Is It Morally Wrong to Patronize Businesses that Go Against Your Beliefs? [Archive]

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TheN3rdyOutcast

January 4th, 2015, 11:54 PM

PinkFloyd

January 5th, 2015, 12:13 AM

I don't think it's morally wrong. I choose to not go to Chic-Fil-A because their CEO is a homophobic asshole. It would be fine with me if there were rumors of him being this way but no; He makes open statements about it...

Babs

January 5th, 2015, 01:01 AM

It's perfectly okay to not want to support a business run by someone who is openly hateful. Likewise, I also think it's okay to continue going to Chick-Fil-A, even though I would be iffy about it.

Jem310

January 5th, 2015, 01:10 AM

I don't believe it is wrong. If I know a company, movie, franchise, etc. is openly against something I believe in, it is natural for me not to support them in any shape or form. Don't worry, I also feel a little bit guilty if I purchase or do something that somehow supports the company that openly discriminates againt what I believe in. :D

David_L2

January 5th, 2015, 02:51 AM

I do feel like a hypocrite but sometimes there is no other choice...Been a while since I read an article about it but McDonalds does pretty crappy things to its employees and the environment but if its 2am and I am hungry, that is where I am going...

Human

January 5th, 2015, 02:19 PM

Although I sometimes hate what companies are doing, sometimes it's just more convenient to go to the place, and if I'm going to a restaurant I'm going for the food not what the political preferences of the company are

phuckphace

January 5th, 2015, 07:37 PM

every time you eat at Chic-fil-A it's like you're personally assassinating Harvey Milk all over again. you can atone for your sin only by offering your firstborn child to Planned Parenthood as a blood sacrifice.

dirtyboxer55

January 9th, 2015, 03:24 PM

who tf cares honestly
its chicken

thatcountrykid

January 9th, 2015, 05:30 PM

people act like that just because the ceo is religious that their employees share the exact same views. the only people you really hurt are the little guys. like the user above said. its chicken. not a anti gay poster.

SethfromMI

January 9th, 2015, 05:37 PM

I am bisexual but I love me some Chic-Fil-A . I wish we had one closer

phuckphace

January 9th, 2015, 10:01 PM

my town has two. idk what it is but I always feel like going there on Sundays when they're closed :lol3:

Miserabilia

January 10th, 2015, 05:51 PM

It's kind of the same thing as being vegan if you think about it.
Does it really help animals if you simply don't buy the meat? Because the meat is still there. But morally they think it's better, and on the long term it could help for meat to be sold unseccesfuly and therefore less animals being slaughtered.

TheN3rdyOutcast

January 10th, 2015, 06:52 PM

Vilnius

January 11th, 2015, 01:41 AM

I don't think it's wrong to avoid a business if you don't agree with their views. It's your choice whether or not your money goes to the company and what they may donate to.

Also, while we're on the subject of Chick-fil-a, when my town was opening it's Chick-fil-a, despite the fact that you could drive 45 minutes to get it somewhere else, literally HUNDREDS of people were camping out in the parking lot the night before, all because the first 100 customers would get free meals for a month. It was pretty scary, to say the least.

James Dean

January 11th, 2015, 04:30 AM

I don't think it is. I just find it confusing sometimes because so many companies are lumped and merged together under the same name that I can't really say I won't eat at restaurant A, or shop at store B. Because I like to drink sodas by C, which is probably owned by both companies A and B. lols.

But people should do what they want and sometimes boycotting and stuff of that sort works, and other times it doesn't.

phuckphace

January 11th, 2015, 04:32 AM

It's kind of the same thing as being vegan if you think about it.

it's *literally* the same thing actually. vegans like to go out of their way to make sure everyone knows they don't eat animal products even though the actual impact is zero. it's a cause that strokes the ego and lets one feel morally superior, and people really like low-effort causes that look good as hashtags and bumper stickers.

the CFA "controversy" is even more hilarious. you have a small handful of crybaby millennials refusing to pay a few bucks for a chicken sandwich and thinking they're showing the bigots what for. yeah, CFA is a BAD company, unlike Apple and Microsoft and Sony and Google, to whom I will happily donate all of my allowance!

