Back to Basics

This week's Occupy Wall Street pepper spray incident was disturbing news. It's only one small example of many acts of aggression from community leaders and police whose patience is gone. Regardless, it's the one that has gotten national attention.

As I watched the video, I cried for the students. After all, these kids were assaulted and arrested for envisioning a better world for people like me. Then I remembered, even if I don't join the brave protestors, I can contribute to the entire Occupy movement ... every single day.

Action on a Smaller Scale

I approach the problem of corporate greed a little differently. (Click here to see the Occupy movement's call for action.) Call it cowardly, but my style of protest is through disengagement. What I mean by that is, I break free of greedy corporations by making sure I don't give them what they want: my money. (Or at least I try to anyway.)

My blog post from October 20, 2010 discusses my belief in individual action as means of collectively changing America's out-of-balance economics.

Of course, I'm grateful that the Occupy movement is taking on the much bigger issue of our government's engagement with big business. But still, I have to believe my way is making a difference, too.


The Walmart Example

Even small action requires commitment. For instance, when I heard the news that Walmart was driving prices down by aggressively forcing suppliers to cut their profits, I refused to shop there. Sure, my local Walmart owner donates money to local community causes, but that doesn't change the fact that the corporation doesn't fit the community business model. They flooded the market and pushed quality shops out of business.

Acquaintances would joke, "Oh that's right, you're one of those people who don't shop at Walmart." I would answer, "yes" and leave it at that. Where I shopped was my personal choice, and voicing my reasons in an combative environment -- like on the streets of town -- doesn't suit my temperament. Plus, I recognize that good people everywhere are trying to scratch by with the money they've got so they do what they think is necessary.

But is that really true? Are they really getting the best deal? How many additional impulse purchases do people make while they are navigating the isles? Is Walmart really the only place in town with the lowest price? How many American workers have suffered to achieve these artificially low prices? Since I can only guess the answers, I usually just keep quiet.

It is unfairly true that Walmart stands for every over-sized retail store. I once followed the money trail out of my checkbook and found puppet masters at the end of almost every line. I've not yet untied them all, but I did hitch the ones I could to a better support system.

This includes banks, service providers, and -- a really big one -- IRA investment portfolio holdings.

Because, in this trickle up economy, every dollar that drips on the overpaid executive has leaked out of some neighborhood's coffers. Meanwhile, I've often wondered why more well-meaning, middle class Americans aren't more careful about where they spend their money. Is it just desperation to balance a short-term budget? I believe the bigger answer is reaction to advertising.

Logic Doesn't Advertise

Out of sight is out of mind. We have no way of knowing that the neighborhood small business has a better product at a fair price until we go into the store, and we don't go in because we forget the store is even there.

A small, downtown commercial district in Maine.

The big guys -- the rich who keep getting richer -- will continue to spend thousands of dollars on advertising. They will continue to hypnotize America unless we ignore them and shop somewhere else.

Meanwhile, it's encouraging to see that the Occupy movement is beginning to influence the ads as well. Case in point: American Express has launched a Small Business Saturday event and is even using the movement as an example of a business strategy on its blog.

Protestors are getting the message out, and I now see great potential for real change. And while sometimes I feel like I'm not doing enough, I cannot forget the difference small actions can make ... one dollar at a time.

How about you?