Here is a GREAT Editorial that sheds some SANE light on the subject.
Posted on 11/26/2004 7:54:23 AM PST by the_gospel_of_thomas
Celebrate Consume Wisely Day year round
The day after Thanksgiving is Buy Nothing Day, a day, according to Adbusters, to "not participate in the doomsday economy, the marketing mind-games, and the frantic consumer-binge that's become our culture." For those who choose to celebrate this holiday, we ask that you do so properly. At midnight on Nov. 26, you must leave your house or apartment, because shelter is a commodity and this is Buy Nothing Day. If you don't want to walk around naked we suggest that you make your own clothes out of materials found for free in nature like bark and leaves, but be careful not to remove these forcibly from the trees. You'll also want to fashion a few tools because you will be hunting for your food. For those living in the city, your best bet will be rats, pigeons, cats and small dogs.
Okay, you get the point. Buy Nothing Day misses the boat for two reasons: First, its extreme goals are impossible to sustain for even a day, let alone a whole lifetime; second, it ignores good consumption. One couldn't buy a meal to give to a starving person on the street on Buy Nothing Day. People couldn't even buy books to inform themselves about environmental issues.
Don't get us wrong. The spirit of Buy Nothing Day is right on the mark. America is a consumption-obsessed culture. We worship the god of money and our religious ritual of choice is shopping. Our lifestyles are not even close to being sustainable. Rather than make an attempt to live in frugal, more environmentally friendly ways, Americans have gone in the opposite direction: Our cars are bigger and less fuel efficient than ever; our homes are using more electricity and we are eating so much food that obesity has reached epidemic proportions.
Creating a day to reflect on America's over-consumption is definitely a good thing. However, "buying nothing" is not the answer to the problem. Vilifying the act of consumption itself is not the answer. Those who participate in Buy Nothing Day admit that the importance of the day is largely symbolic; most of them will probably go right back to over-consuming on the 364 days until the next Buy Nothing Day. And nobody on the outside will be persuaded to consume differently because of their street-party antics.
Instead of participating in meaningless symbolism, the Emerald hopes our readers will participate in a new post-Thanksgiving holiday: Consume Wisely Day. As a family, sit down and brainstorm little things that you can do to consume less. To make up for Thanksgiving gluttony, eat a small vegetarian dinner on Friday. Seek out locally grown fruits and vegetables. Watch one hour less of television. Instead of going directly to the mall, shop at a few of the family-owned businesses in town. Instead of driving, take public transportation.
We need not become ascetics in order to free ourselves from consumerism's grip. There are hundreds of small ways we can alter our habits and make a difference for the planet. But we can't just talk about it -- we must act. The day after Thanksgiving is the perfect day to begin. The trick is to continue it every day thereafter.
Here is a GREAT Editorial that sheds some SANE light on the subject.
"Buy Nothing Day"? First I've heard of it. Should be as effective as the "Don't Buy Gas Today" campaign. OK, I'll play--I'll wait 'til tomorrow to do all my buying.
I want a national "Consume Extravagantly" day. Drive instead of walk, eat that extra desert, turn that thermostat up or down, as the case may be, leave all the lights on, turn on all the tv's, recycle nothing and buy everything.
Again, we have some self-important, busybody liberals with more delusions of self-grandeur. Tomorrow, you can be sure that they will be back to trying get the Christmas trees banned in town squares.
We're not all liberals. I plan to celebrate buy nothing day all the way to December 24th, then I'll run around malls madly in celebration of procrastination.
There's nothing wrong with consumerism. It's an aspect of capitalism. But, there is something wrong with spending more than you make, especially if you then have nothing to show for it afterwards. I don't like planned obsolescence and a throw away culture either. I value quality products that last.
Even so, people are free to make their own mistakes.
I hear you. I'm not going inside a mall this time of year either! But I will be surfing Amazon.com and other websites for my Christmas shopping needs. Nothing better than sitting in my easy chair with an egg nog, watching football, as I wait for the UPS guy to bring my Christmas purchases right to my doorstep.
What the h*** is that? And how is that less meaningless than "Buy Nothing Day"?
The article sounds like one liberal who thinks the other liberal is to extreme.
You are right. I keep it toasty warm in my house all winter and if I want to have to wear a sweater in my house in the summer time because it's so cool in here that's my business too.
I have worked hard all my life and part of the reward for that is being comfortable.
I buy what and when I want as long as it's within my means to do so.
Shouldn't you put off celebrating procrastination?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.