Where we shop, which platforms we use, and whom we financially support are quiet expressions of our values. Redirecting those choices is not about punishment or pressure; it is about ethical market participation — practical, lawful, and within reach.

Amazon (Retail, Cloud, Logistics)

Consider instead:

• Local independent retailers
• Bookshop.org (supports local bookstores)
• ThriftBooks
• Costco (member-owned structure; comparatively stronger labor practices)
• Direct-from-manufacturer purchases

Principle: decentralize retail power.

Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp)

Consider instead:

• Mastodon (federated social networking)
• Bluesky
• Signal (encrypted messaging)
• Substack and direct subscriptions
• Community forums / local listservs

Principle: smaller networks, healthier information ecosystems.

Tesla (EVs & Mobility)

Consider instead:

• Hyundai Ioniq / Kia EV series
• Chevrolet Bolt
• Ford Mustang Mach-E
• Used EV markets
• Public transit, car-sharing, biking where feasible

Principle: clean technology without personality cults.

Alphabet / Google (Search, Ads, Data)

Consider instead:

• DuckDuckGo (privacy-focused search)
• Firefox or Brave
• Proton Mail / Proton Drive
• OpenStreetMap-based navigation
• Independent news subscriptions

Principle: privacy, transparency, reduced data extraction.

Apple (Devices & Ecosystem)

Partial disengagement options:

• Fairphone (ethical sourcing; repairable design)
• Framework Laptop (modular, repairable)
• Refurbished / extended-life devices
• Right-to-repair support and local repair shops

Principle: longevity over constant upgrade cycles.

OpenAI (AI Platforms)

In an era when even digital tools reflect concentrations of power, citizens retain the right to choose technologies that align more closely with transparency, restraint, and human dignity.

Anthropic (Claude)

• Who leads it: Dario Amodei (co-founder/CEO)
• Orientation: Safety-focused, constitutional AI, strong emphasis on harm reduction
• Why people choose it: Thoughtful writing, strong reasoning, less engagement-driven
• Trade-offs: Still a large corporate AI; not open-source

Mistral AI

• Who leads it: Arthur Mensch (CEO, France)
• Orientation: Open-weight models, European governance context
• Why people choose it: Transparency, strong performance, less U.S. political entanglement
• Trade-offs: Smaller ecosystem than the biggest players

Cohere

• Who leads it: Aidan Gomez (CEO; co-author of the original Transformer paper)
• Orientation: Enterprise and research-focused, less consumer-media driven
• Why people choose it: Strong NLP, quieter corporate posture
• Trade-offs: Fewer consumer-facing tools

Perplexity AI

• Who leads it: Aravind Srinivas (CEO)
• Orientation: AI-assisted search with citations
• Why people choose it: Transparency in sources; less social-media amplification
• Trade-offs: Primarily search-oriented, not a full general assistant

Stability AI

• Who leads it: New leadership after 2024 restructuring
• Orientation: Open-source models (especially in images)
• Why people choose it: Open ecosystem, creative freedom
• Trade-offs: Less polished text reasoning than top chat models

Local / Open-Source Options (Maximum Independence)

If corporate distance is a high priority:

Ollama (local models)

• Run AI on your own computer
• Use open models like Mistral, Phi, Llama alternatives (non-Meta forks)
• Pros: Privacy, autonomy, no central corporate control
• Cons: Requires a bit of setup; depends on your hardware

Hugging Face (platform)

• Not a single AI, but a hub for open models
• Strong research and transparency culture
• Lets you choose which models to trust

A Grounding Note (important)

No major AI today exists completely outside global capital structures. The meaningful distinctions are:

• Transparency vs opacity
• Centralization vs user control
• Engagement vs deliberation
• Open vs closed ecosystems

Choosing alternatives — or rotating among tools — is a lawful, ethical expression of consumer choice, not a purity test.

Fox Corporation (Media)

Consider instead:

• Public media
• Independent, subscriber-funded journalism
• Local newspapers and investigative outlets

Principle: fund accountability, not propaganda.

Personal Finance: Choosing New Guides When Values Matter

For many Americans, Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (FPU) has been genuinely helpful. It has helped people get out of debt, build emergency funds, and regain a sense of control over their financial lives. I am one of them.

In 2024, Dave Ramsey publicly endorsed Donald Trump’s presidential campaign — a choice he has not reversed. Given the publicly known moral and constitutional record discussed above, I am choosing to step away from Ramsey’s platform, not out of spite, but out of conscience.

This does not negate the good his coursework once provided. It simply reflects a belief that where we place our trust, attention, and dollars matters, especially in moments when democratic norms are under strain.

Fortunately, there are other effective, practical, and ethical voices in personal finance.

I remain grateful for what helped me once. I am simply choosing guides now whose public choices align more closely with the kind of country I want my grandchildren to inherit.

