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The idea that all things should be reduced down to a quantization of money is a chunk of the toxic rhetoric that led to this. We could apply the same hollow ca

The idea that all things should be reduced down to a quantization of money is a chunk of the toxic rhetoric that led to this. We could apply the same hollow catch phrase to the election of government and reveal how ultimately toxic the trope is. Quote from article, that brings up the trope: “For far too long, fans searching for merchandise of their favorite female characters have been told that the onus is on their wallets. “Buy the toys that are out there,” the message has echoed, even as fans scour the unyielding shelves for a green-skinned assassin, a black-clad Avenger — and now a fearless young woman who hums with the power of the Force. It is time to reverse the conversation. Toy and merchandise companies must stop taking a character’s gender into consideration when including them in products. Put Gamora with the rest of the Guardians. Leave Black Widow on her motorcycle. And when Star Wars: Episode VIII finally arrives, don’t make us ask “Where’s Rey?””

dawnbreez 11y ago
Yes, it'd be nice if we could be heard for more than our money. But these people only listen to money, and even when they listen to people, there will always be someone who only listens to money. The theoretical beauty of capitalism is that it uses greed against itself; in theory, the best way to become rich is to make something truly valuable. In practice, we're pretty easy to manipulate and we've unwittingly ensured the destruction of the very parts of capitalism that make greed work for its pay. So yes, we do need to vote with our wallets, and we need to do it ASAP, because it'll only get worse if we keep buying it. My recommendation would be to buy every goddamn Rey toy you can find. That'll make it clear that Rey is what sells. A broad boycott won't tell them anything, other than "we're angry".
- foolrush 11y ago
  We can vote with our cultural ethics. Putting this on the front page of HN so that other media outlets pay attention is one such technique. Conversely, by voting with wallets, we show support for the very minds that enabled and legitimized this toxic decision.
  - dawnbreez 11y ago
    One, HN is not something I expect most media outlets notice. Two, short of a march held in front of Mattel's doorstep (or the doorstep of whoever refuses to make Rey toys), voting with "cultural ethics" is not going to be noticed by the kind of person who says "no boy will want a toy with a girl on the front". Three, "cultural ethics" is a vague term in and of itself. Are you referring to the culture of expecting boys to like boys' toys? Or are you talking about taking that culture and replacing it with another? What's the difference between cultural and personal ethics, and if personal ethics exist, then how do cultural ethics have an effect? Fourth, voting with our wallets beats the corps at their own game. By consciously deciding to only pay for products that fit our ethics, we force companies to follow our ethics (or, at least, the ethics of the masses). If we do not buy, they don't make money, so what we buy directly affects their decisions. Finally, I don't understand the "toxic" label you keep using. What is toxic about it? An idea can't be poison; ideas do not inherently do anything. Only actions can be harmful--or helpful. Voting with our wallets is only as toxic as the thing we decide to vote for.

dawnbreez 11y ago

Yes, it'd be nice if we could be heard for more than our money. But these people only listen to money, and even when they listen to people, there will always be someone who only listens to money. The theoretical beauty of capitalism is that it uses greed against itself; in theory, the best way to become rich is to make something truly valuable. In practice, we're pretty easy to manipulate and we've unwittingly ensured the destruction of the very parts of capitalism that make greed work for its pay. So yes, we do need to vote with our wallets, and we need to do it ASAP, because it'll only get worse if we keep buying it. My recommendation would be to buy every goddamn Rey toy you can find. That'll make it clear that Rey is what sells. A broad boycott won't tell them anything, other than "we're angry".

foolrush 11y ago
We can vote with our cultural ethics. Putting this on the front page of HN so that other media outlets pay attention is one such technique. Conversely, by voting with wallets, we show support for the very minds that enabled and legitimized this toxic decision.
- dawnbreez 11y ago
  One, HN is not something I expect most media outlets notice. Two, short of a march held in front of Mattel's doorstep (or the doorstep of whoever refuses to make Rey toys), voting with "cultural ethics" is not going to be noticed by the kind of person who says "no boy will want a toy with a girl on the front". Three, "cultural ethics" is a vague term in and of itself. Are you referring to the culture of expecting boys to like boys' toys? Or are you talking about taking that culture and replacing it with another? What's the difference between cultural and personal ethics, and if personal ethics exist, then how do cultural ethics have an effect? Fourth, voting with our wallets beats the corps at their own game. By consciously deciding to only pay for products that fit our ethics, we force companies to follow our ethics (or, at least, the ethics of the masses). If we do not buy, they don't make money, so what we buy directly affects their decisions. Finally, I don't understand the "toxic" label you keep using. What is toxic about it? An idea can't be poison; ideas do not inherently do anything. Only actions can be harmful--or helpful. Voting with our wallets is only as toxic as the thing we decide to vote for.