I don't usually do guest posts or re-posts, but in this case I couldn't help myself. The following post, "Avoid The Epidemic", is from Annarky's Blog, which is one of my daily reads.
This post works on NBA nicely, I think you'll agree, and will make sense for those readers that will celebrate the upcoming season with a focus on love rather than things.
Avoid The Epidemic
"It's coming down the tracks at full steam ahead, the over-consumption juggernaut. You are facing an epidemic of over indulgence, you will be infected by the splurge of the hurry-panic virus, spread by advertising agencies attempting to switching your brain to 'Oh Gee, I must get in first before I miss all those wonderful boxes of shit'.
Retailers will be sitting staring at their accounts, have they cleaned up enough to buy that new luxury yacht?
Of course you could be rational and say I don't need any more shit, I'll just settle for having a great time with family and friends.
Yes it is Christmas, they sell it as a time of good will, but they also tell you that you can't have good will without heaping on the debt and rampaging through the various stores grabbing never to be missed crap. Your friends will love you more if you will only spend lots of money on them.
Retailers refer to this time of year as the "golden quarter", this when they have to drag you apathetic lethargic shoppers through their doors, get you enthusiastic about shiny things, latest models, coloured boxes, that will bring eternal happiness, for a few moments. You can worry about the debt later on.
Let's make this a happy with family and friends Christmas, a shop free Christmas, a debt free Christmas, and have a laugh at the demented millionaire shareholders left with that mountain of shiny boxes of shit, the miles of tinsel, and all those latest models that will declared out of date by June or July.
It is not too late or too soon to shut your eyes and ears to the advertisers blitz of jazzed up corny adverts. Let them do the spending while we can laugh our way through this good will season.
What a gift it is to wake up to the manipulation (not to mention the desperation) of those that have co-opted for profit, our celebration of nature and good will, while intentionally destroying both.
Let's laugh, and dream, together.
Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read, something from Santa. Christmas stockings, always had a new hair brush, ( I raised three girls who could never find a hair brush but with 3 new ones every year we were set, always down to one by Christmas),An orange,some nuts, candy,lip balm, hair ties (see hairbrush story), bobbi pins (ditto)new tooth brush,razors for legs,tights, socks, undies. Something to wear was always new flannel jammies, worn to death by the next year.Also I usually knitted new hat, scarf and mittens always lost by the end of the season. Wear do all those winter things go that kids lose?
ReplyDeleteThat is funny. And those are some very practical gift ideas. I especially like the idea of making things to give. When I taught in an elementary school, our lost and found was always overflowing. That must be one place all those winter things go. Snowdrifts also harbour mitts and things until spring.
DeleteThanks for the laugh this morning - laughter is one of my favourite gifts to both give and receive.
It's been several years now since I opted out of the gift giving business. Still there is one family member who insists that my life won't be complete unless she buys me something. I smile and say thank you, even though I've pleaded with her to stop. At least she buys me practical things now. This poor person still thinks shopping is a pastime worth pursuing on an almost daily basis. Her home is overflowing and I would imagine her credit cards too. Gentle encouragement seems to be working. We must be patient with those who still are distracted by the retail giants. I know a better more peaceful life awaits.
ReplyDeleteHi Marla (and everyone),
DeleteI'm encouraged that your gentle encourage to your family member who buys you things is working by her giving more practical gifts. My boyfriend's family is similar - they ask what we want, we tell them one or two practical things, and we get those, but they also buy much more. Thankfully most of what they get now is food -- local cheeses, nuts, cider, etc. We feel pretty good about giving and getting food items. We are hoping that within a couple more years we will not exchange any gifts with them, and just share the day together, as Gregg says, laughing and being grateful for the companionship.
Along the lines of the article, I found this quote recently: "Some people see Black Friday as a much-needed break for their wallet. I see it as retail outlets showing the customers the full weight of their contempt. The frenzy to buy cheap crap from China, the human downgrade of people fighting with each other over items they can probably live without, to me, is an insult." Henry Rollins
Thank you to all here who bring kindness and sensibility to the holiday season, and who remember what is is really about - love, laughter, friends, family.
-Mary
My wife said today casually "shall we not bother about Christmas this year", lol, my eyes lit up. So happy I don't have to sit round a plastic tree. We haven't had real Christmas diner for years, we don't drink alcohol, have no TV and haven't brought presents for years - so why bother at all.
ReplyDeletePeace,
Alex
We celebrate not celebrating consumer Christmas. And we celebrate others doing the same. Happy Solstice.
DeleteI just recently received an email from my credit union telling me that I should shop with my Visa debit card this holiday season, because by shopping online and using my Visa, I'll be entered in a sweepstakes to win $10,000. I passed another advertisement today that a local bank had up that went to the effect of, "need more money this holiday season? Well, come on in and get a loan or pre-approved credit so you can participate in the orgy of over-consumption for Christmas!"
ReplyDeleteWhen I see those kinds of messages it makes me shake my head, then makes me angry, then makes me sad, that they prey on people's desires to follow the status quo and feel accepted, that they have to spend massive amounts of money on cheaply made goods that will probably be returned, thrown away, or left to collect dust, when they could use that money for so many other good causes in the world. Or, they could save it. I don't know what's worse...when they use subtle manipulation in all the ads to urge people to consume non-stop, or when it's blatant and basically telling you to take out a loan or go into debt just because it's Christmas. All of it is sleazy. I just feel that they amp it up into overdrive during the holiday seasons and that just feels extra slimy and corrupt to me. Not that it's ever acceptable at any time, but ironically, I feel like people should be disgusted at the patent greed and exploitation that's displayed, especially during a time that's supposed to be about love, togetherness, family and sharing. But instead it's become "normal", and it seems most people just follow suit.
"The more you spend, the more you save!"
DeletePeople are waking up to the sleaze and corruption. Resistance is not futile.