November 27th 2009 is officially Buy Nothing Day for North Americans (November 28th for Europe and overseas). It is described as “a 24 hour moratorium on consumer spending”. This year we are encourage to not spend AND we are also encouraged to shut off lights, televisions, and other nonessential appliances. Try turning off your phone, not driving, and even logging off your computer (an exception can be made to check FactSnacks).
Buy Nothing Day may turn out to be quite the challenge for North Americans seeing as it inconveniently falls on the infamous Black Friday aka the biggest day of consumption of the year. Perhaps if more people participate in Buy Nothing Day, we will all be a lot safer considering what dangers lurk in the shopping madness that is Black Friday…
I read in the paper about a guy who was so inspired by "buy nothing day" that he turned it into "buy nothing year" for himself and was successful. That's some will power for ya.
ReplyDeletePS- Crazy Wal-Mart madness!
That shit is bananas!
ReplyDeleteA similar thing could have occurred at the Jimmy Choo H&M sale. That shit was also bananas.
Buy nothing year? Are you crazy Hendo?
Holla - Jac a la Fac
remember that time you forgot your phone at home, aka worst day of life.
ReplyDeletesee this day will not work out... sorry.
Buy Nothing Year?! That is intense. I don't know how it could be done though unless he got a lot of donations... how could he get food and soap and other essentials? hmmm, perhaps I will look into this.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am absolutely certain of the impossibility of having a “buy nothing year”, I am curious to learn of the success rate of this year’s “buy nothing day”. Given that our consumer culture and individual consuming is at its all-time high, it is hard for me to believe that a significant portion of the United States would put their personal needs aside for one day, even if it was for the greater good of the nation.
ReplyDeleteYes - because not spending is the key to fixing the American economy that rides on purchases and acquisitions. Just ignore the 9 Trillion dollar deficit that they have and contribute to the problem by not helping their economy.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why, at this time, this event receives such support. We live in a capitalist society - a society that resides on your spending. Thank god Christmas is right around the corner - that and that enough people don't care about this day, and keep spending.
I don't really agree with buy nothing day. Yeah, our society has become so commercialized but our economy thrives on shopping. I find nothing wrong with branding and brand recognition. If anything this is an excuse to shop because there will be less people in the stores
ReplyDeleteThat is a great point JT! Except I doubt the stores in the USA were even close to empty on Black Friday
ReplyDelete