I love Walmart… but I hate them, too.

Walmart is pretty proud to announce their new logo right now. They are focused on creating a new image for themselves.

From the announcement:

But what really matters is what happens out there in the stores. This update to the logo is simply a reflection of the refresh taking place inside our stores and our renewed sense of purpose to help people save money so they can live better.

The "renewed sense of purpose..." is laughable to me, but, I like that the goal is to drive down costs for the consumers... I get to benefit from that. Economies of scale are a great thing when they work in my favor.

Why I love Walmart?

I love that Walmart is a business first. They understand that their main purpose is to provide greater shareholder value. The provide greater profits to those that are stockholders in the company despite the goofy line of "renewed purpose."

They take a lot of heat in the media. At NewsBlaze yesterday, David Nassar says:

But while Wal-Mart unveiled its new logo yesterday, nothing is changing for its workers who need health care, its customers who expect non-toxic toys, and its neighbors who must deal with increased traffic, crime, and pollution.

These issues deserve to be addressed substantively -- not with a gimmicky logo change.

Let's look at these stupid statements just a little.

1. Workers need health care. If this was that important to the workers, they wouldn't work there. Besides, insurance is just a crutch and furthers our problems in health care. And don't they provide a whole list of $4 prescriptions?
2. Customers expect non-toxic toys. Wasn't that the toy manufacturers and not Walmart? Why would Walmart want toxic toys? To kill their customers? That is simply a dumb thing to say.
3. Neighbors must deal with increased traffic, crime and pollution. How does Walmart increase pollution? If increased traffic is a concern, why does the city allow them zoning... are these in cities that don't have governments run by the people and for the people? I have seen a number of Walmarts with police substations right in the same building... is there increased crime there? Besides, how does Walmart increase the crime... that doesn't make a bit of sense.

Why is it that when a company is sort of successful people applaud? When a company is very successful, people want to tear it down.

Oh, I forgot, "Big Business Is Bad."

In a free market society, as long as businesses are ethical and adhere to law, those businesses will excel. If as many people hated Walmart as the critics would have you believe, then why is it such a successful business? If Walmart is as bad as they say, why do people continue to work there and shop there?

Why I hate Walmart?

I hate the long lines and the fact they can't figure out how to open more registers.

I hate that I have to say "hi" to a greeter every time I go in.

I hate that they have employee of the month parking but tow customers.

I hate that they pretend they are going green to protect the environment.

But I don't hate that they are a business trying to increase shareholder value.