propaganda via big data and social media (much much harder).
Quote from: Jacob on March 01, 2025, 04:39:15 PMQuote from: mongers on March 01, 2025, 03:41:55 PMI don't think boycotting all American products is such a good idea, different if it were like Apartheid SA in the 1980s where the morale case for avoiding a racist state seemed clear-cut, but a wide ranging a boycott can be used as propaganda by the Trump 'Administration'/'Regime'.
It's best for people to do what they feel comfortable with and without major family ructions, especially given the cultural dominance American and it's products have on younger people especially.
I think "as much as you reasonable can, given your circumstances" is a good target, and aiming at more destructive American companies is worthwhile.
From my perspective, the primary targets are big red state companies, especially ones aligned with the Trumpists (fairly easy, I think); and the big companies and VCs that have both bankrolled the Trumpists and who are facilitating his propaganda via big data and social media (much much harder).
Yes that seems reasonable>
It also depends on lifestyle and consumer habits, and for someone like me who isn't into brand there's not muck left to cut out.
I don't really use google, other than a couple of legacy email accounts that sometimes get check and somewhere an android phone, that doesn't get turned on more than handful of times a month.
Microsoft/Bing seems a better option, as they've generally being keeping Trump at more of a distance as compare to the Techbros, perhaps lingering influence of Gates, who after all is a target of trumpists.
I suggest a lot of you here keep going with Steam, as is it really that 'bad' a company?
Quote from: mongers on March 01, 2025, 03:41:55 PMdifferent if it were like Apartheid SA in the 1980s where the morale case for avoiding a racist state seemed clear-cut
At least South Africa was anti-communist. There's nothing good to say about the United States right now.
I'm annoyed. I preferred to buy domestic cars, but obviously that's impossible now. I guess I'll have to go Japanese, since Europeans can't make a good, reliable small SUV.
Quote from: Neil on March 01, 2025, 08:15:54 PMQuote from: mongers on March 01, 2025, 03:41:55 PMdifferent if it were like Apartheid SA in the 1980s where the morale case for avoiding a racist state seemed clear-cut
At least South Africa was anti-communist. There's nothing good to say about the United States right now.
I'm annoyed. I preferred to buy domestic cars, but obviously that's impossible now. I guess I'll have to go Japanese, since Europeans can't make a good, reliable small SUV.
:D
Yeah, what exactly happened to the ant- communists in the republican party? :hmm:
Neil, can't help you one the car front, but have you considered getting a bike? :P
:lol:
I've been boycotting America before it became cool.
Not really, but I try to avoid any US-based service stuff. So Amazon, Netflix, Paypal etc.
Quote from: mongers on March 01, 2025, 08:54:06 PMYeah, what exactly happened to the ant- communists in the republican party? :hmm:
Emigrated to Brest-Litovsk.
So when the rest of NATO stops supporting Ukraine, who will we boycott?
The rest of NATO won't. We're one election cycle away from our own Trumps, but so far, apart from Hungary and Slovakia, we've successfully resisted the Kremlin's disinfo campaigns.
Look to your own house.
I guess this should go here? Not sure how much of an impact (if any) this has.
(https://i.imgur.com/crm4xEV.png)
It will be interesting to see which companies take real action (stop doing business, at least partially), symbolic action (taking down US flags or putting up anti-US signs), or no action against the US.
Ericsson and Spotify have donated money to Trump, so their position is very clear.
I would present discussion with Americans here on this forum around collective responsibility as argument against a collective boycott. If it ever got into a meaningful size it would be a Ln effective propaganda weapon to support Trump. By all means deface Teslas and their stores and find other ways to show that directly supporting the fascist government is not acceptable, but otherwise riding the moral high horse higher than that feels a bit premature on the continent of Le Pen, Farage, the AFD, Orban etc.
Quote from: Tamas on March 02, 2025, 05:55:14 AMI would present discussion with Americans here on this forum around collective responsibility as argument against a collective boycott. If it ever got into a meaningful size it would be a Ln effective propaganda weapon to support Trump. By all means deface Teslas and their stores and find other ways to show that directly supporting the fascist government is not acceptable, but otherwise riding the moral high horse higher than that feels a bit premature on the continent of Le Pen, Farage, the AFD, Orban etc.
