One is made out of a bunch of "edible food-like substances" (to quote Michael Pollan) the other is made with actual food.
Because once we poison the well, only then can we have a fruitful discussion about this. Let's not drop this to the level of throwing about "frankenfood" type labels; those convince for entirely bogus reasons.
And I have had some absolutely asininely terrible food from local restaurants that would make a chain look worthy of Michelin stars by comparison. I'd argue that is what you lose more of with chains; you don't get the variance that allows for the highs, but you are also somewhat covered from that same variance giving you some really dismal lows. Sometimes, predictable but mediocre is more desirable than variable and possibly outstanding or complete crap.
Wal-Mart also pays so little that many of its workers rely on state healthcare subsidies, food stamps, housing vouchers and other public aid.
FWIW, I think the subsidies given to Wal-Mart are a bunch of crap. If you dislike those, talk to your government; don't damn the recipient for taking what they've been given.
But Wal-Mart isn't entirely to be damned for the rest of this either. The presumption under all of this is that the people who are employed by Wal-Mart have no other options. Is this true? Yes, I know; of course it's true. But, is it true?
Either way, things are rather bleak. Either people aren't exercising their options to their own advantage, or they are trapped in a position with absolutely no bargaining power.
But we won't solve this by killing Wal-Mart; these problems are merely exposed by a big box store forcing the economics we've been ignoring for a long time for the sake of social harmony and idealism. Products were sold at marked up prices to support marked up sales staff, and we look back and argue all of that was to preserve a milieu that is considered an unquestionably good thing.
The same thing in the past has happened to a ton of other professions. In every case, we moved on. In a way, all of these subsidies prevent us from doing so.
I wonder if the reality is much more mundane and non-idealistic; we didn't care much either way, but didn't know until Wal-Mart and the like came along that it could be done cheaper.
As a footnote, I'm not pro-Wal-Mart. I'm just someone who is alternatively interested in and confused by people's reactions to economic forces.
Because once we poison the well, only then can we have a fruitful discussion about this. Let's not drop this to the level of throwing about "frankenfood" type labels; those convince for entirely bogus reasons.
And I have had some absolutely asininely terrible food from local restaurants that would make a chain look worthy of Michelin stars by comparison. I'd argue that is what you lose more of with chains; you don't get the variance that allows for the highs, but you are also somewhat covered from that same variance giving you some really dismal lows. Sometimes, predictable but mediocre is more desirable than variable and possibly outstanding or complete crap.
Wal-Mart also pays so little that many of its workers rely on state healthcare subsidies, food stamps, housing vouchers and other public aid.
FWIW, I think the subsidies given to Wal-Mart are a bunch of crap. If you dislike those, talk to your government; don't damn the recipient for taking what they've been given.
But Wal-Mart isn't entirely to be damned for the rest of this either. The presumption under all of this is that the people who are employed by Wal-Mart have no other options. Is this true? Yes, I know; of course it's true. But, is it true?
Either way, things are rather bleak. Either people aren't exercising their options to their own advantage, or they are trapped in a position with absolutely no bargaining power.
But we won't solve this by killing Wal-Mart; these problems are merely exposed by a big box store forcing the economics we've been ignoring for a long time for the sake of social harmony and idealism. Products were sold at marked up prices to support marked up sales staff, and we look back and argue all of that was to preserve a milieu that is considered an unquestionably good thing.
The same thing in the past has happened to a ton of other professions. In every case, we moved on. In a way, all of these subsidies prevent us from doing so.
I wonder if the reality is much more mundane and non-idealistic; we didn't care much either way, but didn't know until Wal-Mart and the like came along that it could be done cheaper.
As a footnote, I'm not pro-Wal-Mart. I'm just someone who is alternatively interested in and confused by people's reactions to economic forces.