I think its sad commentary when you can point out that people got scammed and they still can't see it. Especially by a company that has a record of supporting Republicans and exploiting children in sweatshops. Not to mention their employment record is abysmal. Nike is not a good company. But by buying off Kap, they sure have duped a lot of people into thinking they are, and they have made a mint in the process. And still nothing has changed other than a shitty company increased their revenue and profits. Absolutely fuck all was done to correct inequality and injustice. In fact, they have been increased, has those seven year-olds in Malaysian sweatshops working overtime to meet demand while rich white men get even richer and donate more money to Trump's party. All while being applauded by idiots.

@Piratefish companies that size are made up of more than a single individual and/or agenda. I’m not defending them, but how certain are you that not a single shoe or article of clothing or electronics that you have wasn’t made in a sweatshop? Or that the chocolates you eat didn’t come from slave labor or child exploitation?

The reality is that global trade, while great, has its down sides & the impossibility of knowing the entire supply chain is one of them. I am not ignorant of this fact, but you sir appear to think that you’re a particularly enlightened individual on this subject, you’re not.

@BenR

Classic whataboutism. That is not the point here. Not sure I can explain it any more clearly, either.

@Piratefish whataboutism seems to have entered into our venacular lately due to Trump & to be honest most of those examples aren’t even comparable in the slightest & it’s just him just creating noise & distractions.

I was not trying to defend Nike, but at the same time I don’t get the outrage from the conservatives, “moderates” or libertarians on this issue. I think Nike has the right to run what they did, it doesn’t hurt anyone & maybe they wanted controversy thinking it’d increase their sales. The reality is no one is an Oracle. It might help them but it could hurt them too. It didn’t make their operations as a company any more or less ethical than what they were before.

If you really want this discussion to go there though, a lesson in manufacturing & ethics, then I could certainly give it better than most given my own background, but I am not going to get into that in this forum.

Can't argue with that.

About what, exactly? It didn't change anyone's mind, but it sure made Nike a mint. And Nike still exploits kids and supports the Republican party and rich white men. They don't give one rusty f word about Kap's cause. And Kap? He sold out to a company known for its exploitation of children. What's next, ads for NAMBLA?

Whatever happened to integrity and principles?

@Piratefish your kidding right you are talking about people and companies cadburys hersheys apple walmart gap addidas disney etc etc have all been well documented as using child labour and unethical working practices power imbalances and rich poor divides will only get worse not better because people as a general rule don't really care both you and i are using a device that will definitely have some degree of bad ethical practices attached to it. Its unfortunately life in the 21st century and every preceding one, there has never been a golden age of mankind

@weeman I guess that makes it alright then. As long as people buy Nikes. And Nestle products. And other socially irresponsible brands.

The point is that the Nike campaign had nothing to do with social conscience, and everything to do with boosting revenue and increasing profit. All it accomplished was to make Nike a ton of cash and get people to think Nike is a great company. It didn't do a single thing to advance social justice, it just exploited a cause for its own profit. The people who bought Nike's shoes already supported Kap's cause. Nike just took advantage of them to make itself a lot of money. That's it. That's all that was accomplished. We are not a single step closer to fixing inequality. But we did make a company notorious for exploiting child labor and Republicans a ton of cash.

The public got played, and still can't seem to see it even when it is pointed out to them.