Wal-Mart donates $600,000 to four Kentucky charities

[Ringel05]

This so doesn't work on me. It don't un-do who they really are. It's a diversion.

It's not a diversion. It's a demonstration of the fact that very little if anything in this world is either all good or all bad. Shades of gray, learn to see them.

Having lived in NWA for several years, the amount of money I saw the Walton family give back to the community there is staggering - and not all of it with their name stamped across it. One of the scholarships I used to attend U of A was from a Walton family endowment, but it took some effort to uncover that information. The company itself is separate from the family, of course. But they also do a lot of giving as evidenced by the OP.

Does that mean I have to approve of their business model or put myself through the PITA that is shopping in their stores? Nope. But a recognition that nothing is all bad is certainly in order.

Yes, shades of gray so they'll have something to point to and say "Nuh-uh, look! We're not all bad!" when they receive deserved criticism.

Wal-Mart is far from the only example of Taylorism destroying the middle class. The whole country has been franchised out. But Wal-Mart is probably the biggest offender, and is certainly the most visible.

Sorry GC, I can't agree with your analysis. Throwing a handful of change back at a community you've helped to destroy doesn't make everything O.K.

That reminds me, I have to add a couple of items to my Wal-Mart shopping list. Thanks!

 

[goldcatt]

Yes, shades of gray so they'll have something to point to and say "Nuh-uh, look! We're not all bad!" when they receive deserved criticism.

Wal-Mart is far from the only example of Taylorism destroying the middle class. The whole country has been franchised out. But Wal-Mart is probably the biggest offender, and is certainly the most visible.

Sorry GC, I can't agree with your analysis. Throwing a handful of change back at a community you've helped to destroy doesn't make everything O.K.

If you call a couple hundred million "a handful of change", are you adopting?

A few hundred million is to Walmart, as a Handful of change is to you or I.

I simply can't find the level of cynicism required to put down their motives. Especially when I've been a beneficiary myself, and nobody asked or cared if I was a customer or not. Only that I met the academic standards the endowment required.

If all they wanted was PR, they wouldn't do so much of their giving in an unpublicized manner. Do they use it when it suits them? Probably. But that doesn't mean it is or has ever been their primary purpose.

I still hate their stores and no amount of charitable donations will get me to darken their doorstep except in absolute necessity. Dirty, dark, dingy, smelly places with substandard quality often overpriced merchandise, ugh. But shades of gray, my friend.

 

[Cuyo]

If you call a couple hundred million "a handful of change", are you adopting?

A few hundred million is to Walmart, as a Handful of change is to you or I.

I simply can't find the level of cynicism required to put down their motives. Especially when I've been a beneficiary myself, and nobody asked or cared if I was a customer or not. Only that I met the academic standards the endowment required.

If all they wanted was PR, they wouldn't do so much of their giving in an unpublicized manner. Do they use it when it suits them? Probably. But that doesn't mean it is or has ever been their primary purpose.

I still hate their stores and no amount of charitable donations will get me to darken their doorstep except in absolute necessity. Dirty, dark, dingy, smelly places with substandard quality often overpriced merchandise, ugh. But shades of gray, my friend.

Your conflict of interest is duly noted.

If they really wanted to hide it, I mean really hide their "Giving," they could do so and you'd have no idea that they'd given anything. They do it for PR. Maybe they don't publicize the act like you'd expect in a PR campaign, but they put it right there for you to find. If they wanted to hide it, they could.

 

[uscitizen]

Wal-mart has become who they are, exclusively, by exploiting every angle of the market. Interestingly, in their early days, a major part of their business image was "Buy American." Ironic, no?

Yes, that was while Sam Walton was still alive.
This younger generation....

 

[goldcatt]

A few hundred million is to Walmart, as a Handful of change is to you or I.

I simply can't find the level of cynicism required to put down their motives. Especially when I've been a beneficiary myself, and nobody asked or cared if I was a customer or not. Only that I met the academic standards the endowment required.

If all they wanted was PR, they wouldn't do so much of their giving in an unpublicized manner. Do they use it when it suits them? Probably. But that doesn't mean it is or has ever been their primary purpose.

I still hate their stores and no amount of charitable donations will get me to darken their doorstep except in absolute necessity. Dirty, dark, dingy, smelly places with substandard quality often overpriced merchandise, ugh. But shades of gray, my friend.

Your conflict of interest is duly noted.

