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Cargill: The Worst Company in the World

stories.mightyearth.org

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Re: Cargill: The Worst Company in the World

#11

Post by zukzuk »

rhacker wrote: post #4

Totally distracting aside: I've always felt I wish I could walk around a store with a special set of glasses on so I could apply my own personal voting filters - Chili - benefits monsanto $0.05 per can, KRAFT Foods $1 per can etc... I mean I have a lot of values - I buy small label organics and that does a lot, but sometimes I just want to buy cheetos- I think I would think twice if I knew my enemies were benefitting…

Not exactly a special set of glasses, but probably as close as you're going to get right now: https://www.buycott.com/

That said, the idea that you can enact change by making "good consumer choices" is probably one of neo-liberalisms greatest, most insidious triumphs. It subverts democratic ideals to make us feel like we have power, while diverting our energy away from pushing for the kinds of systemic changes necessary for meaningful impact on big problem (e.g. putting the responsibility for reduction of plastic pollution on consumers, rather than on manufacturers via legislation).

Re: Cargill: The Worst Company in the World

#12

Post by chipotle_coyote »

vgetr wrote: post #6

The basis for this claim seems to hinge on the facts that Cargill is a) big and b) privately owned, both of which are sins in today's political orthodoxy. As a Minnesotan, I was wondering how long it would take before someone would notice them and shift their attention from Koch, but it had to happen at some point.

"Throughout its history, Cargill has exhibited a disturbing and repetitive pattern of deception and destruction. As this report details, its practices have ranged from violating trade embargoes and price fixing, to ignoring health codes and creating markets for goods produced with child and forced labor. Under pressure, Cargill has reformed its practices in many areas — which shows that it can change when it wants to. But contrary to its view of itself as a leader, it usually comes in dead last. It has remained a laggard across multiple industries, trailing peers like Louis Dreyfus and Wilmar."

I'm sure one can argue with the piece's conclusions -- Cargill almost certainly will! -- but your summation doesn't seem to be supported by even a cursory reading of the report. The environmental advocacy group that put this report out is not making the case that Cargill needs to have an IPO.

Re: Cargill: The Worst Company in the World

#13

Post by munk-a »

vgetr wrote: post #10
kjjw wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No it doesn't. The basis of the claim is a set of clearly communicated shortcomings.

And it completely ignores what the company has done for Minneapolis and the surrounding area. But it’s easy to disregard local knowledge when Internet outrage is the preferred reaction.

No, it really doesn't, things need to balance out - far too long has America been perfectly fine with terrible things on the other side of the globe fueling domestic profits.

Cargill's business practices are supplying economic growth that is dwarfed by the externalities that are being accrued.

Re: Cargill: The Worst Company in the World

#14

Post by chipotle_coyote »

If you're actually interested in reading this report as opposed to struggling through the web presentation, this is the link to the PDF:

http://www.mightyearth.org/wp-content/uploads/Mighty-Earth-R...

This piece did inadvertently introduce me to Shorthand, which tells me that "the world's most successful digital storytelling teams" are using it to "create simply beautiful stories using" Shorthand's "beautifully simple" story editor. I can only wonder how much more successful those teams could be if they would beautifully, simply stop.

Re: Cargill: The Worst Company in the World

#15

Post by jascii »

vgetr wrote: post #10
kjjw wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No it doesn't. The basis of the claim is a set of clearly communicated shortcomings.

And it completely ignores what the company has done for Minneapolis and the surrounding area. But it’s easy to disregard local knowledge when Internet outrage is the preferred reaction.

Then please inform us what the local benefits are that justify a global history of forced child labor, slavery, dumping toxic waste, poisoning food products, etc, etc?

Re: Cargill: The Worst Company in the World

#16

Post by jtmcmc »

vgetr wrote: post #10
kjjw wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No it doesn't. The basis of the claim is a set of clearly communicated shortcomings.

And it completely ignores what the company has done for Minneapolis and the surrounding area. But it’s easy to disregard local knowledge when Internet outrage is the preferred reaction.

so wanton destruction of the earth is fine as long as there are some positive benefits in the short term to Minneapolis?

Re: Cargill: The Worst Company in the World

#17

Post by femto »

rhacker wrote: post #4

Totally distracting aside: I've always felt I wish I could walk around a store with a special set of glasses on so I could apply my own personal voting filters - Chili - benefits monsanto $0.05 per can, KRAFT Foods $1 per can etc... I mean I have a lot of values - I buy small label organics and that does a lot, but sometimes I just want to buy cheetos- I think I would think twice if I knew my enemies were benefitting…

A wikipedia based on Universal Product Codes has been in the back of my mind for a long time. Scan the UPC and a page pops up. Have the data in the form of an infobox or RDF (dbpedia.org) and the basis is there for an app or glasses that does what you describe. Biggest problem would be how to defend each UPC page from astroturfing by whoever makes money off the product associated with the UPC.

---

Edit: It seems like the aforementioned https://www.buycott.com is essentially this? It's always nice to see an idea completed with no work!

Re: Cargill: The Worst Company in the World

#19

Post by seem_2211 »

vgetr wrote: post #10
kjjw wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No it doesn't. The basis of the claim is a set of clearly communicated shortcomings.

And it completely ignores what the company has done for Minneapolis and the surrounding area. But it’s easy to disregard local knowledge when Internet outrage is the preferred reaction.

It's done bad things for Minneapolis too? Or are you suggesting that we should keep destroying the Amazon so the fine people of MN can have some more Teslas?

Re: Cargill: The Worst Company in the World

#20

Post by alanbernstein »

chipotle_coyote wrote: post #14

If you're actually interested in reading this report as opposed to struggling through the web presentation, this is the link to the PDF: http://www.mightyearth.org/wp-content/uploads/Mighty-Earth-R... This piece did inadvertently introduce me to Shorthand, which tells me that "the world's most successful digital storytelling teams" are using it to "create simply beautiful stories using" Shorthand's "beautifully simpl…

I've never heard of shorthand before, but it seems fine to me, what's your issue with it? It works fine, and performantly, in desktop Firefox with a moderate amount of adblock/privacy extensions active. It's mostly just text that you can scroll through like any other article. It just has some semi-sticky images and a timeline widget which, to me, only add to the presentation. It's not like they're hijacking the scroll action to ruin normal browser behavior.

If it sucks on mobile, so what? Everything sucks on mobile.

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