Shot in the Dark

A Bit Of A Quandary

I am a firm, firm believer in letting the free market arbitrate political disputes as much as possible.

But sometimes, the free market beats me to it.

Not always: years ago, when liberal social justice and then ease lined up against Chick-fil-A, I was already to go out and grab a bag full. But there were no Chick-fil-As in the Twin Cities at the time. Likewise, last week when a California politician criticized In and Out Burger for donating to Republicans,… Well, not only are there no such restaurants anywhere in Minnesota, but I don’t eat hamburgers anymore.

More to the point, though? Nike has fraudulently cast Colin Kaepernick is a civil rights legend. He’s not, of course – he was riding the bench before he started riding his knee, and he barely had a career to “sacrifice” with his antics.

But I haven’t bought a Nike product of any kind in probably 30 years, because the price for the quality is just too high.

Likewise, earlier this week when Levi Strauss company announced they were forming a gun control group among big businesses, I ordinarily have made a mental note to stop buying their products (as I did with Pepsi, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell back in the 1990s).

But I haven’t put on a pair of Levi’s in close to 20 years – because when I did buy them, the quality was so shoddy I had to check to see if they have been made in East Germany before the fall of the Berlin wall. That being a time of my life where I had to stretch a block, having pants wear – I kid you not – the crotch ripped out after two months was a big influence on my personal free market, if you catch my drift.

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Mitch Berg

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17 responses to “A Bit Of A Quandary”

  1. Emery Avatar
    Emery

    I thought Nike’s endorsement of Kaepernick was shrewd. Nike knows that old white men are not it’s core market. It’s customers are young and diverse. It will play well with them. It will also put Nike on the right side of history when this horror show of a presidency ends. Good for long-term brand sentiment and brand value.

    It’s also good to see Kaepernick getting mainstream support. It’s been somewhat nauseating to watch people who, in other contexts, make a lot of noise about free speech get behind the McCarthyite boycotting of someone who made a political protest. 

    But Kaepernick’s treatment has served at least one useful purpose. It’s made it easy to know whom to ignore. The speech of anyone who supported the rights of, for instance, provocative campus speakers to give public lectures unmolested by Antifa but who approves of the treatment of Kaepernick is not worth listening to.

  2. Joe Doakes Avatar
    Joe Doakes

    Incorrect use of apostrophe.
    Incorrect use of “diverse” as a substitute for “Young Urban Black Men”
    Excessive cant: history has no sides
    Inaccurate reference to Senator McCarthy
    Incorrect legal analysis of free speech rights
    False equivalency between speaking without being beaten and employee misconduct

    There might be a point in all that gibberish, but it’s too much work to find it.

  3. Greg Avatar
    Greg

    If you can’t sell on quality, try politics.

  4. Swiftee Pinochet Avatar
    Swiftee Pinochet

    I have not bought a pair of Levis in 20 years. Wrangler is better quality and lower cost.

    I stopped buying Campbell products after they made homosexuality part of their brand; same with General Mills. I was glad to read both are suffering a real crisis.

    I have never owned a pair of Nikes, but I’m a big fan of Converse (white hightops) and was very disappointed to learn Nike owned the company.

    I’m certianly not going to destroy my Chucks, but I probably won’t buy another pair.

    I’m not under the delusion my boycotts have any effect, but I won’t financially support any group that is actively working against my best interests.

  5. Swiftee Pinochet Avatar
    Swiftee Pinochet

    Joe, as with all the gibberish Emery posts, its always better to Google it, and read the original in context. Very often, the authors of Emery’s opinions had a completely different point to make.

  6. bosshoss429 Avatar
    bosshoss429

    Poor Emery!

    Ragging on Trump, AGAIN, despite all his accomplishments, in such a short time, while 99% of the media make up shit about him for ratings (and to fool mindless sycophants like him) and the corrupt cabal of the last clown show of Obama abuses the justice system to conduct an expensive witch hunt, while ignoring their own REAL crimes. Not to mention the crybabies in his party trying to derail the appointment of an exceptional SCOTUS candidate.

  7. Joe Doakes Avatar
    Joe Doakes

    I just realized I’m missing out on an essential part of the modern American experience. I don’t get to boycott Dick’s Sporting Goods, Levi’s or Nike when they Go Woke, because I never buy their stuff anyway.

    I’m oppressed. I need reparations. Where’s my check?

