What’s involved?
The economic system that our society mostly uses is called the free market system.
The underlying principles include the idea that if you allow competition in the marketplace and let everyone fight for themselves, then ultimately everything will end up better for the greater good. The idea is that this happens as a result of the 'hidden hand' (Adam Smith - the father of modern free market economics).
Maybe this sounds a little foreign to some of you who are thinking 'then why is it that we are all fighting issues turning up in which companies are engaging in activities which destroy competitors, the environment or the community - and not doing anything for the greater good?'
Well I think the main answer is the average consumer in this system is
passive and not fully informed. As part of the free market system, consumers are supposed to
act on what they know and be fully informed about all the products and ingredients or processes used for manufacture etc.
Well, as you and I know, this idea is almost farcical in our world. However, there are numerous cases in which marketing strategies focus on avoiding consumers having full information and cases where consumers of a service or product know something about it that they disapprove of but choose to ignore this and buy it, watch it etc anyway.
These people now have no right to criticise the producer of this good or service in any way! Why? Because they bought it. In this system the act of purchase is the acceptance of what the company is doing. (and in the case of TV, watching it is purchase of a service)
So if you feel strongly about something like worker's conditions, animal rights, the environmental effects of industry, censoring of TV or types of programs that should be allowed - the onus is on YOU!
ACT on what you know and if you don't know,
find out. Also, if a good or service provider won't provide the information - they are probably hiding something.
REMEMBER As a consumer in this system YOU have the ultimate power. If you don't buy it, they won't sell it!
Why should people do this?
