Pure of Heart:The Thin Line between Profit, Promise, and Propaganda
- English Simone
- Jun 30, 2020
- 3 min read
It’s getting hot. Mysteriously hot, day after day. Not just with the sweltering Georgia humidity and heat, but also in your home, your community, and your nation. It may seem like a stretch. But, when you look at and listen to the all-too-familiar political scandals, the plaguing health pandemic, iced by infestation of unjust race relations and police brutality, then you know that it is nothing short of the truth.
While the root of the issue lies within white color leaders, like presidents, governors, and national healthcare officials, the effects of this issue resonate deeply in their constituents. There is a blinded some who feel that the nation is in the best state of its existence, a spiritually damned lot who innately justify these tumultuous torrent of times, and then there are the realists who see the declining state of this nation for what it truly is: DEPLORABLE. The latter have risen out of what appears to be a deep sleep and are now screaming for change. Where are their voices heard the most? Through frequented businesses, philanthropic entities, and finally, social media.
Over the last few months, we have witnessed many of these businesses jolt in operation to either show support of the movements rising at the moment, or we have found many of them water-down the fire behind such movements with mediocre public statements and modest policy changes. Recently in the headlines is the social media giant, Facebook.
“The social network has been less aggressive than competitors Twitter Inc. and Snap Inc. in responding to what employees and advertisers say are harmful posts…”
~Sarah Frier and Kurt Wagner, Bloomberg Reports
Sarah Frier and Kurt Wagner, contributing writers to Bloomberg News, collaborated on the article, “Facebook Ad Boycott Sinks Stock, Raises Pressure on Zuckerberg,” in which they state that the social media platform who is markedly known for being the ultimate venue of “free speech” has made minimal changes to its open policy in the midst of piqued racial injustice and social unrest. Facebook’s response is similar to that of supermarket chain, Publix, who “rejects racism” but whose “focus remains on ensuring a welcoming work and shopping environment for all associates and customers”...unless you openly support the Black Lives Matter movement.
The message that these corporate giants are delivering is that they are unbothered by this select group of citizens’ concerns, because it does not directly impact their value. Surely, Facebook shared these very sentiments until other large corporations jumped on board. Both Honda and Unilever show their support by pulling their Facebook ads as a result of the social media platform being too detached and lackadaisical with its policies that directly influence social unrest. United Health Group, Honest Beauty, and Home Depot (to name a few) have risen above the occasion by speaking out against racial injustice and by pledging millions of dollars to the cause as well.
On one end, we have corporations funding for change. On the other end, we have companies, like Starbucks, that disallowed Black Lives Matter garb and (until recently) regards it as a violation of policy, unlike LGBTQ/Pride and other “vocal” apparel. It took the company coming under fire and losing the support of pop icons, such as Arianna Grande, before they decided to revamp their perspectives.
“The company [will] continue to work closely with community leaders, civil rights leaders, organizations, and our partners to understand the role that Starbucks can play, and to show up in a positive way for our communities.”
~ Starbucks Stories & News
When I say, “It’s getting hot,” it means that companies are finally under fire because of their morale and ethics, or lack thereof. For many of them, the topic itself isn’t a concern. It is the potential profit loss because of non-conformity that has forced them to amend, bend, or break their previously established rules. I ration that if we continue to raise our voices and pump our fists, minorities will soon sniff out and clarify that thin line between profit, promise, and propaganda.
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