Personal Finance Educators & Frameworks to Consider Instead

1. The Money Guys (Brian Preston & Bo Hanson)

• Why they’re effective: Clear, disciplined, data-driven
• Known for: The “Financial Order of Operations” (FOO)
• Strengths:
  • Excellent for retirement planning
  • Balanced view of debt vs investing
  • Calm, non-shaming tone
• Good for: People who liked Ramsey’s structure but want more nuance

2. Suze Orman

• Why she’s effective: Longstanding focus on consumer protection and dignity
• Known for: Clear guidance on emergency funds, retirement, and protecting yourself from financial exploitation
• Strengths:
  • Emphasis on stability and self-respect
  • Especially strong for women and retirees
• Good for: Values-aligned financial security without ideology

3. JL Collins

• Why he’s effective: Radical simplicity
• Known for: The Simple Path to Wealth
• Strengths:
  • Low-cost index investing
  • Minimalism over complexity
  • Strong ethics around financial independence
• Good for: People who want fewer rules and more autonomy

4. Bogleheads (Community & Philosophy)

• Why they’re effective: Evidence-based, not personality-driven
• Named after: John C. Bogle (founder of Vanguard)
• Strengths:
  • Community knowledge
  • Low fees, long-term thinking
  • Anti-hype, anti-guru
• Good for: Those who want finance without celebrity culture

5. Tori Dunlap (Her First $100K)

• Why she’s effective: Practical, empowering, transparent
• Known for: Financial education for younger generations and women
• Strengths:
  • Negotiation, boundaries, values-based spending
  • Clear rejection of financial shame
• Good for: Replacing fear-based motivation with confidence

6. Ramit Sethi

• Why he’s effective: Systems over guilt
• Known for: I Will Teach You to Be Rich
• Strengths:
  • Conscious spending plans
  • Automation over willpower
  • Focus on quality of life
• Good for: Those tired of moralizing money decisions

Why This Matters

Personal finance is not just about math.
It is about agency, dignity, and trust.

When public figures use their influence to normalize or endorse leaders who undermine democratic norms, it is reasonable — and responsible — to reassess where we place our loyalty.

Choosing a different financial educator is not “canceling.”
It is redirecting consent.

Joe Rogan, one of the most influential media voices in the U.S., publicly endorsed Donald Trump in the 2024 election, stating that he found Trump’s case compelling after discussions with other public figures. Since the election, Rogan has voiced substantial criticism of aspects of the administration’s policies — especially on immigration enforcement — and some observers view his more recent commentary as distancing himself from Trump’s hardline approaches. However, there is no clear public record that Rogan has formally rescinded his earlier endorsement. 

Pro-democracy media does not mean media that always agrees with us. It means media that respects facts, institutions, human dignity, and the constitutional limits on power.

Below is a carefully curated list of media outlets and formats that are widely regarded as more equitable, balanced, pro-democracy, and supportive of constitutional norms, without being tied to oligarchic personalities or outrage-driven business models.

I’ll group them by function, because people consume media for different needs.

Independent, Pro-Democracy Journalism (Subscriber-Supported)

These outlets prioritize fact-checking, institutional accountability, and democratic norms over clicks.

ProPublica

• Why it stands out: Investigative journalism of the highest caliber
• Focus: Corruption, abuse of power, civil rights, transparency
• Funding model: Nonprofit, donor-supported
• Best for: Deep dives that actually change policy

The Marshall Project

• Why it stands out: Rigorous reporting on justice and constitutional rights
• Focus: Courts, policing, incarceration, civil liberties
• Best for: Understanding state power without propaganda

Texas Tribune (model for local/state reporting)

• Why it stands out: Nonpartisan, fact-driven
• Focus: State government accountability
• Why it matters: Democracy lives at the state level

(Similar nonprofit state outlets exist across the U.S.)

Balanced, High-Standards News (Lower Hype)

Associated Press (AP)

• Why it stands out: Straight reporting, minimal editorializing
• Best for: Ground truth and verified facts

Reuters

• Why it stands out: International perspective, restrained tone
• Best for: Understanding U.S. events in global context

PBS NewsHour

• Why it stands out: Long-form interviews, calm pacing
• Best for: Adults who want depth without shouting

Democracy-Focused Commentary & Analysis

The Atlantic

• Why it stands out: Serious essays on democracy, culture, and power
• Strength: Intellectual honesty; internal debate
• Best for: Context, not slogans

The New Yorker

• Why it stands out: Meticulous reporting and moral seriousness
• Best for: Understanding systems, not just events

The Guardian (U.S. & International)

• Why it stands out: Strong civil-liberties lens
• Best for: Human rights, labor, climate, global democracy
  (Note: opinionated, but transparent about values)

Media Criticism & Press Accountability

Columbia Journalism Review

• Why it stands out: Holds journalism itself accountable
• Best for: Understanding bias, failures, and media capture

The Lever

• Why it stands out: Follows money, power, and regulatory capture
• Best for: Corporate influence on democracy

Public Media & Cultural Counterweights

These matter more than people realize.

Late-Night Comedy (Kimmel, Colbert, Meyers, etc.)

• Why it matters: Satire breaks fear, punctures propaganda
• Role: Cultural immune system when formal journalism is constrained
• Not a substitute for news — but a check on power

NPR (with discernment)

• Why it stands out: Still one of the best for local + national reporting
• Best for: Calm, explanatory journalism
  (Use alongside other sources for balance)

Independent Voices & Platforms (Choose Carefully)

Substack (as a platform, not a single voice)

• Why it matters: Direct writer-to-reader funding
• Best for: Journalists who left corporate newsrooms
• Advice: Follow multiple voices; avoid echo chambers

Why This Works

No single boycott topples power.
But many small, sustained choices change risk calculations.

Corporations respond to:

• brand trust
• employee morale
• investor confidence
• regulatory scrutiny
• predictable consumer behavior

They do not require unanimity — only persistence.