I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. As a reminder, today is Buy Nothing Day. Much more than a show of consumer solidarity and conciousness, it is a time for people to reflect on how they live their lives. Many of us, driven by effective advertising, live life always wanting more and more "stuff". This consumerism not only generates extreme waste and hurts the environment, but it also distracts people from the important things in life, from spending time with friends and family to being politically active and wanting to create a better world for our children than we currently live in. It is hoped that by having a day like this, people will alter their habits over the course of the entire year, if only slightly.
Here are some videos for Buy Nothing Day (the first video is from a previous year so the date mentioned is incorrect).
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7 comments:
I intended to post about black friday, but blogger was acting up. :-(
Good to see someone out there has mentioned Buy Nothing Day. I'm happily celebrating.
I told my brother about consumerism and how it was bad and what we could do to undo some of the damage and he said "That world you describe sounds a little bleak." I told him the lifestyle he defends is even more bleak.
The number one thing people can do to stop being consumer drones is to shut off the TV. This medium is the most addictive and the most effective at getting people to buy shit they really don't need. Removing it as an influence makes a world of difference (literally).
-Mookie
The number one thing people can do to stop being consumer drones is to shut off the TV. This medium is the most addictive and the most effective at getting people to buy shit they really don't need. Removing it as an influence makes a world of difference (literally)
I totally agree. There are only a couple shows that I'm willing to watch, and those I download (without the commercials it only takes half the time). When you hear statistics like more people vote for American Idol than in the actual elections, it's clear we're all in trouble.
I didn't go near a store on Buy Nothing Day. I have never been enthused about the whole season of greed. The way people camp out in line of stores in freezing temperatures and then flood the doors and fight over the limited quantities, even killing each other in the process of trying to acquire a playstation, is absolutely bizarre to me. People hoarde into stores like a bunch of cattle, pushing and shoving and trampling each other as Andy Williams croons "Happy Holidays" from the sound speakers. Craziness!
Hi delta. I see what you are saying & it makes sense. But what are the terrorists doing? What do you think is their motivation or precisely, the motivation of the people behind them?
I thought we could continue the conversation here.
Welcome Ltart =)
But what are the terrorists doing? What do you think is their motivation or precisely, the motivation of the people behind them?
I don't think the 'terrorists' have a single motivation. Some may well indeed be motivated purely by religious hate, and they may actually want to kill all non-muslims. However, to simply characterize all terrorists this way is to ignore the legitimate reasons for being angry that they have.
Take 9/11 for example. Is attacking the World Trade Center and the Pentagon an act of religious hate, or is it the sort of attack that one might expect from someone that was enraged at what the ruling powers of the United States had done to them and their country? If they wanted to kill non-muslims, they should have attacked the Vatican. But if they wanted to send a message to those who have intervened in their country's personal affairs, then attacking symbols of big business and imperialism like the Trade Center and the Pentagon is the logical plan of action.
What do the men "in charge" of the terrorists want, like Bin Laden and others? Again, I think the answer varies from leader to leader. While Bin Laden may very well be religiously motivated, there are also many quotes from him that indicate that his main drive may be anti-imperialist in nature, like those below:
"We fought with you because we are free, and we don't put up with transgressions. We want to reclaim our nation. As you spoil our security, we will do so to you."
"This war in Iraq makes millions of dollars for big corporations, either weapons manufacturers or those working in the reconstruction, such as Halliburton and its sister companies. . . It is crystal clear who benefits from igniting the fire of this war and this bloodshed: They are the merchants of war, the bloodsuckers who run the policy of the world from behind the scenes. President Bush and his ilk, the media giants, and the U.N. . . all are a fatal danger to the world, and the Zionist lobby is their most dangerous member. God willing, we will persist in fighting them."
"If inciting people to do that is terrorism, and if killing those who kill our sons is terrorism, then let history be witness that we are terrorists."
"And as I was looking at those towers that were destroyed in Lebanon, it occurred to me that we have to punish the transgressor with the same, and that we had to destroy the towers in America, so that they taste what we tasted and they stop killing our women and children."
These quotes indicate a sense of wanting revenge, and unfortunately the US government has given the Arab world much to seek revenge for.
Thanks. I really do want to be fair & see things from other peoples points of veiw. Like the veiw of the people we are fighting. & your veiw, too. :)
I didn't even know about black Friday. I didn't shop anyway, I think the whole day after thanksgiving ritual is ridiculous. You would catch me dead out there.
Television is something I've always despised. My husband loves it. We have four in our house. Is that ridiculous or what?
4 TVs? Wow, I don't even know what do to with the one that I have!
Thanks for stopping by ltart =)
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