[secede] -- Amazon
Amazon has revolutionized retail, making it easier and more convenient to buy things than ever before. However, as with all technological revolutions, it has a cost.
The most obvious problem with Amazon is its complete lack of anonymity. All purchases are linked to just one account, and it is impossible to check out as a guest. This gives Amazon (and thus the government) an extremely accurate picture of each person’s lifestyle choices. At best, this is used to serve us obnoxious ads. At worst, it can lead to sinister social engineering “nudges”. Freedom cannot thrive in a surveillance state. Quitting Amazon is a practical way to fight back against this agenda.
Amazon has streamlined the online shopping experience, effectively eliminating most of the emotional friction associated with transactions. Our address and payment information are already stored, so buying something takes less than 10 seconds. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, but in a world crippled by debt, the last thing most people need is the ability to make more impulsive purchases. Buying something *should* hurt. If it feels easy, something is wrong.
Nobody wants to return to the days of mail order catalogues. Online shopping is a wonderful invention, but we must stop and think before blindly following the path of least resistance. Using Amazon as a search engine and then ordering directly from the manufacturer’s website is a way to take advantage of Amazon’s huge product selection and copious customer reviews while retaining a little more privacy and introducing a little more emotional friction.