Comments on: The Karmic Consequences Of Wal-Mart http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/ Online travel magazine dedicated to exploring travel in the 21st century. Offering travel news, compelling interviews, online travel tools, and more. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:57:15 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: ianmack http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-1376 ianmack Tue, 10 Apr 2007 20:44:27 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/#comment-1376 thanks for the follow up Derek. very interesting essay and more inspiring food for thought. thanks for the follow up Derek. very interesting essay and more inspiring food for thought.

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]]> By: Derek C. Wallace http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-1374 Derek C. Wallace Tue, 10 Apr 2007 20:27:45 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/#comment-1374 Guess it would help if I posted the link, huh? http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=51569063&blogID=192714473&Mytoken=2935AFDD-4FCA-40D4-9AD10E1F1511CEB473306943 Guess it would help if I posted the link, huh?

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=51569063&blogID=192714473&Mytoken=2935AFDD-4FCA-40D4-9AD10E1F1511CEB473306943

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]]> By: Derek C. Wallace http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-1287 Derek C. Wallace Fri, 06 Apr 2007 01:14:36 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/#comment-1287 Cameron, I can certainly sympathize with the crisis of conscience you've felt. I wrote the script for a future video piece titled "An Inside Job" specifically in response to it: I hope you, and everyone who responded here, will take a few moments to check it out. Here's an excerpt: "The 'inside job' I mention in the title of this video refers to making ourselves into the changes we wish to see in the world. Everyday now, I'm waking up more and more to how much power I have as a conscious consumer of food, products and services. I thoroughly believe that if you take the time to analyze your own lifestyle choices, you will find many, MANY ways you can improve your situation by simplifying. And by simplifying, you can begin to balance your budget and free up more time in your schedule to do the things you really want to do. And I thoroughly believe that THIS is how you can best influence the corporations and organizations whose polices and practices you want to change. No need to buy lottery tickets or rely upon get-rich-quick schemes. Not when you can work smarter and invest all that spare capital into getting rich at the rate of one freedom per lifestyle choice." "Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine. What I have to do is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn." -Henry David Thoreau, "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience"- Cameron, I can certainly sympathize with the crisis of conscience you’ve felt. I wrote the script for a future video piece titled “An Inside Job” specifically in response to it:

I hope you, and everyone who responded here, will take a few moments to check it out. Here’s an excerpt:

“The ‘inside job’ I mention in the title of this video refers to making ourselves into the changes we wish to see in the world. Everyday now, I’m waking up more and more to how much power I have as a conscious consumer of food, products and services. I thoroughly believe that if you take the time to analyze your own lifestyle choices, you will find many, MANY ways you can improve your situation by simplifying. And by simplifying, you can begin to balance your budget and free up more time in your schedule to do the things you really want to do. And I thoroughly believe that THIS is how you can best influence the corporations and organizations whose polices and practices you want to change. No need to buy lottery tickets or rely upon get-rich-quick schemes. Not when you can work smarter and invest all that spare capital into getting rich at the rate of one freedom per lifestyle choice.”

“Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine. What I have to do is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn.”

-Henry David Thoreau, “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience”-

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]]> By: JennDZ http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-1279 JennDZ Thu, 05 Apr 2007 19:14:24 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/#comment-1279 Well Ian, let's hope more people start doing that! We need to change the economic situation of this country and other countries in order so that people aren't forced to shop at Walmart because it is what they can afford. Until we shift that dynamic, it is going to be hard to pull people away as much as they themselves might want to. Well Ian, let’s hope more people start doing that!
We need to change the economic situation of this country and other countries in order so that people aren’t forced to shop at Walmart because it is what they can afford. Until we shift that dynamic, it is going to be hard to pull people away as much as they themselves might want to.

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]]> By: ianmack http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-1272 ianmack Thu, 05 Apr 2007 15:10:09 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/#comment-1272 Jenn - i agree, to blame Wal-mart for the world's woes is like blaming George Bush. He's a manifestation of a particular world view that is representative of a (shrinking) amount of Americans. Yet, as I think Cam points out, a corporation is merely made up of people who can make a difference - by aligning themselves with higher values and purpose. Jenn – i agree, to blame Wal-mart for the world’s woes is like blaming George Bush. He’s a manifestation of a particular world view that is representative of a (shrinking) amount of Americans. Yet, as I think Cam points out, a corporation is merely made up of people who can make a difference – by aligning themselves with higher values and purpose.

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]]> By: JennDZ http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-1271 JennDZ Thu, 05 Apr 2007 14:48:20 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/#comment-1271 This is a very heated topic and one that I am passsionate about. Ideally it woudld be great if Walmart did not exist, but it goes much deeper than that. it has to do with the economy of the world. Things need to be changed from above, and from below. I agree with Cam, we can always do better, strive for better, but in most cases it takes years to accomplish something like getting rid of Walmart, because in the end it isn't really about Walmart, Walmart is a representation of what the world economy is becoming which asks the bigger question: How do we get out of it? Everyone needs to do their part. If everyone did their part, like recycling for example, it would make a world of difference. At least people are becoming more aware of what is going on, THAT in itself is a great start. So things happen, they just happen slowly, sometimes. This is a very heated topic and one that I am passsionate about. Ideally it woudld be great if Walmart did not exist, but it goes much deeper than that. it has to do with the economy of the world. Things need to be changed from above, and from below.

