Lidl lost. Me!
Have I finally gone off my trolley – albeit it a
shopping trolley? I’m boycotting Lidl for a couple of months. Yep – you can see
them shaking in their boots as they lose the few quid they’ve been making off
me for the last 13 years.
Having met Nelson Mandela (sorry for the name drop - see
blog 44) and having taken part in student boycotts in the apartheid years – I
don’t wish to bandy the term around lightly. BUT small though this may be,
sometimes you have to do what you think is right regardless of whether anyone
takes notice.
A while back I posted blog 147. ‘More less contact is making us Horrible’. This
lack of connection makes it easier to treat each other with something that
falls short of human decency.
SO
A few weeks ago I noticed that my local Lidl on Gorgie
Rd was installing those self-service machines. I don’t like them. If I want self-service
I will STAY HOME. But more to the point, I don’t want to see even more people
made redundant and yet another potential human interaction wiped from daily
life.
I politely challenged the young manager about this and
got that curled lip and exasperated attitude and a throw-away statement that nothing would change – and – more to the
point – if I wanted to use a proper till I only had to ask. Well, I shop quite
regularly – not being a car owner I buy small amounts. Many times, I’ve had to
ask for a till to be put on and almost an equal number of times my request has
been met with heaving sighs, rolling eyes and, three times, an argument.
Saturday 14th January I was in Lidl. As I
approached the only open till the young guy operating it pointed at the self-service
machines and yelled CLOSING at me. I
said I didn’t want to use the self-service machines. He rolled his eyes,
huffed, then we had a ‘lively exchange’ as he roughed my items through the
scanner while glowering.
With money, harder than ever to come by for those at
the bottom of the pile, despite what we are being told, I do not want to give,
even my pathetic sums of money to a company that is doing its best be de-humanize
me and reduce staffing. I don’t want to pay for no service especially while they are spending on
breathy we’re so lovely
advertisements on the radio.
I hate the term ‘consumer’. But I do occasionally have
to be a grocery shopper because my daughter has that annoying habit of wanting
to eat! When I am shopping, I want to be treated like a human being. I always
want to be treated like a human being – I’m funny that way. I want everyone –
from an old person buying a stamp in the post office to a vulnerable child fleeing
war (see blog 200 – ‘Suffer the Little Children – again’), to be treated
humanely. Machines are getting between us and our humanity. More machines is
NOT about efficiency it’s about profit.
Monday 16th Jan I was in Barclays bank with
my friend who was directed to a self-service banking machine. 25 minutes later
when an employee came up to me to ask if there was anything he could do I
replied – ‘no – I am waiting for someone – 25 minutes and counting’. The young
guy huffed (what is it with me and guys huffing?) and walked off. We escaped
after HALF AN HOUR. Yes, I timed it.
In the UK, there is currently a rail dispute between
the unions and Southern Rail. It is about this very thing. While the rail
companies mop up eye watering profits from the public and subsidies from the
public purse they treat that public like shit. And still they want to reduce
staff numbers. It’s a shame the unions have been so crap at handling the public
relations on this because this is one of the big issues of our time.
The final thing the exasperated Lidl till guy said to
me was “you talk, I talk – it doesn’t matter”. Well – isn’t that the truth. It
doesn’t matter because in the pursuit of profit large corporations don’t need
our humanity they just want our money.
In his moving leaving speech President Obama urged
people to communicate “in real life”. Partly it is harder to disregard or be
callous to someone with whom you have eye contact and real interaction in a
real place in real time.
We need to look each other in the eye more often. Talk
without the aid of electronic devices more often. Touch, smile, react,
empathise, discuss the weather, be aware of each other as humans. Hug. Care.
Before we forget how.
*
I know I am banging on about it – but do please check
out my new book (paperback or e-book) Zero One Zero Two if
you want to see how this could go.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1539762602 Thanks.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1539762602 Thanks.
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