Giant-grocer corporations here in Canada have been raking-in record profits, year after year, while a record number of people have to choose between which necessities of life they can afford. To say it feels unfair is an understatement, but what can I or most other shoppers realistically do about it?
There still are many Canadians who hold the erroneous notion that they live and buy in a nation with truly competitive and therefore consumer-fair markets. But in reality, big corporations are able to get unaccountably even bigger, defying the very spirit of government oversight rules established to ensure healthy competition by limiting concentrated ownership — especially in regard to corporations selling and profiteering from the necessities of life, notably food.
Those rules, however, are largely un-enforced by the government.
I feel that the heavily corporatized mainstream news-media, which is virtually all of it, has been editorially emasculated thus negligent when it comes to regularly investigating and exposing such societally consequential oversight-rule breaking.
Problematically, elected officials are getting indebted thus beholden to huge corporate entities, largely due to the latter's generous political monetary donations.
Meanwhile, a very large and growing populace are increasingly too overworked, tired, worried and even rightfully angry about food and housing unaffordability thus insecurity for themselves or their family — largely due to insufficient income — to criticize or boycott Big Business/Industry for the societal damage it needlessly causes/allows, particularly when not immediately observable. And I doubt that this effect is totally accidental, as it greatly benefits the interests of insatiable corporate greed.
Still, there must be a point at which corporate greed thus practice will end up hurting big business’s own monetary interests. Or is the unlimited-profit objective/nature somehow irresistible? It brings to mind the allegorical fox stung by the instinct-abiding scorpion while ferrying it across the river, leaving both to drown.
Easy credit is the problem everywhere. People have a tendency to live above their means as they can borrow whatever they need to satisfy WHIMS not necessities.
An example for Americans: Must you drive a new auto? Must it be an overpriced pickup or SUV? Will a serviceable used sedan (think corolla or civic) not work?
Agreed. In Iceland where I live for example, Icelanders are significantly more in debt now than they were pre-2008 crash which caused the entire nation to go bankrupt.
Giant-grocer corporations here in Canada have been raking-in record profits, year after year, while a record number of people have to choose between which necessities of life they can afford. To say it feels unfair is an understatement, but what can I or most other shoppers realistically do about it?
There still are many Canadians who hold the erroneous notion that they live and buy in a nation with truly competitive and therefore consumer-fair markets. But in reality, big corporations are able to get unaccountably even bigger, defying the very spirit of government oversight rules established to ensure healthy competition by limiting concentrated ownership — especially in regard to corporations selling and profiteering from the necessities of life, notably food.
Those rules, however, are largely un-enforced by the government.
I feel that the heavily corporatized mainstream news-media, which is virtually all of it, has been editorially emasculated thus negligent when it comes to regularly investigating and exposing such societally consequential oversight-rule breaking.
Problematically, elected officials are getting indebted thus beholden to huge corporate entities, largely due to the latter's generous political monetary donations.
Meanwhile, a very large and growing populace are increasingly too overworked, tired, worried and even rightfully angry about food and housing unaffordability thus insecurity for themselves or their family — largely due to insufficient income — to criticize or boycott Big Business/Industry for the societal damage it needlessly causes/allows, particularly when not immediately observable. And I doubt that this effect is totally accidental, as it greatly benefits the interests of insatiable corporate greed.
Still, there must be a point at which corporate greed thus practice will end up hurting big business’s own monetary interests. Or is the unlimited-profit objective/nature somehow irresistible? It brings to mind the allegorical fox stung by the instinct-abiding scorpion while ferrying it across the river, leaving both to drown.
Easy credit is the problem everywhere. People have a tendency to live above their means as they can borrow whatever they need to satisfy WHIMS not necessities.
An example for Americans: Must you drive a new auto? Must it be an overpriced pickup or SUV? Will a serviceable used sedan (think corolla or civic) not work?
Agreed. In Iceland where I live for example, Icelanders are significantly more in debt now than they were pre-2008 crash which caused the entire nation to go bankrupt.
How do i get in touch with Leon for advice? Thanks.. Donna
I am surprised the current boom has lasted so long.
The Anti-Citizen will be the hill-billy on steroids !!!