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This is an important show. I talk with Max of Karmabanque about his revolutionary economic model which could revolutionize activism.
The Karmabanque blog, podcast and video feed.
The Karmabanque Web Site.
Karmabanque in the news today.
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3 replies on “YR254 A New Way To Protest – Karmabanquing”
Thanks! I was wondering what had happened to Max’s “The Truth About Markets” which is listed on iTunes but no longer updated, recorded and broadcast by
http://www.resonancefm.com
No news is good news except for some of us who like to keep abreast of events.
A dildo with a hatch?
Sorry, Madge. Here’s my comment, in the right place instead of with YR255.
Max misunderstands the free market. Everyone is already free to “boycott” (a.k.a. “not purchase from”) whatever company they choose, for whatever reason! How on earth would the market be free, otherwise? Your inteviewee particularly pissed me off when he attempted to explain how “boycotts” could “hurt” companies in such a way that they would change their environmental policy. I think he used the phrase “negative dent” to describe the “power” people have to “hurt” with their “boycotts”. In other words, consumers can “not increase” profits by “not buying” that company’s product. And supposedly if they do this enough, the company will… change their stance on the environment? Huh? I don’t get the connection!
In a more sensible economic model, one takes action if he competes with that “bad” company by producing a better product (one that doesn’t pollute as a by-product, in this case) to drive the other company out of business or at least to re-examine its falling value. Alternatively, one does not buy the existing product and spreads to case for his personal boycott. Hmm. Maybe if the company loses sales, they improve their product to remain competitive. Hmm. I can’t fucking stand it when people talk about taking a dent out of corporate America because it just sounds to me like they resent the immense (legitimate) accumulation of wealth. In Max’s defense, he appears to be motivated by concern for the environment, although I turned this episode off before he could give any examples of how Coca-Cola plants clog our waterways with sludge and pour smoke into the atmosphere.
Madge’s misguided friend is not really as concerned about the environment as he is about the stock brokers who are making a buck by betting against stocks, I think. I turned it off too soon to hear about all the horrible things that are being done to the fragile ecosystem, but the interviewee was quick enough to tell me about all the money there is to be made on the stock market “hurting” companies. Really, that part of the scheme made very little sense as part of the overall plan to save the environment. How does it hurt them to have people placing side bets on how they’ll sell that day? Hmm.