Fucking monopoly thieves. I had some friends that weren't super close but belonged to some hobby groups, and several of them worked at the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Kenosha. It was a major employer so they didn't know each other but when I asked them about their job they would either say it sucked and change the subject or they'd stare straight ahead like I just mildly triggered some trauma. That's awful and since they didn't wanna talk about it and seemed scared it's like they signed an NDA about their shitty conditions. I didn't have a substantially better job wage wise but I didn't have to check my dignity at the door.
Boycott Amazon, Whole Foods and The Washington Post.
It's the Christmas season and unless the price is too good, buy books from other places. Support Etsy as a better platform.
I'm an author and Amazons POD was too easy for me to look elsewhere and in 2017 their company wasn't known as being so evil. I ceased all marketing of both books in 2019 and took a hit in the wallet doing so. Though I also think their royalties are a ripoff. I make a $1.25 off a $5.50 book and made more buying my own books off Amazon at the author rate of $2.15 and selling them at events for $5 and $4 if they're a tough sell. I've stopped doing that too since my 2019 boycott. I have been thinking if I ever take on creative projects I've gone the zine route Halfheartedly so far as the pandemic has cost me free time and the will to write dystopian fiction. Seems a lil too true now. Please don't fall for how easy it is to use Amazon's publishing. With some minor knowledge of bookmaking you can keep all the profits.
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Amazon has such a strong monopoly on ecommerce that I have violated my boycott many times since I started it. Some supplements I buy are significantly cheaper on Amazon than on the websites of the supplement brands themselves. I can't understand how that is possible. When it comes to bulk herbs though I'm lucky enough to have an indie health food store with low prices. Etsy is also good for herbs. I'm unaware of a platform for books thst competes with Amazon but maybe go to the author's site. For art supplies Michaels has a good website.
Whole Foods is a near monopoly as a health food chain but I believe that Earth Fare is still around. NYT and WashPo have the same editorial bias so I only read NYT. I won't read WashPo even without the paywall.