  8. bikebubba Avatar
    bikebubba

    Has Duluth Trading kept clean?

  9. MacArthur Wheeler Avatar
    MacArthur Wheeler

    Carhartt!

    If you want expensive footwear that, unlike Nike, Will Last, check out:
    https://www.carhartt.com/category/carhartt-men-footwear

  10. nerdbert Avatar
    nerdbert

    IF I want to buy high quality, long lasting stuff it’s usually Duluth Trading Company or Carhartt. (That’s a big IF with teenagers who change clothes sizes faster than they change their minds.)

    If you want to know what Levi’s thinks of jeans, just remember that their president suggested you not wash them more than once a year. My reply is simply, now I know why Levi’s jeans are so sh*tty — their management views them as clothes for couch potatoes, not folks who actually do stuff.

    I have bought Nike’s stuff on occasion. Tends to be pricey, but for some athletic gear it was worth it for some things, but only marginally not now. Dick’s was a convenience buy and an attempt to support a local retailer and employees since I had a niece who worked there at one time, but as I can get it easier and cheaper elsewhere, not anymore. Citibank was a justification for a more expensive Costco membership, but I dropped them and my Home Depot card when they went gun warrior.

    On the other hand, my daughter is obsessed with Chick-fil-A, so whenever she’s in the cities we have to stop there. I don’t complain. And In-and-Out was great when I was in CA, but I only get to get their burgers maybe a couple of times a year anymore.

    You know what’s great about capitalism? I have many choices and can exercise them. Bernie can keep his “why do we need more than one deodorant” and stick it where the sun don’t shine.

  11. Greg Avatar
    Greg

    Nike knows that old white men are not it’s core market. It’s customers are young and diverse. It will play well with them. – Emery

    Obviously Emery has never taken a grandchild shopping.

    Must have something to do with the conservatives are far more generous (with their own money) than liberals.

  12. Mr. D Avatar
    Mr. D

    I think the last pair of Levi’s jeans I bought was back in ’92 or thereabouts, back when I had disposable income. Protip: you can get a serviceable pair of Wrangler jeans for $9 during the Black Friday sale at the Roseville Walmart. So I do. If Nikes are on sale at Kohl’s when I buy my annual pair of sneakers, I’ll give them a go, if they have my size. If not, I’ll go with New Balance, or whatever else fits and is less than $75. By the way, it’s usually closer to $50 if you buy the shoes in May.

    Brand loyalty is silly. I’m a fat middle-aged suburban white dude with college-age children. The greatest white privilege of all is not having to give a crap what the fashionistas think.

  13. Greg Avatar
    Greg

    If there was any doubt, read this: Nike’s Favorability Drops Double Digits Following New ‘Just Do It’ Campaign with Colin Kaepernick

    Key Findings

    -Nike’s Favorability Drops by Double Digits: Before the announcement, Nike had a net +69 favorable impression among consumers, it has now declined 34 points to +35 favorable.

    –No Boost Among Key Demos: Among younger generations, Nike users, African Americans, and other key demographics, Nike’s favorability declined rather than improved.

    -Purchasing Consideration Also Down: Before the announcement, 49 percent of Americans said they were absolutely certain or very likely to buy Nike products. That figure is down to 39 percent now.

    -The Effect on the NFL Seems Small, For Now: Forty percent of consumers said Nike’s campaign does not make them more or less likely to watch/attend NFL games — 21 percent said more likely and 26 percent said less likely (14 percent didn’t know).

  14. FRESCHFISCH Avatar
    FRESCHFISCH

    Being 3XL tall and having a 14EE shoe, I don’t buy much Nike or Levi’s.

    I use Nike and Dicks and Levi’s as an excuse to buy more ammo. You can never have enough 9mm/.223/22LR/12ga.

  15. Mr. D Avatar
    Mr. D

    I seem to have tripped the moderation queue. Not sure how. Used a mild Anglo-Saxon term, perhaps?

  16. Night Writer Avatar
    Night Writer

    Mr. D – it was just a test. In the near future, fat, middle-aged white guys with college-age kids are always going to be put in “moderation” – before being sent for re-education.

  17. Mr. D Avatar
    Mr. D

    Mr. D – it was just a test. In the near future, fat, middle-aged white guys with college-age kids are always going to be put in “moderation” – before being sent for re-education.

    From beta male to beta test!

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