These 11 Companies Control Everything You Buy

[railgrail]

Is freedom of choice an illusion?

https://wikibuy.com/blog/11-companie...g-904b28425120

[AzPaul]

So if a parent company owns three different brands that turn out three very different products, how is that limiting my choice? Don't I still have three different choices?

Why does the controlling interest matter?

[railgrail]

Originally Posted by AzPaul

So if a parent company owns three different brands that turn out three very different products, how is that limiting my choice? Don't I still have three different choices?

Why does the controlling interest matter?

yeah, if you require an explanation after making those statements, then don't worry about it and just enjoy your "freedom" of "choice".

the corporation thrives on consumers and citizens like you.

[martinr]

No not an illusion. Stories like that are such a waste of time to read. Never heard of Honest Tea either. Who cares.

[CRM114]

Originally Posted by railgrail

Is freedom of choice an illusion?

https://wikibuy.com/blog/11-companie...g-904b28425120

No.

Obviously, the author of this silly blog article has no idea what the meaning of "control"," freedom", "everything", or what an individual not having a choice in a matter actually means. He/She is using words and concepts they don't understand. The only people who could take it seriously would be others as naive as they are.

Honestly, it comes off as written by some privileged kid or adult dingbat who just "discovered" that successful, established companies make/own more than one thing that people want and attempting to conflate it into some sort of oppression.

"Oh no! I'm in the market for a new car and have only have a handful of manufacturer choices that offer a finite number of models with only a couple engine sizes and option packages.....Help, help, I am being limited and oppressed by mega-corporations! Where is my personal freedom? (sob)".

[railgrail]

Originally Posted by CRM114

No.

Obviously, the author of this silly blog article has no idea what the meaning of "control"," freedom", "everything", or what an individual not having a choice in a matter actually means. He/She is using words and concepts they don't understand. The only people who could take it seriously would be others as naive as they are.

Honestly, it comes off as written by some privileged kid or adult dingbat who just "discovered" that successful, established companies make/own more than one thing that people want and attempting to conflate it into some sort of oppression.

"Oh no! I'm in the market for a new car and have only have a handful of manufacturer choices that offer a finite number of models with only a couple engine sizes and option packages.....Help, help, I am being limited and oppressed by mega-corporations! Where is my personal freedom? (sob)".

the ladies do doth protest a bit much, no? a bit too defensive?

there was a term in the soviet union called "useful idiot". they were convinced and told they were the smartest, and of course they had plenty of "choice" back then. certainly does rhyme. and btw, i don't buy anything from any of those companies or parent companies, so there IS choice, but you have to be aware.

the Corporatocracy needs useful idiots to peddle to. think of the MSM as being controlled by how many corps feeding what kind of "news"? same thing: input.

to wit, yet another spoiled rich kid's silly opinion LOL:

https://www.businessinsider.com/thes...america-2012-6

boohooo?

edit: take a cross-section of the foods from the above and break down the nutritional value and average it out -- you will come up with ultra high carb and sugar composition a la "news". extrapolate that. you can even wear your watch whilst doing it lol.

[Brenngun]

I'm trying to understand what problem you're concerned with? Diversification is an important strategy for most companies regardless of their size. If your concern is control just think about what your choices are the next time you turn on the lights. Monopolies have existed for years either because of infrastructure/regulatory barriers or common pricing structures. No surprise that the price of gas is the same regardless of the oil company.

You can always exercise your ultimate freedom of choice to not purchase.

[77T]

I did like the brand pie chart showing who controlled what - but the author forgot to enumerate any category dominance.

As for the question of choice, pick any of the consumer segments and you’ll see no one company “owns” your choices.

Pain killers, for example, have more choices than the brands shown in the chart and are owned by different companies than the 11 depicted. Same for all the consumer discretionary segments represented.

I do think those 11 holding companies have aggregate sales that make up more than half of all global consumer spending. But they don’t control product choice because of the other competitors who offer diverse brands.

I think a better title for the author to use might be: “These 11 holding companies control the majority of dominant brands in their respective segments”...but then nobody would read that




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[CRM114]

Originally Posted by railgrail

the ladies do doth protest a bit much, no? a bit too defensive?

there was a term in the soviet union called "useful idiot". they were convinced and told they were the smartest, and of course they had plenty of "choice" back then. certainly does rhyme. and btw, i don't buy anything from any of those companies or parent companies, so there IS choice, but you have to be aware.

the Corporatocracy needs useful idiots to peddle to. think of the MSM as being controlled by how many corps feeding what kind of "news"? same thing: input.

to wit, yet another spoiled rich kid's silly opinion LOL:

https://www.businessinsider.com/thes...america-2012-6

It's good to see you admit nobody controls what you buy and that freedom of choice does exist. The premise and conclusion of the article is, of course, garbage.

The mis-use of the terms "control", "freedom", "everything" points to it being written sincerely by either a naive kid or bona fide dingbat who have no concept of what those words actually mean. Perhaps, however, it's pre-meditated, intentionally mis-using them in order to pander to the paranoid, "useful idiots" in the anti-corporation tinfoil hat crowd that grew up watching Captain Planet and mistook The Matrix and Robocop for documentaries.

There's an entire industry based on pretending and convincing others that living in the Land of Plenty offering endless choices on how to spend money and leisure time is a form of victimhood. A critical element of doing so is deluding oneself and others into believing they're unwitting pawns in a malevolent system where Freedom and Choices really aren't. After all, who doesn't want to be one of the Enlightened and heroic ones involved resisting the invisible hands that are shepherding us to our doom? "Don't be sheeple, wear shoes made from hemp and make your own lye soap like great-grandma did".

