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Buy Nothing Day: Boycott shopping this Christmas, please?
20% of the world's population (developed countries) is consuming 80% of the earth's resources; the average North American consumes five times more than a Mexican, 10 times more than a Chinese person, and 30 times more than a person from India.As someone originally from India, but brought up everywhere from the UK to Dubai -- I've seen life in two extremes. One side you have children in India who don't have a grain of rice to eat, and then you have people in Dubai squandering sick amounts of money everyday on new Ferrari's, the latest Air Nike's and Armani suits. I know people who take loans to buy Versace clothes, just because they have the uncontrollable desire to own them -- mainly afraid of being judged if they didn't -- something I could never understand.
I'm no Gandhian, but I don't buy things I don't need, and will only pay for a brand when quality and durability is important.
With the ridiculous rate at which consumerism is growing around the world and the billions of dollars being minted by international brands always made me think that there is no hope; consumerism is impossible to undo.
But that's not true because today is "Buy Nothing Day" (for North America) -- a day launched by Kalle Lasn, the founder of Vancouver based Adbusters, in 1993 to ridicule the ghastly heights of global consumerism. It is now celebrated internationally across 65 nations on November 24.
Some people will never understand such ideas though, for instance, watch this video from CNN -- the host just doesn't understand how this day makes any sense!
So as friends and most intelligent and considerate readers of Gadling, why not try to not buy anything this Christmas? Spend it appreciating the non-material things you have?
Happy Buy Nothing Day!
[Via Guardian]
Some people will never understand such ideas though, for instance, watch this video from CNN -- the host just doesn't understand how this day makes any sense!
So as friends and most intelligent and considerate readers of Gadling, why not try to not buy anything this Christmas? Spend it appreciating the non-material things you have?
Happy Buy Nothing Day!
[Via Guardian]
Filed under: Activism
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nick Hawkins Nov 23rd 2007 10:26AM
How is this travel related? Seriously...
Jamie Nov 27th 2007 4:48PM
It could be travel related - but it wasn't written like that. It's an awkward topic because most travel is fairly unnecessary and reeks of consumerism. I'm not saying that I don't want to see new places or family overseas - but people got by when they couldn't. I can really see how this would've been a great topic...
On another note - is buy nothing day today, the 23rd, or tomorrow, the 24th.
Tri Nov 23rd 2007 5:23PM
This makes as much sense as the Buy-No-Gas today idea. So I don't buy stuff I need today, what'd stop me from waiting and buy it the next day? Or the day before if I really need the item? Nice idea, bad execution.
ozarksboy Nov 24th 2007 11:33AM
What is this hypocrisy on an advertising-supported blog? And then you have the audacity to ask me to buy nothing for Christmas? OK, I promise I won't buy any vacation packages, discount cruises or airline tickets. I promise in December I will not check into a Quality hotel or a Comfort Inn. I promise I will not order anything from QVC, and I pledge not to buy a Nissan, which like so much of our goods in the United States is foreign. I also promise I'll look over your website and try to find other advertisers to boycott this season. Will that make you happy?
http://www.theozarkschronicle.com
Mike Nov 24th 2007 2:49PM
What a fantastic idea! Too bad I just found it about it a day late. There's always next year.
Stingy Dec 5th 2007 10:22AM
Ok let do our part. Stop clicking on those Ad banners and starve those working in the advertising industry
Jacklyn Lopez Nov 30th 2007 1:09PM
Only give from the heart; all those commercials
just brain-wash us; we forget what Christmas
means; stress; being in debt; is not what it
means to be in the spirit; it should be giving from
the heart; like a simple homemade gift; bake a
wonderful treat; or just having a family get-to-
gether; and be happy among your family; or use
your money and give to the needy; which should
be once a month !
Eva Dec 3rd 2007 12:21PM
No offense, but this is a bit rich coming within two posts of the one about partying at least 4 nights a week in Madrid.