Trump didn't need any propaganda weapon to kill Nato and ally with Russia against Ukraine, so I don't think this has to be a concern. We're boycotting Russia so why not the US (rhetorical)? It's not about punishing individual Americans, it's about punishing the US. If Trump was a private citizen doing his revolting stuff then the situation would be different, but he is POTUS and it's the actions of the POTUS (and other actual members of the US government) that is the problem, ie actions of the US. Trump is the head of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Like him or not, he speaks for the US.
Addendum: I'm all for boycotting Hungary. I've been boycotting them for years, and I think it's disgusting that we sell fighter jets to them. If (when) the rest you mention rule their respective countries I will be all for boycotting those countries too.
No concern what so ever needs to be taken for fear of giving the fifth columnists arguments. Their voters live in an alternate reality and no matter what the sane guys do they'll believe whatever lies they feel like.
For fucks sake, last time a big thing was a pedophile ring in random pizzeria to harvest eternal youth drugs. There's nothing we can do that alters the minds of these sick fucks. They are lost.
I boycott not to weaken the US or to harm them, but to strengthen ourselves. If unnecessary money goes to our enemies that's resources ill utilised.
I still hold out hope that the US will realize that its actions are bad, and make appropriate changes (like getting rid of Trump and his henchmen). So boycott as a disciplinary action to improve behavior. Unlike Russia, where I want their economy to descend into subsistence farming and stay there for many generations.
Addendum: even Americans who hate Trump's guts may be more incentivized to remove Trump if their paycheck and medical insurance are in danger.
It's funny. Just the other day watching a German series set in the 70s I was thinking to myself "it's weird how being just the number one company in a country isn't really a thing outside of a few niches these days"
Like, it used to be you'd have totally different companies doing everything in every country. Internationally spread companies like Ford were the exception rather than the norm.
Even more extreme even being number one in a region was a thing. You got loads of people with very succesful careers being famous basically just in the north for instance.
Curious to think we could be going somewhat back that way.
I will support a boycott only if we also boycott every country that has given less to Ukraine.
Quote from: chipwich on March 02, 2025, 12:52:59 PMI will support a boycott only if we also boycott every country that has given less to Ukraine.
Who is the "we" you're speaking of?
Everyone in the world.
I find that when one of my fellow Amerikans starts off a comment or message with, or refers to themselves as, "WE THE PEOPLE...", I am invariably better off tuning out the rest of what is to come.
Was that directed at me? Why would you say such a bizarre non-sequitur?
Quote from: Tonitrus on March 02, 2025, 01:16:38 PMI find that when one of my fellow Amerikans starts off a comment or message with, or refers to themselves as, "WE THE PEOPLE...", I am invariably better off tuning out the rest of what is to come.
Yeah I don't really give a shit about whomever he considers his people. It isn't me.
Zelensky lost it because of the thousands of Ukrainians who have been killed by Putin whilst being asked to grovel for the pocket change (. 04% of US gdp?) handed over by the USA.
We are talking about marginal adverse effects to national budgets and comparing them to a sacrifice of blood. It is contemptible.
Quote from: chipwich on March 02, 2025, 01:02:39 PMEveryone in the world.
I don't think you're speaking for everyone in the world.
Quote from: Jacob on March 02, 2025, 02:47:10 PMQuote from: chipwich on March 02, 2025, 01:02:39 PMEveryone in the world.
I don't think you're speaking for everyone in the world.
It doesn't matter if I speak for everyone in the world. Everyone should only boycott America if they also boycott every country that has given less to ukraine.
I think Chippy, that you are focusing too much on Ukraine.
It's not about Ukraine per se, it's about the deliberate destruction of old alliances and the rules based world order by the Americans. Ukraine is just the symptom.
I don't really see myself boycotting Criterion for instance. Not really aligned with trumpism, a priori. Well, and then there's Criterion UK, does it count? :hmm: Same goes for most boutique labels.
I don't use streaming so I can't boycott it, obviously.
As for amazon, not just .com so .fr etc., for a while I have been trying to to choose other providers, local ones, such as jpc.de in Teutonia, French boutique labels (being in Paris helps).
Not really a boycott since they have a nice AND affordable selection of audiophile music (DVD-Audio SACD Blu-ray audio etc.).
