Part 2 of "Observation"

Welcome back!

First a clarification. "The Brand" can be any of the following; Lowes, Walmart, Home Depot, Office Max, Target. But its not limited to just these.

So, how did we get here? How does this damage the culture?

Well, we got here because we allow it. We're the only ones who make it possible by shunning the local business in favor of the "Brand" for what is only a perceived savings. The Corporate marketers know that if they offer an item at a low price the whole store will be seen as a place to save. I'll give you an example.

The newspaper Ad shows a coffee pot for $9.99 (it could be an electric screw driver, underwear, a can of paint, the item doesn't matter, it just has to be popular). You go to the store and you find the $9.99 coffee pot, but its a 6 cup with no timer or automatic shut off. So you start down the aisle. The next one is 10 cups, but that's all and its $11.99, the next one is 6 cups with everything for $13.49. The fourth one, and by far the most popular, is a 10 cup with everything for $14.99. Which you can buy anywhere else in town for $13.50. They have brought you in on the perception that they sell for less when in fact they don't. You probably even had the fleeting thought of "this must a cheap price, everything else is" as you made the purchase decision.

What we do by falling into this trap is slowly send the local wealth to the Corporate coffers. We forsake our friends and neighbors who own the local businesses and, thereby, remove for the community the shared wealth that funds things like charities, museums and recreational activities. But it also robs us of the benefit of community. The shared feeling of appreciation that doing business with local always has and that Corporate America never has. The merchant appreciates your business and shows it by caring about the transaction and you appreciates the personal contact and assistance. Compare that to the newest trend in Corporate America... Self Checkout. Cloaked in the guise of improved technology Corporate America now wants you to, locate the products you want, act as your own sales rep by comparing the products feature, and then become your own cashier. The message is clear, come in, find what you want, and leave your money, we don't even want to talk to you.

What this leaves us with is a community which has lost the cornerstone of culture, pride of place. We're left with dying downtown's and low paying/part time jobs at "The Brand" which provide little or no benefits. The local Governments are left to deal with ever increasing demands for services from uninsured citizen while collecting ever declining taxes from personal income. And so, slowly, the fabric of the town unravels as the infrastructure decays.

John