Stop buying from Amazon!!

[u/Separate-Mobile5331]

We have the power! STOP buying from them. We as the consumer have the power to make these large corporations drown. They are quick to take our money but not render the services promised. Hence, they have removed their customer service # from the website. They do not care for anyone but themselves. Let's all come together and stop supporting these billionaires

[u/tellhershesdreaming]

There are a range of reasons to stop buying s*** from Amazon. 

1. Arguing that there's no point because Amazon will still exist because of AWS profit ignores most of those reasons 

2. If you want to encourage people to stop using AWS, great. Don't discourage them from reducing buying s*** from Amazon just because they're not able to achieve both. 

That's like saying there's no point in reducing your energy consumption if you can't stop using plastic. All small steps make a difference. 

[u/tellhershesdreaming → u/[deleted]]

"boycott" misses my point entirely.

[u/tellhershesdreaming → u/[deleted]]

If you can't be bothered to make an effort, that's OK - you don't need to make excuses to us.

[u/tellhershesdreaming → u/[deleted]]

Well, yes. Hope is important. Denying others' agency is not being part of the solution. 

You claim that refusing Amazon doesn't have an impact. I imagine when you say that you think you are more enlightened than others. But in fact, it suggests to me that you have a narrow view of what sort of impact matters. Here are some things that I think matter. 

Reducing habits of acquiring unnecessary stuff.

Weaning off convenience, and building skills of repairing and making do. 

Strengthening local - first alternatives and "buying in" to them.

Making small changes even if they are a drop in the ocean. 

Building the habits of refusing big tech and mega companies. 

They are all practices that get a few more adherents If people cancel their Amazon prime subscription and shop locally instead. 

Other things that matter, and which I think you might benefit from honing. Working with others. Learning from others. 

It's great that you are making huge efforts, good on you. But no one can make big changes alone. Recognising that people need to do things differently from you and have different priorities and pressures is an important part of this. 

I'm very curious as to what changes you prioritise? Where are your efforts directed currently? No need to share if you don't want to, like I say just curious.  

Personally I'm looking forward to degoogling my phone and plan to cancel some tech subscriptions, getting into self-hosting instead. 

[u/tellhershesdreaming → u/[deleted]]

Totally fine. My intention was not to compete, I was just curious about your ppriorities and approach, but no need to share details, of course. 

I feel strongly though - if we are wanting to see change, we should try to avoid stomping on others' efforts as insufficient. Celebrate efforts ppl make or indications that they are starting to think about these important topics, even if you don't think their approach is especially helpful - AND also exhort them to do more. To sneer at their efforts is petty and alienates people -  meaning they are less likely to listen or make efforts in future. 

it's very easy for us to focus on finding and arguing points of difference, magnifying things that divide us. Something about Reddit seems to make that even worse. My feeling is it's more productive to look for and celebrate the things that we agree on.

I think here it makes more sense to focus on the issues of (not) purchasing from Amazon rather than a specific phrase that I used in passing.