Why Buy Nothing Day?
John O. Andersen
Valerie,
It's a great way to show we're not just a bunch of sheep who do whatever
we're told by advertisers and the mass media.
stopping for a moment (a day in this case) and thinking about our value
system.
John Andersen
Uncoventional Ideas: A Collection of Short Essays Which Question Mainstream
Values
http://www.unconventionalideas.com
> John...I just don't get it. Why buy nothing the day after Thanksgiving?Because it's so widely touted as the "biggest shopping day of the year."
It's a great way to show we're not just a bunch of sheep who do whatever
we're told by advertisers and the mass media.
>WhyNo, it's sort of like two minutes of silence on Veterans Day. It's about
> not just buy "less" or buy "better" or "smarter" or whatever floats your
> boat? How many people are going to actually stop buying Christmas gifts
> altogether? Or is this just to get people to stop buying for that one
> day...to postpone it?
stopping for a moment (a day in this case) and thinking about our value
system.
> There were similar demonstations in Seattle. (hey, it was better than lastthe
> year's WTO...) But I don't see this going anywhere. People like shopping.
> People like giving gifts. It's Christmassy. Why make it unenjoyable for
> people who want to shop?If anything, we made it more entertaining for those who chose to shop.
> If this is fun for you and your family, well, okay. But I'll be spendingthe
> same amount as last year, a comfortable sum, nothing that would make orThat's fine. To each his own. I don't fault you if you don't fault me.
> break the economy. And I'll be out there at some point, dodging the
> demonstators, enjoying my shopping trip in spite of it all.
John Andersen
Uncoventional Ideas: A Collection of Short Essays Which Question Mainstream
Values
http://www.unconventionalideas.com
[email protected]
In a message dated 00-11-25 23:01:40 EST, editor@...
writes:
<< Because it's so widely touted as the "biggest shopping day of the year."
It's a great way to show we're not just a bunch of sheep who do whatever
we're told by advertisers and the mass media. >>
Perhaps it's that hunter vs. gatherer thing.
If a store in which you were going to shop puts things on sale for one day,
that is a good day to go and buy those things.
I got a gameboy a few years back for $30 instead of $50, for going on that
Thursday. I was going to buy a gameboy either way. I would've been a dumber
sheep to wait, and a poorer sheep.
Here there are many sales and specials on December 2. Twenty percent off at
an art store where I buy printing supplies all the time anyway. I *could*
protest and not go until I really need the stuff, but one thing women (and
some men, and not all women) are programmed internally and externally to do
is get good deals. Men might be best at finding the longest-lasting freezer
or suspension system for the truck, but when it comes to buying a robe for
grandma, let the women shop.
[I realize this is sexist and not PC, but it's real. Changing or not, I
shop. I have one single male friend who can shop as well as women. I have a
few female friends without the shopping gene. In any case, for a male human
to tell females how not to shop is bound to cause some uplifted eyebrows from
those who, at the height of their higher-primate behavior, could take offense
at being called sheep.]
-=-That's fine. To each his own. I don't fault you if you don't fault me.-=-
There's an auto-faulting mechanism in protesting.
A public, vocal protester cannot in good faith say "to each his own."
"To each his own" starts at home, and doesn't make placards.
Sandra
writes:
<< Because it's so widely touted as the "biggest shopping day of the year."
It's a great way to show we're not just a bunch of sheep who do whatever
we're told by advertisers and the mass media. >>
Perhaps it's that hunter vs. gatherer thing.
If a store in which you were going to shop puts things on sale for one day,
that is a good day to go and buy those things.
I got a gameboy a few years back for $30 instead of $50, for going on that
Thursday. I was going to buy a gameboy either way. I would've been a dumber
sheep to wait, and a poorer sheep.
Here there are many sales and specials on December 2. Twenty percent off at
an art store where I buy printing supplies all the time anyway. I *could*
protest and not go until I really need the stuff, but one thing women (and
some men, and not all women) are programmed internally and externally to do
is get good deals. Men might be best at finding the longest-lasting freezer
or suspension system for the truck, but when it comes to buying a robe for
grandma, let the women shop.
[I realize this is sexist and not PC, but it's real. Changing or not, I
shop. I have one single male friend who can shop as well as women. I have a
few female friends without the shopping gene. In any case, for a male human
to tell females how not to shop is bound to cause some uplifted eyebrows from
those who, at the height of their higher-primate behavior, could take offense
at being called sheep.]
-=-That's fine. To each his own. I don't fault you if you don't fault me.-=-
There's an auto-faulting mechanism in protesting.
A public, vocal protester cannot in good faith say "to each his own."
"To each his own" starts at home, and doesn't make placards.
