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I can push back against this one to a degree, not as a BRC fanboi (though I do own one of their grinders, and its by far the best hand grinder I've found), but as someone who often sits in between two worlds. I feel you are missing a bit of the "why" BRC has become as successful as they have.

While guns and conservative values bleed through (no pun intended) everything BRC does, I'm not so sure this is all that different than what you see on behalf of "woke companies" everywhere. They are pandering to a demographic, exploiting this cultural divisiveness for profit.

BRC is really the antithesis to much of the "coffee house culture" which is increasingly leftist. Should coffee be political? I'd rather it not, but increasingly everything is. Especially if you are into shooting guns, riding dirt bikes, work in a blue collar trade etc.

There is a schism between two ways of life here that is growing bigger and bigger. A certain group is feeling left out and left behind, and judging by the votes of this prior election, its not a small number of people.

As crazy as BRC may be, there is equal craziness from the "activist companies" such as Patagonia (telling me who to vote for while shutting down "my" trail access - though I love their stuff - lol). Sure, it is less in your face, but equally (or more) aggressive in their extracurricular activities nonetheless.

Digressions aside, people who aren't left leaning want to support companies that they feel support their values. BRC is obviously pro second amendment, pro "Ben Shapiro" and makes people feel like they are doing their part to "support the team" whenever they buy a bag of beans. (say it like Putty...yes, from seinfeld0

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I agree with everything you say re: divisiveness, but they lose credibility by employing instruments of death as marketing material. Say what you want about Patagonia, but nothing they use for branding was built with the intent of hurting people. I do think there's a difference between a run of the mill conservative and someone who is full on MAGA. The former has political opinions based on what they think is good for everyone, the latter enjoys marginalizing the marginalized even more.

I don't think coffee house culture is leftist, although I guess I could see how 'fair trade coffee' could be considered a leftist issue, even though it's just ethically farmed coffee. Rather, I think BRC tries to exploit the idea that a coffee house is somehow a place for less manly men because there are fancy drinks with hard to pronounce names.

BRC, like anything that's marketing-driven, is a prop that supports a particular kind of worldview. The issue is that the prop is inherently violent.

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This will be great to talk about in person (or audio...whatever). You are certainly right, its marketing driven. We just see that "marketing" differently. You aren't wrong, and neither am I.

Random question while I'm thinking of it - did you read Talking to Strangers? This keeps popping into my head the last few weeks...

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author

Can't say I've heard of it until now. I haven't really read any Gladwell yet though.

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Jul 14, 2021Liked by Jared Holst

Wash Bullets had to change their name cuz of Guns.

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"The issue is that the prop is inherently violent." Alone, the prop is simply there. The issue is and always will be people. If they want to hurt people, they will find a way. Just because it doesn't resonate with you doesn't make it "murder coffee" and it's absurd to label it that way. It's branding and you are clearly left-leaning and you aren't the audience. Can we quit trying to cancel everything we don't like or watch?

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