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Is it empathy, or is it the realization that the decline could be worse if they develop a Nestle-style reputation and inspire boycotts or something? I won't rul

Is it empathy, or is it the realization that the decline could be worse if they develop a Nestle-style reputation and inspire boycotts or something? I won't rule out empathy, but it's not the first thing that jumps to mind for me.

mav3rick 7y ago
Damned if they do...damned if they don't. Why don't you just appreciate the actions if you can't assume someone is acting in good faith ? Have you opened up your bathrooms for the homeless ?
SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
I feel like you've gotta either be willing to give the benefit of the doubt or treat empathy as by definition inapplicable to corporations. It's always possible to come up with a story where companies doing nice things are secretly just maximizing profits.
- rolltiide 7y ago
  They can also fail at maximizing profits with an idea that was indistinguishable from empathy. Which therefore fits the term altruistic, whether they intended for this or not, as other businesses have not replicated what Starbucks is doing. With all these possibilities, alongside a potentially contrived ideal of a founder to actually subsidize public bathrooms for all, doesn't that mean it is useless to debate and just accept the reality at face value of "they are providing a service and its nice"
PaulHoule 7y ago
I remember Starbucks catching a lot of hell because on 2001-09-11 they made rescue workers pay for water a downtown NYC location.
gentleman11 7y ago
How is everyone's Nestle boycott going btw? Our household has kept most nestle products out for the last several years, but its hard because they own so many brands that we just don't realize sometimes. An example for background (incomplete list of stuff they do): https://www.zmescience.com/science/nestle-company-pollution-children/ https://www.zmescience.com/science/nestle-company-pollution-...
smallgovt 7y ago
Who really cares if it was empathy or not? I think the world would be a better place if we judged people based on action rather than intention. Intention is complex and hard to determine.
- ljm 7y ago
  I'd like to consider them both. Zero tolerance in schools is shit because victims suddenly get treated the same, or worse, than their bully.

mav3rick 7y ago

Damned if they do...damned if they don't. Why don't you just appreciate the actions if you can't assume someone is acting in good faith ? Have you opened up your bathrooms for the homeless ?

SpicyLemonZest 7y ago

I feel like you've gotta either be willing to give the benefit of the doubt or treat empathy as by definition inapplicable to corporations. It's always possible to come up with a story where companies doing nice things are secretly just maximizing profits.

rolltiide 7y ago
They can also fail at maximizing profits with an idea that was indistinguishable from empathy. Which therefore fits the term altruistic, whether they intended for this or not, as other businesses have not replicated what Starbucks is doing. With all these possibilities, alongside a potentially contrived ideal of a founder to actually subsidize public bathrooms for all, doesn't that mean it is useless to debate and just accept the reality at face value of "they are providing a service and its nice"

PaulHoule 7y ago

I remember Starbucks catching a lot of hell because on 2001-09-11 they made rescue workers pay for water a downtown NYC location.

gentleman11 7y ago

How is everyone's Nestle boycott going btw? Our household has kept most nestle products out for the last several years, but its hard because they own so many brands that we just don't realize sometimes. An example for background (incomplete list of stuff they do): https://www.zmescience.com/science/nestle-company-pollution-children/ https://www.zmescience.com/science/nestle-company-pollution-...

smallgovt 7y ago

Who really cares if it was empathy or not? I think the world would be a better place if we judged people based on action rather than intention. Intention is complex and hard to determine.

ljm 7y ago
I'd like to consider them both. Zero tolerance in schools is shit because victims suddenly get treated the same, or worse, than their bully.