I agree with Cam, we can always do better, strive for better, but in most cases it takes years to accomplish something like getting rid of Walmart, because in the end it isn’t really about Walmart, Walmart is a representation of what the world economy is becoming which asks the bigger question: How do we get out of it?

Everyone needs to do their part. If everyone did their part, like recycling for example, it would make a world of difference. At least people are becoming more aware of what is going on, THAT in itself is a great start. So things happen, they just happen slowly, sometimes.

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]]> By: TravMonkey http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-1265 TravMonkey Thu, 05 Apr 2007 05:16:47 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/#comment-1265 Eagles may soar high, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines. Put the key of despair into the lock of apathy. Turn the knob of mediocrity slowly and open the gates of despondency. Eagles may soar high, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.

Put the key of despair into the lock of apathy. Turn the knob of mediocrity slowly and open the gates of despondency.

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]]> By: cam2yogi http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-1264 cam2yogi Thu, 05 Apr 2007 04:51:29 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/#comment-1264 There is always a better way, a better way for worsening the situation, a better way for creating something more bountiful and nurturing for man, woman, creature and Mother Earth. Maybe it's not a better way, but simply "evolution". Whether it's a large multinational corporation or a person causing unnecessary injury to him- or herself, we're all here as a family to help one another find resolution for the needless suffering we all face in the world. Between each and every one of us, there is the answer for a healthier lifestyle, a healthier family, a healthier relationship with one's Self, one's neighbor, and one's planet. It comes to the question of whether or not we're ready to sacrifice a little of what we think we have and who we think we are in order to help evolution spin the right direction. The snake eats its own tail; give to receive to give to receive; rain onto the earth back into sky...life is a gyrating phenomenon of life eating life, but how can we eat the best of what we have and what we can make? There is always a better way, a better way for worsening the situation, a better way for creating something more bountiful and nurturing for man, woman, creature and Mother Earth. Maybe it’s not a better way, but simply “evolution”.

Whether it’s a large multinational corporation or a person causing unnecessary injury to him- or herself, we’re all here as a family to help one another find resolution for the needless suffering we all face in the world.

Between each and every one of us, there is the answer for a healthier lifestyle, a healthier family, a healthier relationship with one’s Self, one’s neighbor, and one’s planet. It comes to the question of whether or not we’re ready to sacrifice a little of what we think we have and who we think we are in order to help evolution spin the right direction.

The snake eats its own tail; give to receive to give to receive; rain onto the earth back into sky…life is a gyrating phenomenon of life eating life, but how can we eat the best of what we have and what we can make?

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]]> By: TravMonkey http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-1263 TravMonkey Thu, 05 Apr 2007 03:00:47 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/#comment-1263 Welcome to Capitalism... and America is the king of Capitalism, so how Walmart acts is of no surprise in a capitalist market driven society. How about moving out of America? What do you suggest? A move to communism? Collectivise our foods and resources and dish them out equally to the masses? America has a cash driven society where competition is encouraged to invoke choice and quality. It's in these ripe conditions that companies like Wal-Mart thrive. I'm not sure America dominates China, with 25 million dollars of Chinese imports to America and only 4 million exported you could argue it's the other way round Welcome to Capitalism… and America is the king of Capitalism, so how Walmart acts is of no surprise in a capitalist market driven society.

How about moving out of America?

What do you suggest? A move to communism? Collectivise our foods and resources and dish them out equally to the masses?

America has a cash driven society where competition is encouraged to invoke choice and quality. It’s in these ripe conditions that companies like Wal-Mart thrive.

I’m not sure America dominates China, with 25 million dollars of Chinese imports to America and only 4 million exported you could argue it’s the other way round

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]]> By: ianmack http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-1262 ianmack Thu, 05 Apr 2007 02:57:28 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/04/the-karmic-consequences-of-wal-mart/#comment-1262 hi nate -- thanks for your comments. i can't speak on behalf of the author cam, but i'm certain his intent was not to say that Mexico should deprive themselves of the necessities at the best price. This is a common practice of any culture. But with these cheap goods comes the price of environmental damage, diluted community, and low-paid workers around the world. Surely, there must be a way to provide for all of us without relying on massive multi-national corporations that concentrate only on profit. dave - thanks for the heads up on that organization. jenn - excellent food for though, as always. hi nate — thanks for your comments. i can’t speak on behalf of the author cam, but i’m certain his intent was not to say that Mexico should deprive themselves of the necessities at the best price. This is a common practice of any culture. But with these cheap goods comes the price of environmental damage, diluted community, and low-paid workers around the world. Surely, there must be a way to provide for all of us without relying on massive multi-national corporations that concentrate only on profit.

dave – thanks for the heads up on that organization.

jenn – excellent food for though, as always.

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