Buy Nothing Day Essay
Buy Nothing Day is a nice idea but that’s it. It’s an idea, not something that should be implemented into practice. The economic implications of not buying anything for one day could change the economy. The principle of Buy Nothing Day is spot on in identifying the problem: we are a materialistic consumer culture. Morally it is frowned upon but economically it makes the world go round. Buy Nothing Day can not make a significant difference in the consumer habits of the world.
It can seem harmless- just one day, but looking back at history one day, can make or break an economy. October 29th, 1929 the stock market crashed setting up over a decade of economic depressions. Black Friday is just one day a year, yet it is used to predict trends, sales and profits for the holiday season (which is basically the climax of our consumerism and materialism). When someone’s job is on the line, one bad day could make or break it. Not meeting a quota because of atypical sales on day could be what puts someone’s job on the line. Everyday has economic significance and can’t be ignored.
When no goods are purchased people believe they are saving money but does it really have an effect. People will compensate by overspending the day before or the day after. Take any holiday as an example, such as Thanksgiving. No religious affiliation; it’s just a day about family, friends, and being grateful for what you have (sounds like the anti Christ of consumerism). Really the influx of cash to businesses doesn’t come on the fourth Thursday of November, but the days leading up to the holiday when people buy food. Even though the money itself is not spent on that particular day, in the grand scheme of things the money is still spent.
Another flaw in the argument is simply the word ‘detox.’ Detox diets rarely work despite what weight loss infomercials say. Detox is ineffective in the long run compared to making small changes every day. If someone fasted for a day, they might shed a few pounds but if they made a small change such as switching their breakfast from a bacon egg and cheese to just a banana for a year, it will have a bigger impact and much more enduring results. Just like dieting, small consistent changes will create changes in the economy and in consumerism.
Ignoring economics and viewing Buy Nothing Day as just a social statement it does not seem influential or noticeable. Yes, people are not buying things for one day but people are still wearing Nike sneakers made in a sweatshop in Indonesia, girls will still wear a lip gloss that they probably own in at least two other shades (or flavors) and people’s clothes will still proudly display their brand name. Despite people’s actions on one day, they are a part of consumerism. One day of buying nothing will not set them free from the belly of the beast. We are a consumer culture; it is just a facet of being an American.
Buy Nothing Day is a great concept and should be seen as a starting point for people to make small changes in their lives. Making small changes over time or thinking about where they spend their money is better than detoxing for a day. Buy Nothing Day could be creating a bigger economic problem rather than trying to solve an ethical problem.
It can seem harmless- just one day, but looking back at history one day, can make or break an economy. October 29th, 1929 the stock market crashed setting up over a decade of economic depressions. Black Friday is just one day a year, yet it is used to predict trends, sales and profits for the holiday season (which is basically the climax of our consumerism and materialism). When someone’s job is on the line, one bad day could make or break it. Not meeting a quota because of atypical sales on day could be what puts someone’s job on the line. Everyday has economic significance and can’t be ignored.
When no goods are purchased people believe they are saving money but does it really have an effect. People will compensate by overspending the day before or the day after. Take any holiday as an example, such as Thanksgiving. No religious affiliation; it’s just a day about family, friends, and being grateful for what you have (sounds like the anti Christ of consumerism). Really the influx of cash to businesses doesn’t come on the fourth Thursday of November, but the days leading up to the holiday when people buy food. Even though the money itself is not spent on that particular day, in the grand scheme of things the money is still spent.
Another flaw in the argument is simply the word ‘detox.’ Detox diets rarely work despite what weight loss infomercials say. Detox is ineffective in the long run compared to making small changes every day. If someone fasted for a day, they might shed a few pounds but if they made a small change such as switching their breakfast from a bacon egg and cheese to just a banana for a year, it will have a bigger impact and much more enduring results. Just like dieting, small consistent changes will create changes in the economy and in consumerism.
Ignoring economics and viewing Buy Nothing Day as just a social statement it does not seem influential or noticeable. Yes, people are not buying things for one day but people are still wearing Nike sneakers made in a sweatshop in Indonesia, girls will still wear a lip gloss that they probably own in at least two other shades (or flavors) and people’s clothes will still proudly display their brand name. Despite people’s actions on one day, they are a part of consumerism. One day of buying nothing will not set them free from the belly of the beast. We are a consumer culture; it is just a facet of being an American.
Buy Nothing Day is a great concept and should be seen as a starting point for people to make small changes in their lives. Making small changes over time or thinking about where they spend their money is better than detoxing for a day. Buy Nothing Day could be creating a bigger economic problem rather than trying to solve an ethical problem.