I find this sudden haughty influx of morality amusing. You all are aware of Apple's business practices and use of Chinese manufacturing facilities, right? Everyone here has bought from a company that supports human rights violation and outsourcing and has dodgy business practices, whether it be their mega-grocery, a shoe company or anything else. Blaming Walmart in particular for questionable business practices is little more than bandwagon-jumping.
But it needs to start someplace and why not start at some of the largest offenders. If there is a viable option I will choose the smaller locally ran shoppe. Do I always, no course not there are times where they just either don't have what I need or cannot be remotely competitive with larger chains and I admit I will go to larger stores. But do I want to consciously give my money to a company that is known for exploiting its workers with subpar living wages to save $2 dollars at checkout, sorry I am not that self serving. Maybe if that was my last 2 bucks it would be a different story but if I am honest 2 or 20 dollars more means little to me right now and I would rather see my money going to support people in my neighborhoods and communities that I live in.
Its all good and well to say I go there to get the most bang for my buck, but at what cost. This mentality has contributed to the current state of affairs where nobody thinks about the long run or what might be best for others and not be so self centered. Also some of these small town places that have walmart it may be the single largest employer and after they have ran out smaller mom and pop stores where exactly are people supposed to go and work? I hope you or any of your relatives are never put in this position.
The only thing I give walmart credit for is the ablity to be very successful, but unlike costco which is another successful smaller chain, they have built their empire on the backs of the employee's and less than stellar buisness practices. Its sad but I find the religion of now is capital.
I for one am glad that where I spend half my time where people have not allowed, or will, any major chains in town. Is it a pain at times yes, but it does build a stronger sense of community. Do I really see this is morality, I guess you could make a stretch for it but I see it differently. I see it more as self (as in bigger self) preservation where maybe the dollar is not always the bottom line.