MW Friday's 'economic blackout' is a fool's errand - and gives 'woke' a bad name

By Quentin Fottrell

Organized by the People's Union USA, it aims to boycott major retailers for 24 hours

Even Lent lasts for 40 days.

The nationwide "economic blackout" planned for Friday, Feb. 28 is a noble gesture, a shot across the bow for big retailers who make it tough for the little mom-and-pop to stay in business, and is designed to serve as a black eye for billionaires. Let's show them that we, the little people, hold the power. John Schwarz, a Chicago-area mindfulness and meditation teacher, founded the campaign.

In a social-media post, Schwarz explained the reason behind the 24-hour boycott. "February 28, the 24-hour economic blackout, no Amazon $(AMZN)$, no Walmart $(WMT)$, no fast-food, no gas, not a single unnecessary dollar spent. But let's be real, they don't need us. They use us and, for one day, we are going to finally turn the tables."

The "economic blackout" is organized by the People's Union USA. They have a T-shirt and other merchandise to support this annual grassroots campaign. Wearing that T-shirt while browsing the aisles of Kroger $(KR)$ on March 1 - because sooner or later you know you'll give in and want a smoothie - would be the most ludicrous kind of virtue signaling. (As an aside, research suggests most people blame the government for inflation.)

How many people will read about this day on their iPhones, while eating food they bought at Costco the day before?

Just because the national media covers this "economic boycott" and gives publicity and airtime to its well-meaning founder does not make it a success. It will give more publicity to John Schwarz, the impassioned life coach, and won't ruin the day of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos or Apple $(AAPL)$ CEO Tim Cook. How many people will read about this day on their iPhones, while eating food they bought at Costco $(COST)$ the day before?

Occupy Wall Street lasted 59 days and gained worldwide attention, and became a political, cultural and social force to be reckoned with, even its impact is still debatable. Still, people actually had to show up and protest in person. If you could think of a protest that's tailor-made for the Generation X "slacker generation" of Beavis and Butthead and Bill and Ted, I couldn't dream up a better message "do nothing, don't go shopping."

I appreciate the sentiment behind it, but it's a hopelessly confusing campaign that gives woke a bad name. Why? It gives people permission to feel good about themselves for one day only. People can tell their friends they're participating in this "economic blackout" - a wildly hyperbolic and optimistic description for this "event" - and go shopping on the other 364 days of the year.

Occupy Wall Street lasted 59 days and gained worldwide attention, although its impact is debatable. Still, people actually had to show up and protest in person.

The economic boycott is all over the place. If I stay home, do I turn on the TV and watch a movie on Netflix $(NFLX)$, Hulu $(DIS)$ or Amazon Prime? Do I also boycott NBC $(CMCSA)$, ABC and CBS? And if my TV screen does go black, do I turn on my computer and research my novel about a man searching for meaning in a capitalist world. And, if so, do I use my Comcast or Verizon Fios? Help!

And that's the real failing of a campaign like this. Everyone has the opportunity to "hold space" and talk about what it means to them. It's a never-ending buffet of genuine grievances and agendas and a heartfelt desire to make the world a better place, but there's no one clear, overriding goal or message that resonates (other than "let's sock it to the big guy").

For boycotts to work, they need to put real financial pressure on corporations. That is not going to happen here over one day. They also need a focused mission. The more I read about the "economic blackout," the more confused I get. And people need clear alternatives to their usual place. Where else are people going to fill their fuel tank so they can make it to work?

The 'economic blackout' is a never-ending buffet of genuine grievances, but what are they? There's no one clear, overriding goal or message that resonates.

Other campaigns have been more ambitious than the Feb. 28 boycott. Rev. Jamal Bryant, an activist and author, created targetfast.org to organize Christians for a 40-day "Lenten Fast from Corporations: A Call to Spiritual Resistance." It begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5, the start of Lent. It has not received nearly the kind of attention as John Schwarz.

"In recent days, we have witnessed a disturbing retreat from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion $(DEI)$ initiatives by major corporations - companies that once pledged to stand for justice but have since chosen the path of compromise," the campaign says. "Lent is a sacred season of reflection, sacrifice, and renewal. It is a time when we draw closer to God."

Whether or not you agree with it, this campaign actually has a clear, focused message. "These rollbacks represent more than just corporate decisions; they reflect a deeper erosion of the moral and ethical commitments necessary to build a just society. As people of faith, we cannot be silent. We are called to resist systems that perpetuate exclusion and inequity."

Do I turn on my computer and research my novel about a man searching for meaning in a capitalist world? And, if so, do I use my Comcast or Verizon Fios? Help!

Boycotts work when they pile on pressure on specific companies with very specific requests. A company is not going to change its culture overnight, and not everyone is going to agree with those changes, but boycotts need to be laser-focused, and relentless. That's what happened to Target $(TGT)$, the Minneapolis-based retail giant, in 2023 in the runup to LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

The big-box store has sold Pride-themed products for over a decade, but it faced swift, sharp and single-minded backlash from conservatives ahead of Pride Month in June. The company said it was concerned about employee safety and, in a blow to LGBTQ+ groups and victory for religious conservatives, removed Pride-themed products from some of its stores.

People's Union USA, meanwhile, is planning weeklong blackouts targeting stores. The media, like the public, has a short attention span, so good luck getting outlets to cover those blackouts. They will run all the way to a July 4 blackout, just in time for the "back-to-school" shopping season and Black Friday when people spent $10 billion last year in online transactions alone.

People love a good cause, but they go crazy for a bargain.

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-Quentin Fottrell

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February 28, 2025 05:13 ET (10:13 GMT)

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