Sandra
Samantha Stopple
Why I don't think after thanksgiving is a good day to
shop...Because the stores are glutted with xtras that
we may or may not need touted to be on sale at 20% are
they really? It would be an interesting project to
make a list of things you need or want then watch the
sales throughout the year then go out at on that big
day after thanksgiving and see if the sales are as
good as they say. Maybe I am being cynical but don't
many store increase their % of profit around the
holidays then say some wigit is on sale for whatever
so we might more likely buy it?
Samantha
Who loves to shop but a garage sales and thrift stores
and holds Amy Dacyzn as her heroine.
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products.
http://shopping.yahoo.com/
shop...Because the stores are glutted with xtras that
we may or may not need touted to be on sale at 20% are
they really? It would be an interesting project to
make a list of things you need or want then watch the
sales throughout the year then go out at on that big
day after thanksgiving and see if the sales are as
good as they say. Maybe I am being cynical but don't
many store increase their % of profit around the
holidays then say some wigit is on sale for whatever
so we might more likely buy it?
Samantha
Who loves to shop but a garage sales and thrift stores
and holds Amy Dacyzn as her heroine.
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products.
http://shopping.yahoo.com/
Valerie
Samantha
Who loves to shop but a garage sales and thrift stores
and holds Amy Dacyzn as her heroine.
Hi Samantha,
I miss the Frugal Zealot (Amy D. of The Tightwad Gazette)...I subscribed to
the newsletter and have all 3 books. (bought at a discount bookstore, of
course)
I also love to shop yard sales and thrift shops. I rarely buy new clothes of
any kind for my family. I find like-new things all the time, and for nearly
nothing. I also buy Christmas and birthday gifts second-hand if it's a good
item. No one cares if it's not in the original box.
But I still love shopping. It's fun. And if my husband hadn't been working
the day after Thanksgiving, I would have been out there, too.
--Valerie in Tacoma
Who loves to shop but a garage sales and thrift stores
and holds Amy Dacyzn as her heroine.
Hi Samantha,
I miss the Frugal Zealot (Amy D. of The Tightwad Gazette)...I subscribed to
the newsletter and have all 3 books. (bought at a discount bookstore, of
course)
I also love to shop yard sales and thrift shops. I rarely buy new clothes of
any kind for my family. I find like-new things all the time, and for nearly
nothing. I also buy Christmas and birthday gifts second-hand if it's a good
item. No one cares if it's not in the original box.
But I still love shopping. It's fun. And if my husband hadn't been working
the day after Thanksgiving, I would have been out there, too.
--Valerie in Tacoma
Tracy Oldfield
A tale of frugality!!
A friend of ours came round yesterday, he'd been to the
local bicycle shop. For Christmas, he'd planned to buy
new bicycles for his kids, he has 2, a boy and a girl.
He phoned some folk who'd put ads in the local paper,
got a decent bike for his son from someone who lived a
few doors away, but he had to travel a little further
afield for his daughter. When he got to the first
house, he was met by an apologetic man, who told him
that his time had been wasted.
"I can't possibly sell you this bike, it's knackered!
If you want it, take it!"
"Errr, OK" our friend replied. The bike turned out to
be rather mucky, slightly scratched and the back braked
were seized up. But it was a very good quality frame
with an 18speed gear set. He eventually paid £5 for
it. A little elbow grease and T-cut, and a new set of
back brakes, and he has two perfectly good bikes for
his children, for a little over £60. They'd've cost At
least £100 pounds each new, probably a lot more for the
girl's bike.
Tracy
Samantha
Who loves to shop but a garage sales and thrift stores
and holds Amy Dacyzn as her heroine.
Hi Samantha,
I miss the Frugal Zealot (Amy D. of The Tightwad
Gazette)...I subscribed to
the newsletter and have all 3 books. (bought at a
discount bookstore, of
course)
A friend of ours came round yesterday, he'd been to the
local bicycle shop. For Christmas, he'd planned to buy
new bicycles for his kids, he has 2, a boy and a girl.
He phoned some folk who'd put ads in the local paper,
got a decent bike for his son from someone who lived a
few doors away, but he had to travel a little further
afield for his daughter. When he got to the first
house, he was met by an apologetic man, who told him
that his time had been wasted.
"I can't possibly sell you this bike, it's knackered!
If you want it, take it!"
"Errr, OK" our friend replied. The bike turned out to
be rather mucky, slightly scratched and the back braked
were seized up. But it was a very good quality frame
with an 18speed gear set. He eventually paid £5 for
it. A little elbow grease and T-cut, and a new set of
back brakes, and he has two perfectly good bikes for
his children, for a little over £60. They'd've cost At
least £100 pounds each new, probably a lot more for the
girl's bike.
Tracy
Samantha
Who loves to shop but a garage sales and thrift stores
and holds Amy Dacyzn as her heroine.
Hi Samantha,
I miss the Frugal Zealot (Amy D. of The Tightwad
Gazette)...I subscribed to
the newsletter and have all 3 books. (bought at a
discount bookstore, of
course)