Am I Racist

[roadman]

my friend called me racist because i said i dont want to buy manufactured crap made outside of the uk id rather support local but what do you think?

[bobbinwales]

ignore them... there confusing patriotism with racism

[pastafreak]

No.
Just don't take the stance that everything made outside the UK is *** and everything made in the UK is wonderfully perfect.

[andy-hughes]

That's not being racist.

Refusing to buy something identical from another country simply because it is from another country, is racist, because you are making a choice based on hostility towards people from other countries.

Making a choice to buy the same thing locally to support your own country's producers is not the same thing at all - that's called market forces, not racism.

[naomi24]

No, and opting to buy something here that you could get elsewhere isn’t racist either. It’s patriotic. Nothing wrong with supporting your own.

[bobbinwales]

//Refusing to buy something identical from another country simply because it is from another country, is racist, because you are making a choice based on hostility towards people from other countries.//
I dont think thats necesarilly racist.... you could just want to support local jobs or jobs in your country- patriotism

[andy-hughes]

bob - // //Refusing to buy something identical from another country simply because it is from another country, is racist, because you are making a choice based on hostility towards people from other countries.//
I dont think thats necesarilly racist.... you could just want to support local jobs or jobs in your country- patriotism //

On reflection, you are quite correct and I was in error with that post, and stand corrected. Thank you.

[roadman]

pastafreak its not just a situation of quality its also carbon footprint and community values

[roadman]

andy-huges it has nothing to do with the people though it has more to do with community values and environmental factors if the product is identical why on earth get it shipped across the sea onto our island if you can get it from bob up the road

[andy-hughes]

roadman - // andy-huges it has nothing to do with the people though it has more to do with community values and environmental factors if the product is identical why on earth get it shipped across the sea onto our island if you can get it from bob up the road //

I don't think community values and environmental factors influence buying power in the slightest, although the government may wish that they did.

What influences buying power is price, and that's the beginning and the end of it.

If Bob sells home grown potatoes at one pound a bag, and Francois is bringing them over from France for fifty pence, where do you think people will shop?

[Khandro]

Chose your friends more carefully roadman, this one sounds a twerp.

[Kardashev]

16:08, yes but the factor you omit is the price of the item. many foreign countries have non existent labour laws and low wages and can turn out products much cheaper. In the end, all other things being equal, the consumer will buy the cheapest.

[Kardashev]

....and no I don't think you are racist.

[weecalf]

Local crap sounds good but is it dearer with inflation .

[roadman]

community values and environmental factors influence me

[roadman]

local crap may cost you more but at least that money is going back to the local community rather than pay a big boss who doesnt pass that money onto the workers i mean sweat shops is a perfect example id rather pay more for the exact same item of clothing knowing it was ethical

[Khandro]

weecalf; //Local crap sounds good but is it dearer with inflation .//

Why is it crp & why is it dearer with inflation?

[andy-hughes]

roadman - // id rather pay more for the exact same item of clothing knowing it was ethical //

And that is an admirable position, but it is not echoed by the vast majority of consumers, who are entirely influenced by the price they pay, rather than the source and circumstances of the production of the product.

[roadman]

well people are poor because they keep sending their money to foreign countries they wont ever see it come back to them will they maybe if they paid 20 p more per kilogram of potato the local workers may be able to spend more at their store business or work place

[roadman]

i guess thats the problem andy-hughes if people would rather save 5p and buy a potato from france rather than spend a little more and buy from the uk not only is that 5p going elsewhere but also the local potato isnt being sold which will have unforeseen knock on affects

[andy-hughes]

roadman - // well people are poor because they keep sending their money to foreign countries they wont ever see it come back to them will they maybe if they paid 20 p more per kilogram of potato the local workers may be able to spend more at their store business or work place //

That simp;ly restates your case.

And I can re-state mine - people don't care about the ethics of production, they care about the retail price.

They should care, but they don't.