What do you do

[DS930]

I am not sure if this is the right forum or if this has already been asked but,

What do you do to survive in capitalism? More specifically where do you shop? Since by buying something you are supporting exploiting of the workers I am wondering where to go. Or does it really matter?

Is there a political party or orginization in the US that supports your ideals?

[MysticArcher]

What do you do to survive in capitalism? More specifically where do you shop? Since by buying something you are supporting exploiting of the workers I am wondering where to go. Or does it really matter?

It's difficult at best, but it depends on what you're shopping for

For clothes I always head to the thrift shops, generally I find a few things.

For important stuff I can't make (toothbrush, etc) I buy it just about anywhere (try to avoid really bad places like wal mart)

For furniture and larger items I usually go to garage sales and prowl the streets on garbage day, there's a pretty high class neighborhood like 5 minutes from my house they tend to throw out ridiculous amounts of still usable (as in not broken or gross) stuff. Also when houses are sold, there tends to be a lot of items thrown out just because it's a hassle to transport them

For complex things, mostly electronics, unfortunately you have to buy from somewhere, though getting stuff second hand isn't too bad


mostly I tend to do without, not hard since I'm living on campus

[Scottish_Militant]

Anyone living under capitalism shouldn't really go out their way to "live outside" capitalism. We live under it, we need to buy products to survive, under capitalism products are made from profit, we are fighting for socialism, under socialism products will be made for needs. Don't get worried about buying something because its "capitalist", in a capitalist society you'd be hard pushed to find anything that wasn't.

[Iepilei]

Originally posted by [email protected] 9 2005, 07:53 AM
Anyone living under capitalism shouldn't really go out their way to "live outside" capitalism. We live under it, we need to buy products to survive, under capitalism products are made from profit, we are fighting for socialism, under socialism products will be made for needs. Don't get worried about buying something because its "capitalist", in a capitalist society you'd be hard pushed to find anything that wasn't.
I agree. In many instances it's too difficult to live outside of the system you're submerged it. There is still some things we can do to help prevent the domination of the elite; but many of us are unable to survive outside of it.

Like us here in Texas...

[Abstrakt]

So, you just give in to Boss Tweed and the rest of the capitalist monsters?

Me, personally, I agree with MysticArcher. F.T.S.

[Zingu]

Buy your clothes off ebay!

[TrenzTheLeader]

We (USA) unfoftunately live in a capitalist society and its not like we are negating All material thing I mean obviously we are on computers..!!.. it becomes a problem when the greed not the need is what propells us to go out and aquire something (whether it be buying from an enterprise or a goodwill store) its not bad to buy things (if we need them). its buying nonessential things because they are on T.V. or to be accepted that in my humble opinion is the point where consumerism starts to morph into capatalism which has the capability to turn into imperialism..

[Scottish_Militant]

So, you just give in to Boss Tweed and the rest of the capitalist monsters?

How do you work that one out? We are activley involved in fighting to overthrow capitalism, thats hardly 'giving in' is it? You cannot live 'in socialism' under capitalism.

[Abstrakt]

Um, didn't you claim to not bother to stop buying from capitalist stores? That seems like a good way to overthrow capitalism :D

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

It's about social revolution - not lifestyle revolution.
Real communism is incompatable with living in a capitalist society - one can only realize themselves, not only as a communist, but as a free human being with desires and meaning, in revolutionary action.
Don't define yrself by what you consume - WALMART and Value Village are the same game!
Realize yrself in radical struggle!

Steal something! Violate sodomy laws! Plant a b*mb!

[captain donald]

you gotta eat...but staying away from fast food, especially taco bell, because of how they treat there workers, not the location workers but the ones behind the scene. Also, stay away from Coca Cola products, theres even murders connected with them. I suggest a place like Sprouts becuase its organic and healthy, but thats personal preference. Also clothing wise... www.sweatshopwatch.org/sweatfree
those companies give a more fair pay then what youll get from nike or the wal mart.


Plant a b*mb!

dont blow your hands off

[Scottish_Militant]

Um, didn't you claim to not bother to stop buying from capitalist stores? That seems like a good way to overthrow capitalism


You don't overthrow capitalism from not buying products from big capitalist companies, 99% of the things you will buy in life are made for profit, if you didn't buy anything you'd starve/freeze/die. We need our comrades in the struggle to be alive and healthy, so get this idea out your head.

Capitalism can only be overthrown by the conscious organisation of the working class, united under an internationalist programme for socialist change, this is how we begin to take up the task of changing society. Educate yourself, read, discuss with people, hold meetings, form groups, join groups, set up high street stalls to sell socialist propoganda, with this we lay the foundation of our movements to prepare for the comming struggles that are inevitable under capitalism and imperialism.

[Domingo]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10 2005, 08:44 PM
Um, didn't you claim to not bother to stop buying from capitalist stores? That seems like a good way to overthrow capitalism :D
Man, you just dont get it.

Even if all the people for the cause were not to buy anything from the capitalist, it wouldn't even scratch them economicly. That is all that matters under capitalism: money. So if it doesnt hurt that, why the hell should they care? We cant hit them like that.

The only way you could hurt them is if you were to like plant a bomb in like 12 different capitalist buildings, costings maybe even billions of $'s. I am not suggesting that, but it is probably the only way. They don't care about lossing a minority of customers. :(

[Iepilei]

No one really takes boycotts in this country seriously, anymore. Boycotting a particular product because of their actions rarely does anything to disrupt their business. Only on rare occassions, when it actually gets taken to court, does anything ever get accomplished.

You cannot live in a capitalistic society without paying your tribute to the ruling classes. This is just a simple fact we must all come to terms with and realise. We must refine our image to show people that we're not trying to "take their stuff," rather, offer them a new form of life; one apart from EXCESSIVE consumption.

Curbing one's consumption is the best way to live in a capitalistic society as a socialist.