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RE: Daily Discussion No. 2: "Black Friday" and Holiday Shopping - Too Much Emphasis on Consuming Rather than Connecting?
Just watched this video yesterday about consumerism.
It's all about buy,buy,buy like you said. Buyers get screwed through planned obsolescence. They're literally throwing money away.
I rarely buy stuff just to buy. I only buy clothes about every 3 years or so and when I do I thrift shop. Also when I do buy a product I'd rather get a quailty product even if its more expensive because I dont want to have to buy a new one next year.
Thanks for the video, Earl... in some ways it illustrates what I consider the Achilles Heel of Capitalism: It lives on the paradigm of eternal growth, but growth (as a function) will eventually outrun our need to HAVE and USE what it creates. Unless we learn to live with "enough" rather than eternally seeking "more" and "bigger" we'll be hosed, in the long run. Maybe not in my lifetime or yours, or even our kids'... but 200? 300? years down the road...
It has been probably 20 years since I have bought any "stuff" that wasn't either a "needed upgrade" (like a new computer, or a phone) or a core essential, like food. It has been almost that long since I've bought a new article of clothing. As best I recall, the last "new" thing my wife or I bought was a set of sheets... maybe 6-7 years ago.
Wow. And I thought 3 years was a long time without buying anything new.