Actually, that was not the point of Jeremy Beer’s post over at Front Porch Republic.  It was instead to encourage a way to support local businesses in local economies made up of local residents.  It is called the 3/50 Project.  And its logic is simple: “Pick 3. Spend 50. Save your local economy.” That is the affirmation. The denial is “Reject Starbucks. Avoid Walmart.”
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* It may be the blog of the NTJ, but having this fall under the graphical heading of “reformed faith and practice” is soooo PCA.
* While it’s nice to try to not be a jerk to those who still patronize Walmart, the more substantial problem with this sort of pledge is avoiding the inefficient salvation of the local buggy industry vs. the soulless, cutthroat, capitalistic competition of the automobile.
“Save the independent bookstore” has been a rallying cry for years, yet most are as terrible providing useful services wrt Amazon as South Park’s local sewage proprietor was against “Harbucks.” Maybe it’s time to accept that just being a bookseller is no longer a viable career.
On the other hand, propping up unused business could be outside the pale of the 3/50′s project first clause because you wouldn’t otherwise miss them. But then what’s the point of the pledge? No native New Jerseyan needs to commit to saving their diners and pizzerias from Denny’s and Pizza Hut; the latter (especially the latter) are revolting, and the rest takes care of itself.
* What about supporting the locally-employed workers of non-local companies, especially when they’re working more efficiently to provide whatever they do? And where do national chains with a distinct local flair, like Trader Joe’s or Fry’s, fit into the debate? That may seem like nit-picking, but if the complaints against corporations aren’t necessary qualities of corporations, then the debate itself is wrongheaded.
* Unless you grew up around Grandpa WordPress, using the Internet to argue for localism feels icky.
Mike K.: you’re right, of course. Let’s not resist globalization or corporations. We should just go ahead and turn every church into Redeemer NYC.
By way of implication of separating the two kingdoms, it seems to me that what is good or permissible for one may not be the case for the other.
Nevertheless, I wouldn’t protest if you suggested turning every church into a strongly confessional one per RRC, With Reverance and Awe, or maybe even Nevin.
I hate Wal-Mart, too. Now I have to pay $30 for a full service oil change instead of $19. I’d have my reliable local Dutch Reformed mechanic do it, but he flat refuses to vacuum up my peanut shells.
Mike, look up. If nothing else “save the local bookstore against the mega’s†makes for fun romantic comedies . And bonus, speaking of Redeemer, “You’ve Got Mail†happens to be set in the world’s greatest city. I still don’t know what’s wrong with NYC, who’d ever want to transform it? At least Tom Hanks held no such illusions, he just wanted to sell lotsa books and score Meg Ryan.
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