Is Amazon Evil?

A look at why a subscription might make sense

Let me begin by saying I do not hold stock in Amazon so your decision about a Prime membership will not effect my bottom line. Nor do I hold Jeff Bezos or any other tech bro in high esteem. I can separate the creation of a business model from the human being behind it. We need to do that a lot lately, don’t we?

I am not advocating for mindless shopping in fact I am deeply against the explosion of Fast Fashion. We live our lives in compartments as if what we do does not cause a ripple in another life. What if that cheap top you’re buying on impulse has been made by a child in a third world country making slave wages and working in the worst of conditions? What if his or her mother is the bread winner and working in unregulated conditions for poverty wages? What if the dyes used on that garment and others are washed into rivers without a thought as to how they will pollute the drinking water? On an on it goes and I have a great book should you wish to go deeper. To Dye For. I find a book like this to be a more conscious gift than say that cute top. Would you read it? Gift it?

Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash

What about those items you dumped at a charity thinking: “Well, at least I donated that top now somebody else can wear it. No waste, right?” Hold on. If your local Goodwill (as an example) can’t sell an item, it will go to the landfill. They have to make the decision you passed on by tossing a garment into a donation bag without considering if it has resale value, was stained, ripped or simply out of fashion. I’ve read articles that demonize charity stores as if they had endless storage and floor space. We need to take self-responsibility but I digress. Let’s go back to Amazon and why I continue as a Prime member. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Amazon: The Good Side

Amazon is a huge corporation that employs an army of people. If we all cancel our memberships what happens to these good people who are providing for families?

Photo by Super Straho on Unsplash

Every Amazon driver is out there delivering packages that would otherwise be individual vehicles on the road shopping for stuff. Isn’t that reduction better for the environment?

Right after the Pandemic. I lived for 7.5 months in the beautiful state of Washington. We were surrounded by forests. My neighbors were cows (and one extremely blissed out bull). The nearest town was a 30 minute drive in winter. I emphasize the word town. It had a Starbucks but no Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. If the rains washed out parts of that country road, you were stuck until repairs were made. The capital was one hour away by car while Portland was two hours. If I needed to go to Seattle I could count on a 2.5 hour drive one way. One day it took 8 hours round trip! Guess what? Amazon deliveries saved my life, gas in my car, miles on my tires etc.

In my lifetime I have experienced periods after surgery where I had to stay at home and recover. Without Amazon I would have been calling on friends and you know that doesn’t wear well if it’s 2 or 3 months. What about people who are permanently shut-in? Isn’t Amazon a blessing to them?

Balance

The last thing in the world I am advocating for here is a blanket acceptance of a Prime membership for everyone. I am advocating for a balanced approach and a thoughtful consideration before each purchase. And that is good advice for all of life’s decisions, isn’t it?

Photo by Dane Deaner on Unsplash

Let me advocate for your local stores and your local Farmer’s Market. They are in dire need of your support. I live in the heart of Loa Angeles and I love to walk. I am in a blessed location to spread my support and also shop with convenience in mind. Do I devote an hour to walk over to a store that carries basics for my home like paper towels? Or do I subscribe on Amazon, forget that need and devote that saved time to writing for you or spending time with friends (perhaps at a local restaurant)? It’s a periodic consideration not something set in stone. The point is that it’s a consideration not a knee jerk purchase each time.

The Bottom Line

I’d love to hear your thoughts and learn about the Amazon decisions you have made. If I triggered you in any way, let me know how. It was never my intention. Let’s dialogue and deepen each other’s perspective.

By the way I hear that Mr. Bezos is getting married off the Los Angeles coast this summer and it angered many residents. I thought about all the local business entities who might do business during that time with him in preparation for the big ego display aka wedding. It’s a win for them, right?

Let’s look at all sides before we decide on any issue. We don’t seem to do that right now as a society. I personally don’t want anyone (parent, family, teacher, friend, politician) to wrap me in a belief system and assure me it’s 100% correct and I am done thinking about issues. There is no growth available.

I am not the same human being today I was at 21 when I graduated from college. Heaven forbid that girl with all her good intentions and lack of experience would be running the show today! I offer my 8-Week Journey to a Clear Mind & a Clear Space as the perfect example of my evolution as a person. At 21 I didn’t even know life skill tools existed! Now I have used them, thrived in every way because of them and offer them to you. Let’s be open to growth … Amazon or no Amazon! Right?