I find it all very amusing, given that across the world there are only a few billion people who would trade their situations for all our "illusionary freedom and choices" in a heartbeat. It's no coincidence that those people experience little or none and therefore know what those words actually mean. Having frequented, spent much time, and made friends in in some of those places I can certainly attest to where I'd rather spend my existence.

No, I don't believe I'll lose any sleep over Jell-O and Tater Tots being produced by companies under the same umbrella, let alone confuse someone buying both without knowing it with being "controlled" or having no freedom.

[Burlington]

This has been the case in FMCG for many years. Lots of benefits too for the end consumer - consistency of product / service / safety / quality for starters.

[GradyPhilpott]

This post is at its heart political and political posts are not permitted.

Perhaps the OP would prefer that the government owned everything and people had even fewer choices and endless lines to buy basic daily necessities.

[imperio]

is this why whenever I set out to buy a Casio, I end up bringing a Rolex home

[CRM114]

Originally Posted by railgrail

edit: take a cross-section of the foods from the above and break down the nutritional value and average it out -- you will come up with ultra high carb and sugar composition a la "news". extrapolate that. you can even wear your watch whilst doing it lol.

The convenient thing about perpetuating a Big Lie that freedom in our society is only an illusion and that the choices one makes really aren't of their own free will is it's a handy tool to absolve oneself of the responsibility for their own behavior. Everyone doing this in a society has the effect of normalizing deviancy and/or lifestyles of gluttony and excess.

Pretend/convince people that freedom and choices are mere illusions fabricated by entities beyond their control and it's an easy half-step to blame "powerful, sinister corporations" (or whatever) for living a slovenly, unhealthy life devoid of self-discipline and willpower.

Blaming others for one's own personal problems has always been an outlet for the weak-willed. Our culture has developed an industry based on attempting to legitimize blaming others for every ill which has the effect of detracting and diminishing the plight of those that actually can't help themselves, the ones that society should caretake.

The reality is, of course, if people don't buy something then companies will cease its production because stores will stop putting it on their shelves.

Go to a foreign country's grocery store and you'll find Doritos and Coke, but you won't find entire aisles dedicated to chips and other aisles to soft drinks like you do in the U.S. American and other food company giants have inroads across the world, but shops put what sells on the shelves. What's on the shelves is a reflection of the culture's consumption choices, not what's being forced on people. As long as our culture continues to promote and provides convenient excuses for individuals making bad or excessive choices (blaming others), then nothing will change, the lazy will stay lazy and the fat will keep getting fatter.

[Abdullah71601]

If you eat meat in the US, it probably came from Tyson Foods, and they aren't even on your list. How could your blogger miss that unless they are pushing some one sided political agenda?

[AzPaul]

Originally Posted by railgrail

yeah, if you require an explanation after making those statements, then don't worry about it and just enjoy your "freedom" of "choice".

the corporation thrives on consumers and citizens like you.

Was hoping for an answer rather than an a insult.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by AzPaul

Was hoping for an answer rather than an a insult.

BC is back. He seems more hostile and cynical this time around though. Maybe moving to NY does that to you.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

BC is back. He seems more hostile and cynical this time around though. Maybe moving to NY does that to you.

I’m thinking this guy is definitely NOT new.

He’s way too argumentative right off the bat to be so. Feels to me like he’s got an ax to grind.

[1st amg]

Considering what the OP just started on this thread and the very negative remark on the thread of Seth buying a new home which is exciting.....I think this OP is up to no good.

[mailman]

Originally Posted by superdog

I’m thinking this guy is definitely NOT new.

He’s way too argumentative right off the bat to be so. Feels to me like he’s got an ax to grind.

Originally Posted by 1st amg

Considering what the OP just started on this thread and the very negative remark on the thread of Seth buying a new home which is exciting.....I think this OP is up to no good.

OP is gone gents

[superdog]

Originally Posted by mailman

OP is gone gents

Wow.

Nicely done my friend.

Once again mods keeping the peace, laying down the law, and kicking ass. brother man.

[TK-710]

Originally Posted by mailman

OP is gone gents

Paul with the ban hammer for the win!
Of course now the OP is convinced of his original argument and probably thinks you’re an agent of Coca-Cola.
TRF is complicit in limiting my choices! Freedom is an illusion!

[superdog]

I just checked out those dudes other posts.

Oh boy. Someone’s got anger issues.

[mailman]

Originally Posted by superdog

Wow.

Nicely done my friend.

Once again mods keeping the peace, laying down the law, and kicking ass. brother man.

Seth Enjoy your Sunday my man

Originally Posted by JES77

Paul with the ban hammer for the win!
Of course now the OP is convinced of his original argument and probably thinks you’re an agent of Coca-Cola.
TRF is complicit in limiting my choices! Freedom is an illusion!

It was my freedom of choice to ban him

[timedate]

you can buy 6 pints of fresh full fat milk in england for £1.50p from the big supermarkets,

i believe milk is run by large multinationals,

if they were not running things, could i seriously buy that milk cheaper or better elsewhere, considering everybody has to have their share of the cake.


But this is only one example, energy seems incredibly expensive but there are other reasons for that but its not allowed to be discussed on here.

[breitlings]

Originally Posted by railgrail

Is freedom of choice an illusion?

Yes insofar it’s how we perceive the 5th and 6th dimension.