For me, it's really both. There's no real "either/or" here... the political angle is that I am "voting with my dollars" (so to speak) which is also a functional and practical choice.

It's like being against Monsanto and their GMO farming... that may be a political statement, but I still need food, so I am "voting with my dollars" by buying my veggies from local organic producers at my farmers market... which is a very practical thing.

Good question and topic, though!