Is it ethical to wreck a Pepsi machine at school for a protest?

I kinda guessing this kid comes from a rather hotter place in the world than where I come from, at least in the summer. How is he going to persuade the kids at his school to NOT buy a nice cold can of pepsi from the machine and instead bring in their own cans that have been sitting in their bag all day, bearing in mind that Pepsi is the only choice on offer?

I predict great swathes of consumer apathy for that one.

 

To be clear, this is only one thing we're doing, as part of a larger cause.
We're also lobbying the school board to at least show us the contract, which the students, teachers and consumers have the right to see.
We've done large peace and justice workshop days at school with many different activists and people coming to talk and create dialogue...
Also, some coffee house events, with fair trade coffee and food. I read Allen Ginsberg's "America" at the last one.
So it's not like petty vandalism is the extent of what we're doing, but as a small-scale protest, I'm not so sure if it's ethical...

 

That's the problem I have no answer for! It's like trying to boycott Walmart. Until you get people to stop spending money there the are going to flourish.....And I'd be willing to bet that some of those who want to see those Pepsi machines gone, or say they do, still buy a drink or two on occasion.

 

How are there destroying your land or your health? Pepsi never sent anyone over here holding a gun to my head and forced me to consume Pepsi. If you dont want to drink pepsi turn your chic and go to the water fountain. How hard is that?

This reminds me of the whole tobaccoo thing. It's like the tobaccoo companies arent making smokers smoke, smokers choose to smoke and willingfully pay for their products. If people really want to make a difference don't but their products.

 

I suggest petitions,get parents involved,point out the health benefits of a healthier lifestyle by word of mouth and pamphlets.Go to the school board meetings.In other words ,start a movement and do it with logic.You will be respected for a sincere attempt and will also find out if it means shit to the people that can do something about the situation.I got pissed about an ice cream machine at a job I had years ago.It ALWAYS took my money and gave me nothing-I mean day after day.I just unplugged it and the contents melted all over the place.Someone fixed it the next day,but it really wasn't the right thing to dnly if more tea is to go into Boston Harbor would vadalism be right!

 

My post came after post 22.

 

Well I don't know about Pepsi, but Coca Cola certainly are guilty of lots of extremely unethical practices which includes polluting rivers and extracting water from drought ridden parts of India. Amongst other things.

Tobacco companies are guilty of failing to remove the tar from the tobacco in their products, adding further addictive substances to the tobacco, and advertising to men in third world countires such as India to start smoking because smoking is synonimous being being cool, successful.

In many respects they ARE making people smoke, not to mention the fascist laws on cannabis.

 

The whole point I'm reading is that you feel the school, Pepsi or both have taken advantage of you, the school body, American youth. Maybe you're right. However, what you're suggesting is also taking advantage of someone to satisfy your own sense of morality.


I live in Atlanta, a town owned by Coca Cola. Few places carry Pepsi, which I personally prefer when I want to ingest some dye, carcinogenic sweeteners, complex organic acids and a massive boost in sodium. Sorry, but sometimes I gotta have one.

However, I don't have one every day. When I was younger I had 3-7 every day. When I was in High School soda was in a machine in the gym and it wasn't on the way to the lunch room.

If you MUST disable the machines, find the breaker and sabotage it. Breakers are much cheaper if you get caught. Hell just flipping it on a regular basis would disrupt their flow. Sometimes you can't win with a face to face fight, particularly with a faceless corporation or government entity. The only option is to bleed them white.

Charles

 

I don't think you should wreck a Pepsi machine and ruin evryones joy for your own moral just make them now what is yout view of point what would Mahatma Gandhi do?
He didn't ever wreck evrything but he got India independence.

 

^^Well put.
By all means protest, but try to do it in a manner that won't get you in trouble. You can use your voice and perhaps others will join in.

 

Ironically, this was actually the teacher's idea....

 

Wreckin the machines isn't justified, no. But since it also is quite disgraceful in my opinion to force a monopoly position on food and drinks on a public school I would say just don't get caught

 

Why don't you defy the fascist monopolisers and sell your own brand of healthy ethical drinks at the can machine. Bring in an ice bucket and a few tins, even if you don't sell much you still made a statement and you are less likely to get in so much trouble for that.

 

where in hamilton do you live?

btw press the first button on the top of the machine twice then the third one once and the fouth on twice and then it goes to the options of the machine. Just dont press the second button and no one will be able to use it.


And if you go to my school just dont do it the first floor. I use that one.

 

^^ I think this is a good idea, if you could manage it.

 

Hm... I think it would be justified, but if he's a cool teacher you shouldn't sacrifice him. If they find out he's behind it and possibly fire him while he is one of the few good influences on the people in your school. So do what you think is necessary but bear the possible consequences in mind.

 

We will be doing that as well...

 

The media is going to take your message and distort it. So, you need to manufacture a message that the media can latch on to and spread your message. Read about Abbie Hoffman to get an idea of what you can do.

 

The money from the Pepsi sponsorship is most likely used by the school or school district that more then likely offsets school taxes which are paid by property owners such as your parents. I'd research how the funds are used and see how it effects you and your community. If you don't like the product, don't buy it... boycott it by requesting your friends and others not to drink it... petition the school district to shop for other sponsors. The bottom line, you destorying that machine will be covered by someones insurance that will most likely go up... somewhere down the road it computes into a higher cost of something for someone. Most likely us... Sure it's nothing much...but if everyone did it to everything they didn't like... where would we all be? Learn how the funds are used... then if you disagree, take the proper actions to change the sponsorship.

 

What exactly would that prove?