SethfromMI

January 13th, 2015, 09:02 PM

it's *literally* the same thing actually. vegans like to go out of their way to make sure everyone knows they don't eat animal products even though the actual impact is zero. it's a cause that strokes the ego and lets one feel morally superior, and people really like low-effort causes that look good as hashtags and bumper stickers.

the CFA "controversy" is even more hilarious. you have a small handful of crybaby millennials refusing to pay a few bucks for a chicken sandwich and thinking they're showing the bigots what for. yeah, CFA is a BAD company, unlike Apple and Microsoft and Sony and Google, to whom I will happily donate all of my allowance!

I am a member of PETA. People Eating Tasty Animals

Sugaree

January 14th, 2015, 12:29 AM

(I have no idea why I'm here, and I would prefer not be torn to shreds...this sub-forum gives me the willies)

This is more or less a personal issue. For instance, whenever I go into Chick-fil-a (a company that is against gay marriage) I feel tinges of guilt, because I'm indirectly supporting a cause that I don't believe in, or dare I say disagree with (Don't peg me down on my political beliefs, because that's not what I cam here for)

Do you ever feel guilt for such a thing? Is it morally wrong? Or am I just being a paranoid little shit as usual?

Chick-fil-A, as a company, does not have a policy that openly condones the mistreatment of gay customers, nor is it a company with the purpose of being anti-homosexual. Its owner is a man who, for religious reasons, does not support gay marriage and he, as a private individual, can do with his money as he pleases. The fact that his income comes from the fact that he's the CEO of Chick-fil-A is not worthy of note. It's not like the 10 bucks you spend on a sandwich, fries, and milkshake all go to him. He probably doesn't even get 1% of total sales in a day at any one location. Does he make more over the long run? Yes. But it's not like he's getting that much a day.

It's a free market. If the owner of Company A says "I disagree with [insert random, non-consequential social issue here]", that's them. You're open to continue going there or taking your business else where. Is it morally wrong to patronize Company A if they don't agree to your world view? No, but it IS rather childish.

Imagine if the only grocery store chain in your area has an owner that doesn't agree with abortion, and half the population of the area stopped going to that chain of stores...what would happen? They would starve. Sure, you've got farmer's markets and organic mills, but how far are those really going to go? See, you have to learn to prioritize things. If someone you've never met before and have no chance of meeting disagrees with your opinion, it is not going to affect you on any type of scale.

Putting political and ideological views ahead of common sense and rationality does not make things better.

phuckphace

January 14th, 2015, 01:12 AM

CFA is, from what I can tell, one of the few remaining examples of an ethical business. their food is better quality than most fast food chains, the restaurants are always spotless and parents who take their young children into the kid's play area don't have to worry about their kids finding used heroin needles or dirty condoms in the playhouse. the owners could open the restaurants on Sundays and make a few tens of millions of dollars more, but they've chosen not to out of religious conviction, which I can totally respect.

no, I think I'd rather give all my money to megacorporations who actively engage in economic treason and lobbying to change the rules of accountability so they can make more money and to hell with the consequences :lol3:

Vlerchan

January 18th, 2015, 05:42 PM

Imagine if the only grocery store chain in your area has an owner that doesn't agree with abortion, and half the population of the area stopped going to that chain of stores...what would happen? They would starve.
I'd imagine rather that the surplus demand would entice more 'ethical' grocers (/supply) into the market.

Because niche establishments form all the time to cater to things like this.

---

On topic I think it depends on what the firm is doing.

I'd rather avoid a firm that makes use of slave- or child-labour for example.

tasminsmith

January 18th, 2015, 06:56 PM

definatley not, prostitution could be considerd a business and thts bad so I wouldn't say its morally wrong to patronize that or other businesses

Gumleaf

January 18th, 2015, 07:07 PM

I understand where you are coming from and agree with you. My example is a different slant altogether. I'm a fan of social justice, for example, businesses that undercut poverty stricken countries to export goods for their business to sell. Many businesses do this either willingly or not, so if I have the option to buy fair trade products, i'll do that. But the reality is, I don't always do that and sometimes through either being misinformed or lazy or whatever, I still buy from non fair trade companies. I think it's a good idea to take a stand for what you believe in and it's fair to feel guilty when you don't.