resist consumerism

Sadly, I am aware that to continue in this goal, which I have been doing for a few months, I have to limit my contact with a close friend of mine. She is very obsessed with shopping, name brands, image, etc. She always complains that her and her husband have so many expenses and is always talking about getting more money, even though she and he make close to 6 figures, and she consumes alot. The problem is that everytime that we hang out, she is engaged in shopping or eating at an expensive restaurant that I cannot afford being unemployed, not to mention being a continuous complainer that is affecting me as well. We don’t have alot in common anymore, but since she is an old friend, I don’t want to ditch her completely. I don’t want to be sucked into the consumerism, so I have been just talking on the phone alone lately with her, and making excuses for not coming out. I have spoken to her at length about not wanting to spend, etc. but she doesn’t get it. It seems that I will have to talk to her even less to distance myself from her.

... after having lived there for over two years, I remember how shocked I was when walking the supermarket isles and seeing the almost futile abundance of items. The different versions in which unnecessary items came was jaw-dropping… and sadness came to me when thinking of the handful of veggies displayed on a rice sack on the dirt floor in my town in Africa…

I feel strong enough to resist consumerism because I did not have my life driven by large companies and their race to profits while I was living in Africa… but I do catch myself slipping back into my old Western patterns every now and then and this is why I want to choose this goal, to have it on my list, visible and allow it to constantly remind me how nauseated I was about the injustice of economic disparaties between developed and developing countries and the power that large corporations have nowadays…

I am not enclosing the source to this info because I forgot to copy it, but here’s something I read that you may find interesting. It was useful to me because I have a baby that I intend NOT TO SPOIL with “stuff” and give him more TIME and LOVE instead.

Consider this: Almost six in 10 parents in America think their children are either “very” or “somewhat” spoiled.

Did they ever stop to think that their children being spoiled might have something to do with how many of their school-age children have:

—A computer in their rooms (40 percent)

—TV in their rooms (38 percent)

—Phone in their rooms (53 percent)

And how many of their teens also have:

—Credit cards paid for by parents (18 percent)

—Cell phone (28 percent)

—Car or motorcycle (52 percent)

—Horse (4 percent)

The teens who escaped all signs of indulgence (approximately 80 of 640) shared five positive traits, according to a survey titled “Parenting Practices”:

—Their families frequently ate dinner together

—Their parents were not divorced or separated

—The children were required to keep their rooms clean

—They had no phones in their rooms

—They did community service

The parents of those teens, meanwhile, shared a “TLC” approach:

Time — They spent more time with their children — be it at supper, at school or at bedtime.

Limits — They set firmer limits on their children and at the same time expected more of them — such as keeping their rooms clean and managing allowances.

Caring — They took an interest in what their children were interested in — be it baseball or the latest CD or movie.

I feel I have developed a greater awareness of this consumer orientated world that I live in and am better for it. I will keep all further thoughts on the matter under my wise earth citizen goal.

we were at the beach on the weekend when a bi-plane came flying around the headland towing an advertising sign behind it. I said to my partner, “avert your eyes they want you to read it, how dare they clutter this pristine blue winter sky with their foul commercialism designed to inspire spending” and we did not look. :)

Whenever I would go to the mall, even as a child, I could never find anything to buy. I just do not need much to be happy, to feel fulfilled. I never have. I never will. All these things we think we need are implanted by the advertisers. I can remember watching an infomercial one night, late, and almost picking up the phone and ordering something I did not need, and that is when I made the mental breakthrough, that all these people want is for you to buy their products. It is not anything else. They are telling you whatever you want to hear, they would never challenge you, they just say that this new “thing” will make all your problems go away. Fat chance. I say we should take down the corporations at their source. Television. Stop watching. That will get rid of your “wants” and “needs,” at least to a considerable extent.

I went to one on the weekend to see a film and I completely resisted the call of all the shops and pretty things…...

...so it was easy to go without retail therapy because the mortgage always comes first. But now it’s better and I want to spend some cash. And I feel that I need the things that I’m buying, apart form a few new CDs, which only support the artists who made them.

I have decided that I would much rather spend money on experiences than material things. Sure, it’s nice to have neat stuff, however, unless it’s essential I don’t think it’s really all that cool. I want to move into an apartment or house and just have pillows without furniture and a computer and a small TV. I mean like 100’s of pillows. Also I don’t really think the whole bed thing is gonna work either. I doubt anyone will ever want to live with me though, lol

I think I am at a point where I can say I have ‘completed’ this goal. This is, however, an on-going challenge, but I am in the mental state necessary for this challenge and am able to reason with myself as to what I need and what I don’t. Good luck to all.