I empathize, and I do.

But the problem lays more in large global companies than in small business, and I realize that's the point.

Make more grassroot companies that give a shit about their people, and only PEOPLE can do that.

Stop buying shit!!

Buy what you have to, barter or trade for stuff you want and it'll turn the consumer market on it's ass!

And it's not . that. hard. to . do.

Fuck the 'Jones'

You don't actually 'need' granet counter tops. They stain easily and old heat. they are inefficient to actual cooking methods.

Useless shit you really don't need.
Pretty, yes,
functional, no.

Went to your google+ I agree with much of what I heard, but I do have the worry that all of the different forms of tribalism will be used by the fascist, corporate government. Hitler said, "If the lie is big enough and is said often enough, people will believe it." It is so easy to bring many groups together under one banner, one slogan, one umbrella. And that's where the horrors begin.

Right now, not only do the corporations hold the wealth, the access to food and water, but they also have control over governmental military as well as private military. Worse than that, they have brainwashed people to believe they have a right to things that are actually a privilege. These 'rights' that are privileges are significant in supporting big corporate earnings. I don't see how the average citizen can affect much, considering they have no way to defend themselves, or to support themselves. It's practically illegal to engage in any behavior that isn't strictly overseen by government authorities. That includes growing and selling/bartering foods and services. There are inventions that could take anyone off the corporate grid so that the family can support itself, but those avenues have been illegalized by corporate America or have been regulated out of the ability to use.

Protests won't stop those things, though they are a way to be heard. From the way corporations are behaving lately, it is obvious that they see customers as flesh bags and not human at all. They don't care about the common man. They don't even seem to care about profit as long as they have the power to direct individual behavior. It's not about profit anymore. It's about control. And it would be so easy to get caught up in the misdirection.

Er...I've gone on long enough. ^_^