The tough part as said before, is to get rid of the Silicon Valley techno-plutocrats. :hmm:
Steam? I don't like it and don't use it much, but you can't avoid them on computer gaming unless going full console.
Quote from: Threviel on March 02, 2025, 02:53:47 PMI think Chippy, that you are focusing too much on Ukraine.
It's not about Ukraine per se, it's about the deliberate destruction of old alliances and the rules based world order by the Americans. Ukraine is just the symptom.
Europe betrayed those alliances when they sided with Hamas.
Quote from: Jacob on March 02, 2025, 02:47:10 PMI don't think you're speaking for everyone in the world.
Chipwich is a nimrod but you're failing to understand. He didn't speak for anyone, he asked a question about what everyone should do.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on March 02, 2025, 03:04:32 PMQuote from: Jacob on March 02, 2025, 02:47:10 PMI don't think you're speaking for everyone in the world.
Chipwich is a nimrod but you're failing to understand. He didn't speak for anyone, he asked a question about what everyone should do.
Fair enough.
Quote from: chipwich on March 02, 2025, 02:56:59 PMQuote from: Threviel on March 02, 2025, 02:53:47 PMI think Chippy, that you are focusing too much on Ukraine.
It's not about Ukraine per se, it's about the deliberate destruction of old alliances and the rules based world order by the Americans. Ukraine is just the symptom.
Europe betrayed those alliances when they sided with Hamas.
That's exactly what I was talking about. They live in a parallell universe flailing at everyone and projecting their perverted world view. There's no rational argument to be had with these lunatics.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on March 02, 2025, 03:04:32 PMChipwich is a nimrod but you're failing to understand. He didn't speak for anyone, he asked a question about what everyone should do.
I don't see where he asked a question, but whatever.
Quote from: Jacob on March 02, 2025, 04:40:16 PMI don't see where he asked a question, but whatever.
You're right. He stated a condition under which he would join a boycott, which is also not speaking for everyone. But whatever.
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on March 02, 2025, 01:51:43 PMZelensky lost it because of the thousands of Ukrainians who have been killed by Putin whilst being asked to grovel for the pocket change (. 04% of US gdp?) handed over by the USA.
We are talking about marginal adverse effects to national budgets and comparing them to a sacrifice of blood. It is contemptible.
To paraphrase Lord Nelson, Trump lost little honor in his dealings with Ukraine, for god knows he had but little to lose. But he did lose all that he had.
Quote from: chipwich on March 02, 2025, 02:49:01 PMIt doesn't matter if I speak for everyone in the world. Everyone should only boycott America if they also boycott every country that has given less to betrayed ukraine in favor of Russia.
FTFY. The dollar amounts are irrelevant.
That obviously isn't true. You don't see posters demanding boycotts of Hungary Slovakia Austria and every BRIC.
Quote from: chipwich on March 02, 2025, 07:27:06 PMThat obviously isn't true. You don't see posters demanding boycotts of Hungary Slovakia Austria and every BRIC.
The three EU countries don't have any products, but they're already under boycott. Russia is already boycotted. Brazil, India and China didn't betray Ukraine.
Quote from: chipwich on March 02, 2025, 07:27:06 PMThat obviously isn't true. You don't see posters demanding boycotts of Hungary Slovakia Austria and every BRIC.
That's because only one of them (Hungary, subject of posters demanding boycotts of its goods) has openly betrayed Ukraine in favor of Russia. None of them voted against the recent UN Resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The US did vote against, alongside such fellow-countries as North Korea, Sudan, and Nicaragua.
Never thought that chipwich was a Gaijing de Moscou sockpuppet.
Quote from: Neil on March 02, 2025, 07:54:50 PMThe three EU countries don't have any products, but they're already under boycott. Russia is already boycotted. Brazil, India and China didn't betray Ukraine.
Those three are part of the EU and enjoy full trade benefits so you are full of shit.
We're right back at punishing America for previously helping Ukraine and rewarding those that were neutral or openly hostile to Ukraine.
Quote from: chipwich on March 02, 2025, 10:15:28 PMQuote from: Neil on March 02, 2025, 07:54:50 PMThe three EU countries don't have any products, but they're already under boycott. Russia is already boycotted. Brazil, India and China didn't betray Ukraine.
Those three are part of the EU and enjoy full trade benefits so you are full of shit.
