Buy Nothing Day

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What are your thoughts on this? Buy Nothing Day is your special day to unshop, unspend and unwind. Relax and do nothing for the economy and for yourself - at least for a single day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_Nothing_Day

I don't care. I mean, unless one is creating a life plan about this, then just not shopping for a single day won't do anything. If it got too popular, then we'd just make the day a holiday, and then life would go on.

I always thought that Buy Nothing Day was ridiculous. Unless people also make a conscious effort to reduce needs and wants (which in some cases, i.e. food, is not necessarily possible), they're just going to go out any buy twice as much the next day. Same thing whenever they announce a gas boycott for a single day. Everyone fills up the day before or the day after. Average consumption can't possibly be much affected...

And what's that about Unshop and Unspend? Makes it sound as if we should be returning merchandise as opposed to simply not purchasing it.

We may not be able to affect much as individuals. But, if we ban together, we can rule the world.

There are lots a of days where I buy nothing. Not because of any agenda, I'm just poor.

The direction of the economy seems to encourage this concept. When everybody sits on their hands and their pocketbooks we all starve.

I have observed Buy Nothing Day for the last several years. It's a holiday tradition that is in keeping with my values. It's good for a spectrum person to stay clear of the Black Friday crowds, anyway.

Of course, if you really want to buy nothing you have something expensive to obtain. Making nothing involves first getting rid of all the atmosphere and stray molecules and basic particles that boil off almost everything. Then you must rid this sequestered volume of light, electromagnetic fields, gravity etc. A very expensive business. Out of my income range.

Neutrinos are a pain in the ass.

I buy nothing the majority of days.

I agree with you. It just seems like a way for people to feel good about themselves...
It's one thing if people use it to promote their ideas, but if you actually just buy nothing this day - good for you, you're 1/365 anti-consummerism! You must be very proud of yourself!

Unless you fully understand the meaning behind this movement, think about it, and pay attention to it in the next 364 days - it's useless. Just be honest with yourself. If you give in to capitalism and consumerism everyday - admit it. Not saying that you can't buy nothing this day, but at least admit that you're still their slave.

By the way, admitting is the first step. So no problem if you admit it, and still buy nothing. Then it truly means something, if you take it further, or at least you're saying "I'm your slave, but this is one day of freedom". But buying unnecessary things everyday, than complaining about how consumerism ruins the world, then be proud of yourself for one day, and then keep buying?

I'm a slave as well. I know it. So even if there was a day like this in my country - I wouldn't care about it, probably. Besides, the problem is not buying for itself, at least for me. Unless you're totally against the use of currency and money, I guess your problem is with consumerist culture. So, that has nothing to do with buying bread and milk. It's about buying stupid unnecessary things that cost more because of their trademark. It's about advertising. It's about corporation control. It's not about buying a product made by a small business. It's not about buying groceries from your local market that's run by a family.

I try to fight these messages from advertising EVERY DAY. Perhaps not always I succeed. But at least I try, and at least I don't punish small businesses for one day...

From my experience with people - if we ban together, we applaud ourselves. Nothing more.
Besides, this should be "buy nothing stupid" day, or "buy nothing unfairly expensive" day, or "buy nothing just because of it has a cool trademark" day.
As I said - the problem is with what people buy, how much they pay for it, who get the money, etc.

Do people really don't see the difference between buying food from a fast-food chain, and sitting in a nice restaurant with reasonable prices, and healthy food that you can't make by yourself because you're not a chef?
Do you not see the difference between paying a zillion dollars to watch the superbowl, and paying 12 EURO to watch a football team you support?
Isn't there a difference between buying a beer you like, and buying a beer that you think you like, because of advertising?

Buying stuff is okay.
Buying too expensive stuff is not okay.
Buying unnecessary stuff is not okay.
Paying rich corporations instead of small businesses (I do it too...) is not okay.

Buying is not the problem!
When I buy Falafel (middle-eastern kind of food) for a low price from a small business, I don't feel bad. Why should I?

i thought the proper term was "band" <.< .

And yeah, advertized and conscious buyers are what we need, not lazy arses that buy the next flavor of the month product...

Seems anti-consumerists are worse than vegetarians.

Just because you are not buying anything one day does not mean you are not consuming anything that day. "OMG I will now procceed to blog on my 3 Ghz windows 7 computer about how well I am managing to do on buy nothing day, I pwn"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner%27s_dilemma

I don't need to buy anything o.O My parents buy the food for our house. <.<

I would argue that buying is not a problem: buying the wrong thing or from the wrong person is. You'll do a lot more good by never shopping at wal-mart than by not buying anything for one day.

^^

I second that.