Are all businesses bad?

As long as capitalism still exists, you're not being a bad person by participating in it as a consumer. It's pretty unavoidable. However, people who could do things to limit their involvement in the structure, or help others to limit theirs but don't, ought to be trying harder to live less corporate.

 

Are all businesses bad? Yes.

 

Oh yeah, OP asked a question. Whoops, I feel pretty dumb.

 

No.

 

What you mean by business? Trading? Is ok if nobody gets ripped off, I guess.

 

It really wouldn't be counter-revolutionary to buy something anywhere, as long as you need it and you're not conning yourself into thinking "some" capitalists are "better" than others.

I buy my food (when I pay for it at all) from international chain stores with prices I can afford, because I'm not gonna give somebody twice the going rate for a can of beans just because they live around the corner from me. So happens that they live in a fucking mansion and I live in a flat with mouldy ceilings. I'd say it would be counter-revolutionary of me to part with more of my money for a reason that makes no sense and only helps the rich on my doorstep stay richer.

 

There is a fundimental difference between capitalism and commerce. Capitalism is a system of trade that ensure the greatest profit possible (simplistic) whereas commerce can be any system of trade, including barter.

As for supporting a 'business'...

I am a resident and member of a certified organic farm community that is also a worker run cooperative (open membership). We operate from retail farm market stalls, an on-farm nursery and wholesale to restaurants and stores. We are a community but also a business.

Is buying from us different than buying imported produce from a mutinational corporate chain?

Yes, for one, you do not support the oppression of our third world brothers and sisters and unsustainable agricultural practices by opting into the global food system, two, you support local families, and three, you support a group of individuals that are dedicated to democratizing food production.

Are we perfect, NO, are we everywhere, NO, but I try to ensure that if I must buy, what I buy does not support exploitative economic systems. We buy our coffee beans and grains directly from independant organic farmers, for example, and we support alternative economics first; used (does your item REALLY need to be new?) or barter and, particularily with food, shop directly with the producer at farmers markets and TALK to us. Within our operation we have many opportunities for individuals to support us (and join us) beyond economics and are quite willing to provide groups with our wholesale rates rather than 'forcing' people to pay retail.