My FB home page says over 5,300,000 "LIKE" Wal Mart.

[Atman]

I would guess that nearly 3/4 of those people are Wal Mart employees and were required to "Like" them...on the demo computer in the cheap electronics department.

[PVnRT]

1. They distribute FB-only coupons and deals that way

A lot of companies do it, and that probably explains the millions of "likes."

[Broderick]

6. LOL

That is certainly what it is... Some folks can read anything into anything though. Kind of like holding a birth certificate up to the scrutiny of epic proportions because there is a smudge on it...

[Lifelong Protester]

2. That number seems a little disegenuous

I think you are right...or they are paid "likers"...

[Logical]

3. I like walmart. And target. And amazon.com. and best buy. n-t

[Atman]

4. I like China. And melamine. And lead. And unemployment in America.

:hi:

[Logical]

7. Where should I shop then? Looking forward to your answer. And I swear....

I see employees at best buy. Like my son who loves his job. I'll let him know you think he is lame for accepting the job.

[Atman]

8. Who mentioned Best Buy? Not me.

Glad your son has a job he likes. Wal Mart...oh fuck, it's been discussed on DU a bazillion times. If you don't know why/how Wal Mart actually HURTS you and your son, brings down his wages, poisons your food, forces local businesses out...I can't offer you anything new in a short DU post.

[Logical]

10. I bet many people who work at Walmart are happy to have the job. n-t

[Atman]

12. These days, largely BECAUSE OF WAL MART, many people are happy to have ANY job.

Do some research, please. Really. Not being snarky. Do some research. There is a world beyond your son's $7.50/hour paycheck.

[Logical]

13. So you think if all Walmarts shut down because of boycotting them...

it would be a good thing?

[Atman]

15. Stretch. Big one.

Did I say anything like that? Of course, if all Wal Marts shut down it would hurt a lot of people. But Wal Mart didn't appear over night. They took a long time to get where they are, and destroyed many communities and small businesses in the process.

Again...do some research. A dozen tube sox for $2 doesn't make Wal Mart good for America.

.

[Logical]

17. But are you suggesting we stop shopping there? Not sure what your goal is. n-t

[Atman]

18. I would strongly suggest that, yes.

I'm not saying "boycott." Many people have NO CHOICE, because Wal Mart shut down all their competition. Many towns in America have no other options now. So people are forced to buy cheap, low-quality crap made by Chinese slave labor instead of being able to support the grocer or hardware vendor who used to occupy that abandoned building on Main Street, further depriving your town of the tax base needed to survive. But many people DO have a choice. I have a Wal Mart nearby. I have never stepped foot in it, and never will. I also have a Big Y grocery store...it is a New England-wide chain, and it is as good as any store you'll find anywhere, and it is owned by a family who has lived in the area forever. I'll go out of my way to purchase goods from Big Y, even if I'm across the street from Wal Mart. Wal Mart is a cancer on America. They sell you cheap crap with no quality control, they treat their employees like slaves, they destroy communities. But I can get $2 tube sox. I guess that makes them okay.

[Logical]

19. I appreciate your answer. So it Target better? There are no small mom and pop owned stores locally.

[Atman]

20. Target is better.

Target has it's own issues. Re-classifying stock people as floor managers so as not to have to pay the same benefits. They also rely heavily on Chinese goods. But they at least TRY to be an American company, and they use local ad agencies and local vendors whenever possible. I don't love Target, I'd still prefer to support a locally-owned business. But they don't compare to the evil that is Wal Mart.

[Logical]

22. Thanks fo the chat! I see the point. n-t

[Atman]

23. Thanks to you, too. I also see your point.

That's the biggest issue. One of my co-workers shops at Wal Mart all the time, even though I know he is paid a decent wage. It's because "stuff is so much cheaper!" WHY it is so much cheaper doesn't matter to him. When America finally wakes up and understands how and why "cheaper" isn't synonymous with "better," we'll make some progress. People need to work and get paid a decent wage in order to purchase goods. Wal Mart doesn't help that situation, it exacerbates it.

Thanks for a reasonable, spirited discussion...now what about those goddam Royals?! ;)

.

[Logical]

24. We need to get damn manufactoring back into this country......

that is the biggest issue.

And the Royals are sucking now!

[slackmaster]

5. I like Wal-Mart but I don't like the slow, lumbering customers who walk abreast and block the aisles

Let faster people go through, for fuck's sake!

[Township75]

9. +1

!

[Atman]

16. I feel the same way about Starbucks...I just wasnt a freaking BLACK COFFEE!

Why do I need to wait behind seven people getting mochachinofrappadappalatteliteskimdecafwithwhippedcream people? They need an express line.

[Township75]

11. In reality, not FB land, many more people like WalMart than 5.3MM

OTherwise, they wouldn't be known anymore than a typical grocery store chain.

[Snoutport]

14. Even Tea baggers need "friends" i guess.

[Terra Alta]

21. I've worked for Wal-mart for over six years now.

I certainly don't "like" them, on Facebook or otherwise. Now if they started treating their associates better, gave us a living wage, and showed some appreciation for all the hard work we do -- I would feel differently. But as long as the Waltons have their billions, screw the little people who work for them!