Not Buying American Anymore

Scope: “Don’t buy American” vs “Don’t buy anti‑consumer”

• Many commenters argue the post conflates “American” with “anti‑consumer,” even though similar practices exist in Japan, Korea, Sweden, etc.
• Several interpret the core message as “don’t support oligarchic, anti‑consumer systems,” not literally “never buy US-made things.”
• The author in the thread clarifies the target is the US regulatory/political environment that rewards bad behavior, not every US company individually.

Global nature of anti‑consumer practices

• Examples from non‑US firms: Samsung throttling devices, Japanese printer vendors blocking third‑party ink, a Swedish DAW with restrictive licensing, BMW “renting” software features.
• This weakens the argument that US culture uniquely produced these practices, but some insist the US still sets the global tone because it’s the largest and most influential market.

Responsibility: corporations, governments, and voters

• One camp blames corporations for profit‑seeking and governments (especially US) for gutting regulators and enabling “enshittification.”
• Others insist citizens share responsibility: they elect leaders, don’t stay civically engaged, and often tolerate or even reward anti‑consumer behavior.
• Counterpoint: voters often face only “anti‑consumer jerk #1 vs jerk #2,” limiting meaningful democratic choice.

Feasibility and logic of a personal boycott

• Skeptics call the boycott illogical or symbolic: global supply chains blur what “American” means, and there are few realistic non‑US alternatives for many tech products.
• Supporters frame it as a signal, not perfectionism: reduce support for the largest offending market to create pressure and send a message, even if one still buys some problematic products.
• Critics highlight perceived inconsistency (e.g., still buying from a non‑US company that behaves badly) and label it virtue signaling; supporters reply that trying to reduce harm is better than doing nothing.

Consumer protection and political context in the US

• Commenters note that the US once had a stronger pro‑consumer movement and agencies (FTC, CFPB, etc.), but their power has been eroded by corporate influence and partisan politics.
• There is debate over how pro‑consumer recent administrations actually were and whether either major party meaningfully defends regulators.

Role of influencers and tone

• The author cites a prominent right‑to‑repair YouTuber as inspiration; some praise his awareness‑raising, others accuse him of sensationalism or hypocrisy.
• Reactions to the post range from “measured and important” to “evidence‑light rant,” with some focusing on logical gaps more than on the underlying concern about creeping anti‑consumer norms.