Boycotts are a lot like how we give something up for Lent or make New Year's resolutions. The smart thing is to name something you don't care about in the first place. But then if someone asks, you're caught in a scam. Others commit in a more substantial way. But then by Easter, any memory of their sacrifice is lost to time and unintentional failure. One percent of them are not only successful to the letter of the rules involved but also to their spirit. Back in the day, the day being a long, long time ago, there were a lot of boycotts of this and that in the zealousness of youth. Some might be still going on, but not with the same fun as they were at first.
Some boycotts do work. At least Nelson Mandela thought so. And so did the good people of Montgomery, Alabama. Others might not accomplish their goal, but they shake things up for a while. But many are soon out of the news cycle even in this 24/7 era. So it is always interesting when a new boycott is announced. Usually, there is some upsetness (new word) involved based on a hardened agenda that is in competition with one or more other agendas. The rhetoric continues until malaise or practical necessity sets in. Winners and losers are then determined on both sides with very predictable results. This is how things are done these days. ...Or probably something like that.
1. Say you're boycotting a store like Target over something like their bathrooms. If you haven't shopped there in 20 years, you can say you've been boycotting their stores that long because you knew they'd eventually do something stupid.
2. If you're boycotting a fast food outlet that you really, really like, make use of their late night drive-thru hours dressed as the mascot of your favorite NFL team. If this is too much, pay someone you trust to get the food for you. But it still would be wise for them to go in disguise.
3. Approach any boycott as a lawyer would. For example, if you are boycotting Pepsi, it has to also specifically list Diet Pepsi. Otherwise you are free to drink it instead, especially if you have untreated Type II Diabetes or if your size only comes in a number and two letters.
4. Do not boycott a state that your grandmother has lived in all her life. She will not understand why you can't come see her.
5. Judging others who do not participate in or approve of the boycott creates a "Why don't you care as much as I do?" environment. This is good and very useful. It also cuts down on the number of Christmas, Ramadan, Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Festivus and Kwansaa cards you will have to send. ....Or have to receive.
6. Be careful not to reveal or confirm any underlying schema no matter how obvious it may be. Good causes fueled by animus usually end up with doing the "I told you so! ...I told you so!" dance at the most inappropriate times.
7. Keep in mind that any boycott can be countered by those who feel strong enough to launch a buycott (probably needs a better word) hoping to negate the effects of your ban. Claims of persecution may rise if both sides are not following The Golden Rule.
8. Sometimes, boycotts aren't thought through to their logical end. Unless you were a luddite, why would you boycott Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, email etc, especially if they are a big part of your making a living. ...Exactly! You wouldn't. How else would you tell people about your boycott? The problem is that they might be doing the same thing as your boycotted is companies doing. It would be inconsistent if not downright hypocritical to exempt them. However, you could go back to paper. The USPO would love it. ....Now don't you wish you had bought more Forever Stamps?
Formal boycotts are just organized versions of everyday life. How many times have you said, "I'll never go back to that place again."? How many times have you quit talking to someone? How many times have you withheld affection or sex in order to make a point or get your way? Giving affection or sex to accomplish the same usually goes by a different word.
We routinely pull back when the situation is right. Perhaps not all the way, but we certainly pull back far enough so that it gets noticed. The marriage dynamic is probably the most obvious place where this is seen. But it's easily part of many other situations like work, church, school, society and not to forget, the extended family. Humans are an odd sort sometimes. And we will continue to be until we can find a better way to settle our differences and injustices.
Oh! One last thing. Boycotts are often like elections. It's pretty hard to tell who's telling the truth or even coming close to it. But if it's something that you agree with, chances are that it's the truth.
