For those who haven't heard, Ad Busters is running their annual Buy Nothing Day. Day after US Thanksgiving. Busiest shopping day of the year. I hear about this every year, and I try to participate, but I always wonder how much impact it really has on the economy. I mean, a bunch of liberal hippies - who probably don't spend that much to begin with - saving their cash one day of the year probably just to spend it the next... how much of a message does that really send to corporate America? I'm sure any sales loss is MORE than offset by the increase in sales that mark the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. I guess it's one of those things that only works if everyone does it.
I'll participate. You should too... whether you're in Canada or the US.
Posted by Al at November 18, 2003 08:30 PM | TrackBack"liberal hippies" ?! You ARE becomming american. when did you start using the word "liberal" in the negative? another note, thanksgiving up here was over a month ago... ;)
Posted by: lesley at November 19, 2003 06:05 AMYeah, I'm republican too now.
Posted by: G at November 19, 2003 07:00 AMMaybe I should have said, "ultra-liberal hippies". I mean, coming from a relatively socialist country like Canada, I'll always fall on the liberal side of American politics. But the people that tend to participate in the "Buy Nothing" days and other organized protests aren't usually the middle-of-the-road Democrats, but the ones that make left-wing protest a part of their daily lives. And, in my opinion, they are usually the ones that are brushed off in the realm of political influence.
Let me give you an example: If some hemp-wearing vegan who doesn't shave her pits barks at me about banning meat from my diet, I tend to brush it off as brain-damage and find the nearest steak house to get rid of the ringing in my ears. But - if someone like Martin, a hard-working, respectable citizen who does shave his pits suggests that cutting red meat out of my diet will not only make me healthier, but contribute to the reduction of national dependence on foreign oil supply... then I actually consider foregoing that steak - even if it's only for a few minutes.
You don't get anywhere in this world by "fighting the system". You have to become part of the system if you want them to hear you.
BTW - notice that I did prefix "Thanksgiving" with "US".
Posted by: Al at November 19, 2003 08:23 AMSo, you and G post on this website, and AJ and I post on cool/lame. I feel like we're rival gangs or something. I should stop shaving my pits and get me some hemp.
I think the point of Buy Nothing Day isn't so much to cripple the world economy, but more to show people how much stuff they go through in a single day. It's really a "Think about every purchase you make in a single day" day.
Posted by: Vivek at November 19, 2003 12:30 PMWhat tha??? Martin shaves his pits???!!! AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Posted by: lesley at November 20, 2003 06:19 AMwait a sec....vivek shaves his pits too??!!! :S
Posted by: lyphordt at November 20, 2003 06:20 AM