Earthside Comments: It's time for our annual reminder that 'Buy Nothing Day' is this Friday, November 28, 2008. Visit the Adbusters web site to learn more.
Our point in supporting this event is not that we aren't supposed to shop at all, or that we should become self-righteous drudges eschewing a generous and charitable time of year ... rather that 'Black Friday' as a symbol of unrestrained consumption, avarice and incivility should be resisted. We are hearing radio ads urging people to show up at four o'clock in the morning to get the best deals -- four o'clock in the morning! Sadly, there will be people who actually submit to this exhortation.
Obviously, our economy is not going to see the dramatic changes it needs over night -- merchants and their employees need Americans who can purchase items to do so -- we still live in a consumer culture. Surely, we must transition to a new community-based economic system; we must turn conventional, traditional financial thinking upside down on its corporate head and put real people first (see the GDP video below). But how is it considerate of retail employees to open stores hour before dawn? How is it even humane to exploit people's fears by offering them 'unbelievable bargains' if they will only start pounding on the shop doors at four or five o'clock in the morning?
If we stop playing the game, then perhaps the beginnings of change will occur.
Spread the word.
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