The Socio-Political Implications of Dogma in Commerce -or- I Only Buy Seventh Day Adventist Shoes

One of the local brands of eggs includes bible verses in their cartons. I know this and can choose to make sure I do or don't get this particular brand of eggs if that is important to me.

Etsy's handmade/vintage doctrine and independent spirit make it particularly attractive to people with causes and ideals. The opinions' volume can get a bit deafening, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed when you run into the same flavor of crap you thought Etsy could escape.

But!

In the handmade/vintage/indie marketplacedom, we have choice. As DIY self-owned Etsyland grows, it gets easier and easier to find the items we want supporting the social dogma to which we aspire. It's like each individual grocery store egg comes with a message from the chicken who laid it, giving the luxury of one more differentiating attribute as I we together our dozen.

In your business life, choosing to include a prayer or a call to veganism or a warning about the impending cockroach apocalypse is one more way to differentiate yourself from the next person selling felted soap or wire-wrap jewelry. Some people will be more inclined towards your cause and your goods, others will veer away, but that's also true if you paint it black or add more lavender.

It's your choice to share your opinions in your personal and business lives. You can change your opinions, change what you share, change how you share it. There's no need to be angry or surprised when you come across a person with different ideas. Ignore the idea, oppose the idea, but life's a lot easier when you stop getting outraged at the ideas very existence.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find an organic facial cleanser that supports the student movement in Pakistan.

Art credits: Madonna and Christ Child by iconsart, Hand Scratched Duck Egg by teener1416, Dome of the Rock Photograph by rebeccaplotnick, Karl Marx Book from HubcapHalo,