So I bought something on Buy Nothing Day. While I totally agree with the concept, I wonder at times what all the hooplah is actually achieving. I have plenty of Buy Nothing Days throughout the year - today wouldn't have been that big of a deal for me. The difference is that I buy what I need when I need it whereas others consume mindlessly whether they need the stuff they are buying or not. So what Buy Nothing Day is trying to achieve rather than just have one day out of the year when no one buys anything is to educate people to be more responsible about their buying habits - to practice a little self-control and don't buy so much useless crap on impulse just because some advertisement or social stigma told you that you needed it. Whether or not Buy Nothing Day is actually acheiving this is questionable...but it's a good start.
I bought something on Buy Nothing Day, but if I didn't buy it today I would have just bought it tomorrow so what's the difference? The difference is that I don't have dollar signs for eyes, and I'm trying desperately to break free from this consumerist headlock that makes me feel like I have to buy everything in sight just to prove to so some mysterious entity that I'm a good American. Blind patriotism or blind consumerism - it's all the same, so educate yourself and BREAK FREE. Any day can be Buy Nothing Day.
No comments:
Post a Comment