#privilege

I've been thinking about this one quite a bit lately. I'm wondering:

To what extent is it a question of economic or social #privilege to be able to make this choice at all? An example from my own life: as the pressures of #inflation continue, it feels like less of a choice to have this-or-that store app with #coupons and #discounts and whatnot on my phone. Even if I minimize the disturbance as much as possible by turning off #notifications, I'm still giving up a little sliver of my available attention in exchange for a (questionable?) economic benefit.

Also, for someone who is saddled with a lot of responsibilities or #mentalload or both, especially when time is low and a lot of planning and coordination is required, how realistic is it that one could make the shift away from depending so much on the phone?

Or looking at it another way, how much is this a realistic solution and how much is it a #romantic wouldn't-that-be-nice kind of idea? And even if it is realistic, my personal experience has shown that trying to make any change on my own is difficult at best; I wonder if it's helpful to put so much responsibility on each individual person. Pandora's box is open. What are we going to do about it now?

#economicPrivilege #socialPrivilege #digitalMinimalism

Here's the thing about boycotting a business that a lot of folks seem to gloss over - the flexibility to boycott is often rooted in #privilege. Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, sometimes these are the only ways people are able to afford food, clothes, Christmas gifts, etc.

Maybe it's just been my personal experience but the "Don't shop at Amazon" crowd seem to be the most ignorant about the #classism inherent in their blanket statements. I've had money be tight enough where a couple of bucks in price makes a big difference and Amazon was my cheapest option.

I remember when the zergling was in diapers, Amazon was the cheapest available option for us and when I was laid off and had no safety net, $8 out of my unemployment check made a big difference. I could get 5 or 6 boxes of spaghetti with that $8 at that time.

Bear in mind that time == money too and sometimes even if it's a break-even to shop locally, a person doesn't have the privilege of available time to be able to get to a certain store and buy locally and their only option is to buy from a place like Amazon online or a local Wal-Mart.

Now to be clear, I'm not saying there's no point in a #boycott, far from it in fact. What I *am* saying is it's important to understand the privilege inherent in being able to do so. When you can afford to do so, letting your wallet do the talking is great. That's a choice only you get to make for yourself though. You don't know how much money someone else has, or how much time they have to shop around and trying to shame them only makes you look bad. It takes what was a moral stance and turns it into masturbatory, performative BS.

I know your heart is in the right place and you're passionate, but don't let that blind you to the fact that who deserves attacks are the monopolized companies like Amazon, not the people who have too little time or money to be able to shop other options.

Markatu gabea=hegemonikoa⏬
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https://mastodon.social/@autogynamelia/110591392988418691
Being #unmarked is a #privilege enjoyed only by the dominant groups in a coercive #hierarchy. When people start using a word for them too, they're dragged down to the level of the groups whom they oppress. They feel their privilege slipping away, and they react with hostility.

That's how we get crap like "#Cis is a slur".

#cisgender #cissexual #trans #transgender #transsexual #nonbinary #queer #power #oppression #marginalization #marked