The Love Economy

[nfotxn]

A reminder to everyone that this Friday is Buy Nothing Day.

From Adbusters.org:

Since its launch in the Pacific Northwest eleven years ago, Buy Nothing Day has grown into a worldwide celebration of consumer awareness and simple living. Observed on the day after US Thanksgiving – America's busiest shopping day of the year – the campaign has sparked debate, radio talk shows, TV news items and newspaper headlines around the world.

This isn't about political extremism, what I interpret BND as is a day of awareness of how much we consume and a cue to ponder what the impact is on the rest of the world. Ultimately delaying your purchases 24hrs isn't gonna make a whole world of difference, and that's not the point. The idea is to find alternatives like these at buynothingchristmas.org for those celebrating that faith. And don't worry about effecting the economy, that bullshit you hear from CNN economists about spending more in the name of patriotism is based on economics like GDP which is vastly flawed.

Comments

[sultmhoor.livejournal.com]

tsk, who shops after Thanksgiving?

My xmas shopping is done.

[ranger1.livejournal.com]

I know someone who gets all her Xmas shopping done by October, latest.

Y'all are crazy.

[t8r.livejournal.com]

There are lots of sales on between T'giving and xmas, some really huge ones on Black Friday. That’ why some folks wait.

[kj.livejournal.com]

I wanted to observe this heavily. But I'm scheduled to be driving back from St. Louis on that day, so I kindof have to buy gas, since the car runs on petrol, and I haven't developed wings yet.

[oakleycub.livejournal.com]

You mean you don't want to carry a bunch of gas cans with you?

[kj.livejournal.com]

Last time I carried a gas can, I ended up with spillage. My trunk still smells of gas, never mind the puddle of gas that ended up in the parking garage at Disneyland. *heh*

You know...

[kev-bot.livejournal.com]

...it's not the busiest shopping day of the year. I worked retail for six years. The busiest day is generally between December 8-12. In fact, so many people are so freaked out by "Black Friday," that the malls are ofter sparsely populated.

Me? I'm a consumer whore. I'll be malling.

:)

What an interesting idea...

[danthered.livejournal.com]

What an interesting notion, this Buy Nothing Day. I agree it may have some utility as a sort of self-awareness tool, though a lot folks are are liable to use it as a guilt-assuagement tool instead ("See? I care...I didn't drive my Ford Expedition to the mall today, in honour of Buy Nothing Day! See? SEE? See me caring? Are you watching me care?").

It must also be remembered that Adbusters is really no more or less a marketing ploy than most of those companies about which they bitch.

Re: What an interesting idea...

[watermelonpunch.livejournal.com]

But what are they selling?

That's the important difference, isn't it?

[folkyboy.livejournal.com]

sounds like a plan!