It is sometimes convenient for a major corporation to be #ApparentlyProgressive because doing so will have a positive reaction in the market, ie because doing so will sell more stuff, and make more money.
However such an #ApparentlyProgressive corporation will still, and without a moments hesitation, donate to conservative, reactionary, politicians to gain a more favorable legislative environment that will let them keep their profits and continue evading taxes. #BecauseCapitalism
Remember when Nike supported that NFL quarterback that took a knee? I guarantee that they did so because the #marketingReaction was positive and that they were STILL donating money to the GOP and possibly even to the Orange Guy at the same time. #BecauseCapitalism
If a corporation ever supports Pride or #BlackLivesMatter it’s because those market segments HAVE MONEY, REAL MONEY, that the corporation wants those segments to spend on the corporation’s own products. #becausecapitalism
Which is exactly WHY so-called “free market” conservatives (latest local example being the potato head leader of the opposition) get outraged at #ApparentlyProgressive actions by corporations: they don’t want those market segments to even EXIST, let alone exist with real market power. But whilst #becausecapitalism remains the driving force for everything corps do and whilst the ACTUAL markets in the real world are trending progressive, they’re shit out of luck.
None of what I’ve said here should be taken as a defence of #capitalism BTW, it’s simply an observation of actual reality that so called “free market conservatives” are rarely capable of even recognising, let alone dealing with. Incidentally the same #BecauseCapitalism reality is what drives what @pluralistic calls #enshittificaton and it’s always as bad as he suggests.
But yeah, any time you see a corporation “supporting” pride what that REALLY means is “Our #marketingTeams are telling us that not only do Queer folk EXIST, they exist with ENOUGH MONEY to MATTER, and enough non-Queer folk don’t mind that or like it too, that marketing to them is a net win for us.”
Yes, Geisel (aka #DrSeuss) was racist, I have a collection of his WWII propaganda comics and OMFG some of those absolutely STINK OF IT. So the #DrSeussFoundation withdrawing some titles to protect sales of the rest is absolutely #BecauseCapitalism
So if they’re withdrawing “racist” #DrSeuss titles from sale, it’s because #MarketingResearch is telling them that not doing so will damage the brand and reduce their profits over time. I.e. #BecauseCapitalism again (or still).
Once again, this means that the targeted minorities not only exist (and sympathetic customers outside those minorities) buthave enough REAL MONEY to matter. Which the conservatives hate.
Now the Washington lawyers want to destroy digital collections of scratchy 78rpm records, 70-120 year old, built by dedicated preservationists online since 2006.