Please stop talking about Black Friday. Has any one thought about excess consumerism. Or declining resources. Or corporate greed. Or media brain washing. Or public mind conditioning. Can anyone who plans on spending money on Black Friday really say they absolutely have to buy it to help save natural resources or wildlife or open space -- that are declining at an exponentially fast rate! Glutinous consumerism is ugly. Perhaps shoppers think only in the now and not for their future generations. Black Friday is for fools. Can you live within the parameters of practicality?
In addition to not buying on Black Friday join the moratorium on consumer spending on Nov. 26th in North America and Nov. 27th internationally.
Tis the season when I avoid malls, big, small and strip. Recently the retired gentleman who lives across the hall from me, seeing my greatgrandson, began talking about the toy helicopter he is planning to buy for his grandson. Frankly we had no idea what he was talking about. In a broad sense he was fantasizing what a wonderful grandparent he would be this Christmas. The toy was for his ego and I'm sure it will cost a pretty penny. Maybe he'll join the frenzy Friday fighting to buy it for ten dollars less than the list price. How long will the kid play with it? What will it mean to the family? Will it prove to one and all how much granddad loves the kid?
ReplyDeleteJune -- Yes, expensive gifts are just temporal goods. What will be remembered by grandchildren is grandpa's family stories or grandma taking walks with them. But unfortunately many grandparents, parents and others feel love can be bought -- just listen to the ads -- they will assure them that this is so. Your neighbor has fallen for the hucksterism of the holiday season. Fortunately you have not.
DeleteBefore I turned on my computer this morning I opened my bird nesting book to identify a beautiful nest I had spotted in my field. I instantly got engrossed in the simplicity and intelligence of nature as I read.
Then I remembered Black Friday and and I cringed. Our society is moving so far away from the lessons of nature. thanks for the good comment -- barbara
Isn't it insane?
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of buy nothing day.
Rubye -- Yes, it is insane!I know that some people scoff at "buy nothing" -- they are convinced that we are invincible from earth's decline. Their appreciation of mother earth is just about zero unless the ads tell them its a "natural" product. thanks --barbara
DeleteThanks...I'm on board, definitely. Was already doing it, but now it's something of a "movement" I'm glad to support. Happy Thanksgiving, which doesn't mean buying anything! Enjoy being with friends and family!
ReplyDeleteBarbara-- Good that you are on board and already doing it. I like your salutation of "Happy Thanksgiving, which doesn't mean buying anything" I think I will post that in my holiday cards to friends only I'll say, "Happy Holidays, which doesn't mean buying anything" My holiday cards are those left over from previous years that I didn't use. thanks -- barbara
DeleteDitto.
ReplyDeleteThank you for putting my thoughts into words, Barbara.
Nature Weaver -- I have noticed some folks use how much they spend on presents as bragging rights to try and impress people. Crazy! thanks barbara
DeleteRight on! That we are encouraged to go on spending sprees at times likes this, or at any time, is ludicrous.
ReplyDeleteTeresa -- I have noticed that folks with wealth go on spending sprees at the drop of a hat. I question our sanity here in the U.S. and other consumer nations. Our oceans and space are loaded with our cast off junk. What a shame to treat our beautiful earth in this fashion. thanks barbara
DeleteFighting crowds, ugh! Didn't do that years ago and won't now. Camping out to be first in line ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteGovernment gives out all these freebies and people still want more. Next it will be Black Monday, then Black Tuesday on and on. Is there another the day after Christmas, too.?
Diane -- Well Black Friday does provide jobs in the form of security guards. So many skirmishes happen that they need a full force of security. What does this lining up and fighting over goods teach children that are there with adults???? thanks -- barbara
DeleteAnd this year Black Friday starts on Thanksgiving Day in many places!!! Thank goodness our needs are few. We buy what we need, when we need it. Not on impulse or someone else's timetable.
ReplyDeleteNCmountainwoman -- I did not know that Black Friday in some places starts on Thanksgiving. First it was T.V. football that partially took away the meaning of Thanksgiving and now it is a madhouse shopping spree??? In many households the Thanksgiving dinner is held during half time so it won't interfere with the games. Which came first the chicken or the egg. Like your method of shopping. thanks -- barbara
DeleteOh good, needed a place to say how I've never liked the idea of the Macy's Thanksgiving parade in NYC. More of the conflation of the unnecessary. Whatever the company spends on it needs to go to people in need. Especially after Hurricane Sandy, we need re-direction of messages and cash toward pressing needs of families affected and bigger movement on climate change.
ReplyDeletenaomi -- Like your remark about the Macy parade. I would also like to see a re-direction of messages and cash. Could it possibly begin in our process of educating our young as to the true needs of the world. Somehow the old adage of "less is more" could be reinstated in our classrooms. -- thanks -- barbara
DeleteHEAR! HEAR!
ReplyDeleteINDEED!
xoxoxoxox
Mimi -- A good shout-out to stop ridiculous spending. I am so tired of greed. -- barbara
DeleteBarbara. you have got it right. I now live in Europe, the spread of consumerism is (cliche!) all consuming. USA halloween is over here and has taken on a meaningless 'tradition' in a form which did not previously exist. Amazon UK advertise 'Black Friday' and it really is bizarre. I shall sew another row and listen to the radio.
ReplyDeleteclaggle -- I wish you had a blog so you could expand on living abroad for us. So Europe celebrates Halloween. And from the sounds of your comment -- Black Friday is creeping in via Amazon! I love your last sentence -- "I shall sew another row and listen to the radio," interpreted by me as living within the parameters of practicality. -- thanks -- barbara
DeleteI don't do serious Christmas shopping anymore. Too stressful and too much spending. My kids get a couple of things from us. There is just "too much stuff" anymore.
ReplyDeleteMichelle -- To fight the battle against spending deserves metals. Our ad culture sneaks in their hidden agenda of spending. I agree -- too much stuff." -- barbara
DeleteI could not agree more - no buying here on Friday and very little buying thereafter. The commercial trappings of the Yuletide season are just plain gross and over the top.
ReplyDeletekerrdelune -- Nice to hear you are in agreement. Perhaps we can make a difference. We can easily live without all the junk products in the marketplace. I am not for abstinence -- just practicality. thanks -- barbara
DeleteWell. Looks like everyone here is on the message. Great news.
ReplyDeleteHattie -- Yes, on message. Read your good blog about not buying. thanks -- barbara
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to the mall in ten or fifteen years. We make most of our gifts and patronize non Big Box stores for the rest.
ReplyDeleteGreat! Wish more folks had your discipline. Sure would help to change how our economy is run -- local versus corporate that is. thanks -- barbara
DeleteImpressive what Vicki Lane does to avoid the Big Boxes. Sadly, my haircut guy moved from a perfect location downtown Portland I could reach by bus to "shopping center" requiring car. Generally reducing how much we buy is my everyday challenge.
ReplyDeleteYou have set a good challenge for yourself. We have so much "stuff" in this country that we just don't need which ultimately damages our environment. -- thanks -- barbara
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