We're right back at punishing America for previously helping Ukraine and rewarding those that were neutral or openly hostile to Ukraine.
Boycott. That doesn't mean what you seem to think it means.
Well they aren't putting their boycott (of which I see very little evidence) into public policy.
Quote from: Grey Fox on March 02, 2025, 08:37:25 PMNever thought that chipwich was a Gaijing de Moscou sockpuppet.
Ah, I remember him assuring us that Russia wouldn't invade Ukraine. He kinda stopped posting when they did. :hmm:
That dude lived in western europe all his adult life and still gobbled putin's cock every chance he got. That's why we don't need a "brain drain" from russia. They can keep their shit ass citizens.
Chipwhich is different. He's just an edgelord troll.
Quote from: Grey Fox on March 02, 2025, 08:37:25 PMNever thought that chipwich was a Gaijing de Moscou sockpuppet.
He is just tribal, must pivot with the rest of the far right.
I'm sure lying about people and dog piling will defeat Trump and liberate Hungary. Fuck you. You deserve Orban.
I feel he got a bad press, what he did wasn't that terrible and didn't deserve ostracism,
After all he did was give up a small change of victory and choose instead, via careful positioning and play, to build a moderately successful bating score. :bowler:
Quote from: Threviel on March 02, 2025, 02:53:47 PMI think Chippy, that you are focusing too much on Ukraine.
It's not about Ukraine per se, it's about the deliberate destruction of old alliances and the rules based world order by the Americans. Ukraine is just the symptom.
Yeah.
In Canada, where I believe the boycott originates, it has little to nothing to do with Ukraine and everything to do with the policy and rhetoric Trump is directing at us.
Since Trump, the US is turning on and denigrating allies while simultaneously cosying up to common enemies. IMO, the boycotts are about that, not one specific thing like bullying of Ukraine.
Quote from: Jacob on March 03, 2025, 11:24:35 AMIn Canada, where I believe the boycott originates, it has little to nothing to do with Ukraine and everything to do with the policy and rhetoric Trump is directing at us.
Yeah. Trump got Canada to boycott us before he had been in office a week I think. Boycotting us before it was cool.
And the fact I am boycotting anybody here in the US related to the Trump Presidency, it has zero to do with Ukraine. That would be kind of difficult at this point, as I am not even sure which Trump supporting companies or organizations even support his Ukraine policy. That seems polarizing even among them.
An guide I found useful for myself:
(https://preview.redd.it/zh3e33aulhme1.png?width=543&auto=webp&s=9f9e5bd4a7f4872ba0b555a9dcd403edeb108108)
Use Linux? Holy shit, that is a whole different level of nerd I have never dared to tread.
I already use ecosia.
Giving up Youtube? That one is almost as hard as giving up Windows.
Are any of those competitors non US?
Thanks for sharing, Zoupa.
I did replace my Google Maps with some competitor called 'Here WeGo' which looks like some kind of offshoot of Nokia. It is basically Google Maps but slightly less good. But I don't know much else about it really. It does its job fine.
Quote from: Valmy on March 03, 2025, 08:18:00 PMI did replace my Google Maps with some competitor called 'Here WeGo' which looks like some kind of offshoot of Nokia. It is basically Google Maps but slightly less good. But I don't know much else about it really. It does its job fine.
And you can probably have an entirely off-line version of that too?
I know I've got it on and older nokia, which functions as a non-internet mapping device.
I'm not adopting Linux. That's a bridge too far.
You can't interact with the internet without interacting with the US, but I'm going to continue. It's an American enterprise. I'm willing to stretch that forbearance to using an American OS.
I use Linux Mint in a personal capacity. I like it alot.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on March 03, 2025, 07:07:32 PMAre any of those competitors non US?
They're all EU based. (I think)
Quote from: Valmy on March 03, 2025, 06:30:39 PMUse Linux? Holy shit, that is a whole different level of nerd I have never dared to tread.
Steam OS is Linux and is now being opened up for general use. It's a superior platform than Windows for the 95%+ of titles that play on it through Proton.
I was skeptical too but Steam Deck converted me.
I've been using self-hosted NextCloud in place of iCloud, etc. since the start of the pandemic.
Right now it's running on a Raspberry Pi running their offshoot of Debian Linux, but in the future I plan to upgrade to a tower running FreeBSD. :nerd: