Buy Nothing Day

[chelidon]

(with thanks to draiguisge, who I believe first introduced me to Buy Nothing Day some years ago)

Remember that the day after American Thanksgiving, November 25, traditionally the busiest shopping day in the States, is Buy Nothing Day. Very simple concept -- on the one day which is typically the absolute pinnacle, the orgiastic peak of crass, world-wrecking, soul-stealing out-of-control consumerism, be a revolutionary, a complete and utter heretic by. Simply. Buying. Nothing. Not holiday presents, not gas, not food at the market, not clothes at the department store, not online shopping, not paying any bills. For just one single day out of the year, don't be a "consumer." Be purely a human being, living for one single 24-hour period without purchasing.

Personally, I found that much more than any supposed or intended effect on the world economy (sorry, I'm just not that grandiose), I found that buying into BND (as it were), gave me a much greater appreciation for just how much of a constant, heedless consumer I had really become. It was *hard* to Buy Nothing, harder than I thought it would be. "But I need some stuff from the market. Oh, and I'm down to 1/4 tank of gas..." Uh-huh.

One day. Just one day. Try it.

Comments

[kitten-goddess.livejournal.com]

I actually buy nothing several days a week. I buy my groceries on the weekends and only have the phone and electric bills to pay during the month. The only time I buy something during the week is to add more money to my Metrocard.