Comment Re:Back up your vote with your wallet (Score 1) 195
How many thousands of people voted in this survey? If half of them boycotted the companies they voted for for the period of one year the companies would take notice.
Exactly, it's near impossible. And these companies are lobbying hard to remove options that allow consumers to vote with their wallets. We need more than just individual economic pressure to have any realistic impact on companies this big.
Another problem is that people really underestimate individual economic pressure. I know too many people my age (mid 20s) who automatically give up and say that there is no way they can make a difference so why even try. They expect someone else to make the sacrifice and work to address the problem. Look at Target's profits in the wake of their little credit card fiasco:
The widespread theft of Target customer data had a significant impact on the company’s profit, which fell more than 40 percent in the fourth quarter, the retailer reported on Wednesday. The company said net earnings were $520 million in the quarter, down 46 percent from the same period a year earlier, when earnings were $961 million.
Source: New York Times
These companies don't magically make money regardless of what consumers do, they make money because consumers willingly spend money with them. It seems as if lots of people just stopped going to Target after the breach was discovered. Explain why the same thing couldn't happen with Wal-Mart or EA?
The fundamentals never change. With a solid base, there is nothing a programmer can't do.
An AA program focused on what will get them hired today is exactly what will not get them hired tomorrow.
That is true. And so many of us are thankful we learned the fundamentals and principles because we have had really gainfull and fulfilling careers because of it. But not everyone is like us.
There are a lot of people who don't want to / cannot learn the fundamentals. But since they have been told the only path towards the middle class is to go to a 4 year school they will enroll and either drop out, flunk out, change majors, or graduate being barely competent in what they studied. And they will most likely have a lot of debt.
Wouldn't it be better to give those who wish it another option?
Quantity is no substitute for quality, but its the only one we've got.