Comments on: Surveys, Race, and Banana Republic http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/05/25/surveys-race-and-banana-republic/ | social justice | higher education | technology | Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:23:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Michael Faris http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/05/25/surveys-race-and-banana-republic/#comment-26438 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:15:03 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/05/25/surveys-race-and-banana-republic/#comment-26438 FB, My claims that Banana Republic is racist comes from background knowledge about their unfair labor practices in third-world countries. Perhaps you don't want to call it racist. Perhaps you want to call it sexist, imperialist, and inhumane. Some sources: <a href="http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/rs/profile.cfm?id=229&MajorSub=1&CompanyName=Banana%20Republic">Repsonsible Shopper's Profile of Gap</a> <a href="http://130.94.183.89/magazine/july96/sweated.html">Story about Central American sweatshops</a> <a href="http://www.ethicalshopping.com/clothing-accessories/clothes/banana-republics-uk-opening-marred-sweatshop-allegations.html">Story about Banana Republic's sweathshops</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc8T5BWbfXk">YouTube video about Banana Republic</a>, which, I think, showcases how even the name is colonialist and racist, trying to make trendiness out of imperialism. <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2007-10-28-1008630559_x.htm">USA Today story about Gap</a> FB,

My claims that Banana Republic is racist comes from background knowledge about their unfair labor practices in third-world countries. Perhaps you don’t want to call it racist. Perhaps you want to call it sexist, imperialist, and inhumane.

Some sources:

Repsonsible Shopper’s Profile of Gap

Story about Central American sweatshops

Story about Banana Republic’s sweathshops

YouTube video about Banana Republic, which, I think, showcases how even the name is colonialist and racist, trying to make trendiness out of imperialism.

USA Today story about Gap

]]> by: FinanceBuzz http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/05/25/surveys-race-and-banana-republic/#comment-25932 Wed, 28 May 2008 03:41:58 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/05/25/surveys-race-and-banana-republic/#comment-25932 Wow....you open a survey, and without an ounce of information on the work that went into putting the survey question (at least not that you reported), you immediately go straight to the conclusion that we have a case of....*pause*....*gasp*.....white privilege! Why? Because "Caucasian" was at the top of the list. The only possible reason they might have put that at the top of their list was white privilege. What evidence to you have to back up this assertion? I would suggest a much more plausible explanation (as if an explanation is even needed to the vast majority of people who will get this survey) is that either a.) Caucasians are the largest represented race in the U.S., blacks are second, Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity represented in larger numbers than black (perhaps this is.....Latino privilege....hmm...) and Asian is fourth. Or perhaps Banana Republic customer profile is reflective of this order? There are many much more likely explanations than "white privilege," especially when you do not have ounce of evidence, much less proof, for this assertion. <blockquote>What can you expect from a corporation that pays brown people low, low wages to make stuff to sell to bourgeois white folks? Gross. If brown people on other continents aren’t worth being fully human, why would brown people on our continent be worth the status of “select” shoppers</blockquote> Michael, I would suggest you brush up on your economics. What is a low wage in one locale might not be in another. For example, depending on the site you look at, the average income in India is less than $1000US per year.....PER YEAR. Thus, what would be a pittance in the United States economy would be a fortune in India. To suggest that the absolute wage in another country as compared to that in the U.S. somehow suggests that someone is less than "fully human" is meritless. Also, Michael, you claim that BR is a "racist" company. Do you have any evidence of this or did you come to that conclusion on the weight of Eric's survey? If the latter, again, I would suggest that without other evidence, that claim is meritless as well. Wow….you open a survey, and without an ounce of information on the work that went into putting the survey question (at least not that you reported), you immediately go straight to the conclusion that we have a case of….*pause*….*gasp*…..white privilege! Why? Because “Caucasian” was at the top of the list. The only possible reason they might have put that at the top of their list was white privilege. What evidence to you have to back up this assertion? I would suggest a much more plausible explanation (as if an explanation is even needed to the vast majority of people who will get this survey) is that either a.) Caucasians are the largest represented race in the U.S., blacks are second, Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity represented in larger numbers than black (perhaps this is…..Latino privilege….hmm…) and Asian is fourth. Or perhaps Banana Republic customer profile is reflective of this order? There are many much more likely explanations than “white privilege,” especially when you do not have ounce of evidence, much less proof, for this assertion.

What can you expect from a corporation that pays brown people low, low wages to make stuff to sell to bourgeois white folks? Gross. If brown people on other continents aren’t worth being fully human, why would brown people on our continent be worth the status of “select” shoppers

Michael, I would suggest you brush up on your economics. What is a low wage in one locale might not be in another. For example, depending on the site you look at, the average income in India is less than $1000US per year…..PER YEAR. Thus, what would be a pittance in the United States economy would be a fortune in India. To suggest that the absolute wage in another country as compared to that in the U.S. somehow suggests that someone is less than “fully human” is meritless.

Also, Michael, you claim that BR is a “racist” company. Do you have any evidence of this or did you come to that conclusion on the weight of Eric’s survey? If the latter, again, I would suggest that without other evidence, that claim is meritless as well.

]]> by: Joseph Orosco http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/05/25/surveys-race-and-banana-republic/#comment-25889 Tue, 27 May 2008 17:09:05 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/05/25/surveys-race-and-banana-republic/#comment-25889 Perhaps more so than reason, our tendency toward hypocrisy is what makes us human. Perhaps more so than reason, our tendency toward hypocrisy is what makes us human.

]]> by: Eric Stoller http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/05/25/surveys-race-and-banana-republic/#comment-25837 Mon, 26 May 2008 18:21:47 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/05/25/surveys-race-and-banana-republic/#comment-25837 @Michael - Thanks for clarifying. This reminds me of a recent exchange that you had with Orosco on his blog....something about us all being hypocrites. @Michael - Thanks for clarifying. This reminds me of a recent exchange that you had with Orosco on his blog….something about us all being hypocrites.

]]> by: Michael Faris http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/05/25/surveys-race-and-banana-republic/#comment-25832 Mon, 26 May 2008 17:52:14 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/05/25/surveys-race-and-banana-republic/#comment-25832 Actually, though I was not explicit about mentioning the survey, I said it was a logical step for such a racist company. I too am indignant about this survey, but perhaps I am also resigned and expect this shit to happen. The solution seems to me to not shop at these fascistic stores, and to encourage others not to as well. That's why your shopping behavior came up. ;) Actually, though I was not explicit about mentioning the survey, I said it was a logical step for such a racist company. I too am indignant about this survey, but perhaps I am also resigned and expect this shit to happen.

The solution seems to me to not shop at these fascistic stores, and to encourage others not to as well. That’s why your shopping behavior came up. ;)

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