Seeking Nirvana
This is becoming more and more dear to me as a philosophy in my trade. As I am increasingly exposed to the “status-quo” of what marketing has become, I feel the need to be more proactive in how I lead my “digital life” and present myself to the public. I think you should too. We all contribute to bad things in life, but that’s ok. We ought to try and offset it though, if only a little bit.
How does it work?
It’s quite simple. Support companies that truly do good. Do not support those that don’t. You could take it one step further and even work proactively AGAINST companies that aren’t benevolent, or those that are downright malevolent. While I am not condoning destruction in the classical sense, I’m certainly not on the fence about where I stand.
Companies that offer little to the public, provide little value, and/or offer no innovation (only there to make a buck) do no get my vote. I have varying degrees of ill repute for them, but they all fall into the same camp.
Pick your battles
You can’t win ‘em all. Conversely, you can’t attack them all. Otherwise you’ll come across as a fanatic, with no aim. You don’t want to be labeled or put into a camp, so you’ll have to be strategic. Pick your battles.
How to play ball?
I recommend targeting a niche area. Perhaps you don’t like companies in the financial sector? Or companies that pollute over X amount. Or companies that mistreat animals. Pick up a category and start your battle there.
I recommend writing about it, gathering people, using politics to your advantage (petitioning) and disseminating information.
Best of luck!
Case Studies
Added 9/17/2010:
I just found this interesting article about a Doctor named Martin Samuels who “says no” to Pharmaceutical funded CME (Continued Medical Education, required for all Doctors) and decided to open his own CME, called Lighthouse Learning:
http://www.mmm-online.com/new-med-ed-firm-says-no-to-industry-funding/article/178875/
Added 9/20/2010:
If you are interested in the HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) / Corn Sugar Debacle, then here’s a great example of what just one individual can do to upset the balance of power between consumers and corporate titans:
http://organicconnectmag.com/wp/2010/05/the-impact-of-one-mans-outrage/