[Dylan16807]

If those principles don't make a difference on the world around you then it's not bad but it is quite limited. It's fine to do things that don't make a difference, but it's important to keep perspective.

In particular, if you have an urge to make a difference on a regular basis, that's a great urge, but you need to make sure you don't fall into the trap of doing something that feels good but has negligible effect and thinking the job is done.

[_DeadFred_]

It's weird to see soviet style apathy propagandists become so common on the internet, even on HN.

[Dylan16807]

If you think I'm advocating for apathy then you're badly misreading my post.

[add-sub-mul-div]

Do you give this same lecture to everyone who's in line to vote on election day?

[jvanderbot]

On the contrary, voting is one of those things that has an actual measure-able outcome. It's extremely reliable in its quantitative effects.

[recursive]

I don't really get this. The things I've chosen not to get from Amazon are similarly measurable in dollars or other units. Not that I think I'm going to win you over, but I don't understand this argument.

[jvanderbot]

For the sake of mind melding I'll give it one more shot, but don't mind if we just don't connect on this issue at this time.

OP says stopping Amazon purchases have near zero effect, but might make you feel better, you said you don't do it for feelings but instead to avoid hypocrisy. My 1st comment was directed ONLY at the hypocrisy statement.

Hypocrisy is not a quantifiable thing, and is actually ONLY about how two decisions are interpreted. What is hypocrisy to one person is not to another. So it's subjective. Yet your subjective analysis of your own actions takes precedent, justifying your decision to avoid Amazon. Fine. The term I use for "subjective analysis that forms a most-likely-post-hoc justification for an action" is feeling. It feels right to do it is all we can really say about that. This is important and good and unassailable. It's morals and character. Good stuff definitely but not quantifiable.

As for the rest of the stuff about voting. Taking one dollar from Amazon is quantifiable, but we don't know how many dollars are required to make them change. It comes down to how the board or CEO or analysis or market feels about Amazons p/e or profit. So, not helpful. Will cutting another 100$ out of Amazons profits bring us closer to a change? What will that change look like? How much more do we have to cut to create a change? Are there better or worse changes if we cut more now vs more later vs quickly vs gradually? Etc etc.

Unlike voting which has a very precise decision point and an exact measure of progress towards that decision point for each vote cast. Perfectly quantifiable.

[yupitsme123]

He pretty much hits the nail on the head as far as describing modern-day political and social movements. It's about doing the bare minimum to make oneself feel better and to be able to brand oneself as an activist.

It seems like all the real-deal movements and protests died out or were neutralized by the late '70s.

[djoldman]

https://archive.ph/ThMlo