Avoid the Shopacolypse: Celebrate Buy Nothing Day

Watching this  vid by Reverend Billy and the Choir is my favorite way to celebrate Buy Nothing Day, the day after Thanksgiving, or Black Friday, as the merchants call it.

 

Reading Oliver Stone's book reminded me of what the original Black Friday was about.

And this is the history of Black Friday, the celebration of consumerism on the day after Thanksgiving.

It's nice that public aversion to this day is catching on, because it seems most people were enthusiastic about it not so long ago and even felt it was a chance to get good bargains and help the merchants with their bottom line. The awareness of how badly minimum wage workers are treated in Wal-Mart and other big box stores may play a role in this new consumer awareness.

Buy Nothing Day was started by those Canadian troublemakers at Adbusters, the same people who instigated the Occupy movement. This surprisingly powerful group is also responsible for the slogan, "We are the 99%." Wikipedia entry here. And they did all this with mere words and pictures, without firing a shot. Amazing, really. They wandered in the wilderness for years, very much on the margin of things, and now look!

 

Comments

[Rain Trueax]

I have never shopped the day after Thanksgiving because those crowds and the hysteria simply isn't worth it. Sales are my least favorite time to shop whether it's related to a holiday or not. I wish all stores would just figure out their lowest price and stick to it. It irks me to buy something and find it on sale shortly after or that it will be on sale and why don't I wait to buy it? Sales don't benefit the customer in my opinion-- not sure they do stores either.

[marja-leena]

I only learned about Adbusters when the Occupy movement took off, and didn't know Buy Nothing Day was started by them. Unfortunately Black Friday sales have been creeping up here too, mostly via the American online sites. Not for me, thanks, I even avoid the Boxing Day sales.

I read the other day about the Walmart 'strike' that will happen - it's such a shame that unions have been busted down there. Walmart employees in one Quebec store tried to start a union some years ago, so Walmart shut the store down. I refuse to step into them.

[barbara]

Good coverage of Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day. Thanksgiving is a day I rarely celebrate. Its meaning is so discombobulated that I feel why bother. I have made my own holiday -- Read and Relax Day. -- barbara

[Hattie]

Rain: I'm with you. Strangely enough, though, where I hated shopping at sales most was in Germany in the early 70s. The merchants would throw their crappy merchandise on tables for people to fight over.Ugh.
Marja-Leena: I think Adbusters is Canada's best export!
Barbara: I was happy to see from looking at your blog that your readers have turned against Black Friday.

[joared]

Happy Holidays!

I agree with Buy Nothing Day, but the shoppers are out there.

[Hattie]

Yes. There is always that hope of finding a great bargain and just the thrill of shopping (???!!!)

[Cop Car]

I really had a good time celebrating Buy Nothing Day.