Dailies: Buy Nothing Day

November 23rd is Buy Nothing Day in the USA and Canada. Buy Nothing Day Europe is November 24th.The idea is to opt out of the consumer culture for just one day.

Totally by accident I typed "consumer vulture". Now doesn't that put an interesting spin on things? I wish I've thought of that! It leads right into what I wanted to say.

If the total population of the world were to make the lifestyle of the upper sector of the population in leading Western countries the ideal, one everybody aspires to, one planet earth won’t be enough to supply the raw material needed to sustain such a lifestyle. Such a lifestyle is in essence totally out of step with what our planet has to offer. Through our compulsive buying and consumerism we are quite literally raising consumer vultures waiting to pick the bones of a dying planet.

By not buying on Buy Nothing Day we may not create a major change in the flow of things, but at least we start objecting. At least we begin to reconsider our image of “the good life”. We have to start somewhere. We have an obligation. Drew Dellinger’s Hieroglyphic Stairway captures that so well:

it’s 3:23 in the morning

and I’m awake

because my great great grandchildren

ask me in dreams

what did you do when the planet was plundered?

what did you do when the earth was unravelling?

surely you did something

when the seasons started failing?

as the mammals, reptiles, birds were all dying?

did you fill the streets with protest

when democracy was stolen?

what did you do

once

you

knew.....?

We do not have a Buy Nothing Day in South Africa. Not that I know of (anybody with more information on the subject can inform us please). So, we can make our pick from the 23^rd or the 24^th. Of course, we can use both days, but I didn’t want to push it.

What to do on a day of no shopping, especially over the weekend? Be creative. Really. Be creative. About the day and during the day. Practicing conscious living wherever you are comes to mind as well.

I thought discussing the topic a few days before the actual Buy Nothing Days might help to get the creative juices flowing. If however, these days were used to go and buy stuff and do stockpiling in preparation for the day of no buying – may the vultures descend!

George

Comments

Vanuit Die Restory - Gesprekke Tussen Reisgenote (110)

Die Week Na 'n Dood Sebastien op sy gelukkigste - by water, besig om vis te vang Die Gesprek Elemente Uit Die Gesprek Musiek Sebastien het altyd gesê, "I like old music.' Hy het. Billy Joel se Piano Man was vir baie lank die ringtone op sy foon. Dat ons só gelukkig kan wees, dankie Sebas. George & Matilda

Vanuit Die Restory / From The Restory (135)

Onlangse Oorsig / Recent Summary Foto's Van Onlangse Gebeure / Pictures Of Recent Events 'n Huis opgeknap en geverf met 'n nuwe badkamer, die koms van lente en reën, retreats, die CMR se breimarathon, aanbied en afsluiting van die Verfrissingskursus in geestelike begeleiding, bywoon van ons kleindogter Ariana se gradeplegtigheid ("Nee Oupa, dis 'n gradige plegtigheid!") voordat sy volgende jaar grootskool toe gaan. A house renovated and painted with a new bathroom, the arrival of spring and rain, retreats, the CMR's knitting marathon, presenting and finishing the Refresher course in spiritual guidance, attending our granddaughter Ariana's graduation before she goes to big school next year. Klank / Sound Die klank van sagte reën na die storm is op baie vlakke nou gepas. The sound of gentle rain after the storm is now appropriate on many levels. Met ons liefde, soos altyd. With our love, as always. George & Matilda

Vanuit Die Restory - Gesprekke Tussen Reisgenote (120)

Skuld as Motivering Die Gesprek Elemente Uit Die Gesprek ~ ❖ ~ "I am convinced that guilt and shame are never from God. They are merely the defenses of the False Self as it is shocked at its own poverty — the defenses of a little man who wants to be a big man. God leads by compassion toward the soul, never by condemnation. If God would relate to us by severity and punitiveness, God would only be giving us permission to do the same (which is tragically, due to our mistaken images of God, exactly what has happened!)." Richard Rohr ~ ❖ ~ "It is about as hard to absolve yourself of your own guilt as it is to sit in your own lap. Wrongdoing sparks guilt sparks wrongdoing ad nauseam, and we all try to disguise the grim process from both ourselves and everybody else. In order to break the circuit we need friends before whom we can put aside the disguise, trusting that when they see us for what we fully are, they won't run away screaming w...

The Restory Retreat Centre

Search This Blog