On boycotts, I’ve already started avoiding their products, but when I noticed that people around me, and people in general, don’t take it seriously, I began questioning whether it actually has any real impact. Is the problem that boycotts don’t work, or that people simply can’t resist their habits and desires? I honestly can’t create change alone, so what am I supposed to do with that?
So I’m asking: where does an ordinary person start? What common mistakes should I avoid? What genuinely helps, instead of hollow gestures of solidarity?
in general boycotts can work if they’re organized and especially if they’re in conjunction with something like a strike. some recent ones i remember off the top of my head: the frito-lay and john deer boycotts helped those workers, the (mostly black) target boycott was doing something but i think they fumbled that one because of some pastor calling it early.
what does not accomplish anything is some instagram account calling for a boycott amazon day, with no labor action or organization behind it, nor on such a limited timeframe.
for palestine, BDS has actually accomplished some stuff over the years. they have a priority list for practical reasons and that increased focus means you can actually get somebody to move a factory, as compared to a directionless boycotting of every company that has any connection to israel.