If they really wanted to hide it, I mean really hide their "Giving," they could do so and you'd have no idea that they'd given anything. They do it for PR. Maybe they don't publicize the act like you'd expect in a PR campaign, but they put it right there for you to find. If they wanted to hide it, they could.

Nobody human is completely without bias.

OTOH, nobody except the person making the decision truly knows the motivation and reasoning behind it either. Conflict of interest, projection, it's all part of being imperfect.

 

[California Girl]

You guys have an unhealthy obsession with Soros.

Any more unhealthy than your obsession?

Maybe, maybe not. But I brought up Wal-Mart in a Wal-Mart thread. She brought up Soros in a Wal-Mart thread. Not exactly the same.

Then you should have responded to me, as an individual, and not 'you guys'. I am not 'you guys', I am an individual.

And it is very relevant. You are hardly in a position to complain about Wal Mart's ethics, when the left is being funded by a scumbag bastard like Soros.

 

[Mr.Fitnah]

I simply can't find the level of cynicism required to put down their motives. Especially when I've been a beneficiary myself, and nobody asked or cared if I was a customer or not. Only that I met the academic standards the endowment required.

If all they wanted was PR, they wouldn't do so much of their giving in an unpublicized manner. Do they use it when it suits them? Probably. But that doesn't mean it is or has ever been their primary purpose.

I still hate their stores and no amount of charitable donations will get me to darken their doorstep except in absolute necessity. Dirty, dark, dingy, smelly places with substandard quality often overpriced merchandise, ugh. But shades of gray, my friend.

Your conflict of interest is duly noted.

If they really wanted to hide it, I mean really hide their "Giving," they could do so and you'd have no idea that they'd given anything. They do it for PR. Maybe they don't publicize the act like you'd expect in a PR campaign, but they put it right there for you to find. If they wanted to hide it, they could.

Nobody human is completely without bias.

OTOH, nobody except the person making the decision truly knows the motivation and reasoning behind it either. Conflict of interest, projection, it's all part of being imperfect.

Not so much any more the stores are mostly remodeled well lit & clean.
The clients ,not much can be done about them with out doing an IQ test in the parking lot.

 

[Cuyo]

Any more unhealthy than your obsession?

Maybe, maybe not. But I brought up Wal-Mart in a Wal-Mart thread. She brought up Soros in a Wal-Mart thread. Not exactly the same.

Then you should have responded to me, as an individual, and not 'you guys'. I am not 'you guys', I am an individual.

And it is very relevant. You are hardly in a position to complain about Wal Mart's ethics, when the left is being funded by a scumbag bastard like Soros.

O.......Kaaaaaaaayyyyy....

_YOU_ have an unhealthy obsession with Soros... and so do dozens of other dittoheads on here.

If you want to talk about him, start a(nother) thread about him. He's got nothing to do with Wal-Mart.

And BTW, *I* am an individual too, and I happen to be an individual who is not being funded by Soros. You're not "you guys" and I'm not "the left."

 

[uscitizen]

Any more unhealthy than your obsession?

Maybe, maybe not. But I brought up Wal-Mart in a Wal-Mart thread. She brought up Soros in a Wal-Mart thread. Not exactly the same.

Then you should have responded to me, as an individual, and not 'you guys'. I am not 'you guys', I am an individual.

And it is very relevant. You are hardly in a position to complain about Wal Mart's ethics, when the left is being funded by a scumbag bastard like Soros.

 

[Cuyo]

Maybe, maybe not. But I brought up Wal-Mart in a Wal-Mart thread. She brought up Soros in a Wal-Mart thread. Not exactly the same.

Then you should have responded to me, as an individual, and not 'you guys'. I am not 'you guys', I am an individual.

And it is very relevant. You are hardly in a position to complain about Wal Mart's ethics, when the left is being funded by a scumbag bastard like Soros.

I know, right?

 

[uscitizen]

Is it just me or was there some logic in her post that I missed?

 

[MikeK]

So Wal Mart gives 365 million to charities annually?

Every penny of which is a tax write-off.

 

[Jon]

So Wal Mart gives 365 million to charities annually?

Every penny of which is a tax write-off.

They save $125 million a year in taxes to give to reputable, deserving causes. It still causes a net reduction in income of over $200 million. That's $200 million they are giving directly to charities instead of funneling through our tax system and watching it being dwindled down by greedy politicians and unworthy causes.

So sue them.

 

[Mr.Fitnah]

so wal mart gives 365 million to charities annually?

working days only, not weekends