X CIN: Have an idea for a story? M opinions@theotherpress.ca rey ey teh Ces eae eee ed ¢ The price we pay for convenience ¢ In-flight courtesy goes a long, long way ¢ Drag is not child's play ..and more! The price we pay for convenience » Amazon is an awful company, but I’m still going to use it Jessica Berget Opinions Editor t’s no secret that the online retail company Amazon treats their employees horribly. For years news outlets have been exposing the company for their abysmal working conditions and mistreatment of their workers. For these reasons, people have threatened to boycott the company. While I agree that what Amazon does to their employees is horrible, it’s not going to stop me from using their website, much less boycott it. But don’t blame me, blame capitalism. Capitalism creates a culture of convenience, and Jeff Bezos has redefined the meaning of convenience and maximizing profits with his company. You can buy almost anything you can think of with the press of a button and it can be shipped to your front door in two days or less, so it’s no surprise that Amazon is a hugely successful company. To boycott it would be the equivalent of boycotting capitalism itself. There are many major corporations that have a track record for underpaying or mistreating their workers, yet people still use them because of convenience, cost, or because they simply need to. For instance, the ride-sharing company Uber =? Photo by Billy Bui has been called out on their mistreatment and underpayment of their workers in the past, yet people continue to use Uber every day because they need transportation. Major clothing retailers like H&M and Gap have also been scrutinized for the treatment of their factory workers, yet many still buy and wear their clothes. Like with all of these companies, Amazon's convenience-maximizing model requires high production targets, and to meet these demands workers are subjected to unethical working environments, extreme pressure, and long work hours. Although that doesn’t make it any less wrong, it does explain why companies like these are still so profitable and successful. If you want to take a stand against Amazon and boycott it, more power to you. However, I think if you're going to boycott Amazon you should also do the same with McDonald’s, Walmart, Uber, H&M, and all of the other companies that have been said to underpay or otherwise mistreat their workers. It doesn’t make sense to me to pick and choose which unethical companies are okay to support and which ones aren't because ultimately, so many of them are virtually the same in terms of how they treat their employees. You may have to use the services of one or all of these companies eventually, so I don’t think it makes any sense to boycott one for something that practically all major corporations do. Capitalism is heavily In-flight courtesy goes a long, long way — » Are you trapped in here with us, or are we trapped in here with you? Bex Peterson Editor-in-Chief fly far more often these days than I did when I was growing up—mostly for work—and I’ve noticed that people tend to act... inconsiderate, let’s say, when they're stuck on an airplane. Maybe I just observe it more because you can't help but notice what people are doing around you when youre all strapped in like so many sardines packed into a flying tin can. Every squabble, every passive-aggressive comment, every hygiene and personal space violation; there’s no escaping any of it. Tempers are short and entitlement is at an all-time high, and I get it. We spend a lot of money to fold ourselves into as tight a space as the airlines can manage without violating the Geneva Conventions. That kind of stress brings out something primal in us. I know if someone puts even one elbow over our shared armrest into my designated “area” my blood pressure drives up significantly (to say nothing of the absolute monsters who shove their chairs back into my knees as far as they can go). I think it’s easy to get into an “every man Jack for himself” mentality because of this. You're looking after your own interests, trying to keep as many of your personal boundaries sacred as possible, because flying is uncomfortable. It takes a long time, it’s expensive, and no one likes it. (I mean, I know people who say they enjoy flying, but those people are either liars or are able to travel business class, so they don’t count.) This entitlement factor is irritating to deal with, but doubly so if you're a person whose existence is seen as infringing on those precious few freedoms afforded to airline passengers. The documentary animation Flying While Fat highlights the uncomfortable and often dehumanizing treatment of fat people by airline staff and fellow passengers due to social stigmas and aggravated by the limited space allotted to each seat. For my own part, I have a severe allergy that could make being stuck 10,600 metres up with no escapea deadly experience for me. Watching flight attendants explain to the people around me that we'd “really appreciate it” if they don’t eat peanuts during the flight is always nerve-wracking; I’ve seen people grumble, roll their eyes, or actively refuse to listen. I don’t even blame people for reacting this way. It’s like with the elbow thing; them having to stow their trail mix until we land is just one more inconvenience, one more transgression, in a sea of inconveniences and transgressions. However, I honestly think we should be approaching these situations from a different mindset. Instead of using the stress and discomfort of flying as an excuse to act our worst, shouldn't we be trying to act our best? Little acts of consideration can make a world of difference for the passengers around you. Things like avoiding dousing yourself with strong perfumes and avoiding bringing strong-smelling foods on board (especially ones containing common allergens) can save whole rows from ingrained in our culture and Amazon isa prime example of that, so it’s borderline impossible to avoid. If you want to buy that cute hoodie or a 30-pack of ramen noodles from Amazon, I say go nuts. Illustration by Cara Seccafien Photos by Billy Bui —— added discomfort throughout the flight. If youre on a night flight and the lights are off, consider turning your phone screen brightness down so you aren't blinding the person next to you. When getting on and off the plane, allow people time and space to stow and retrieve their carry-on luggage from the bins without trying to shove past them. Give people as much room as you can, and if they do need more room because of their body type, don’t get angry with them for something they can’t control—get angry with the airline, since seat widths and especially seat pitch (the amount of legroom you have) have been steadily shrinking over the decades. Ask yourself if you really need to put your seat back, and if the long-legged individual already cramped in behind you might appreciate it if you didn't. In the heightened emotional environment of a cramped airplane, things can escalate quickly. Just remember, your fellow passengers aren't your enemies—or at the very least, they don't have to be.