Buy Nothing Day and Marie Antoinette
The day after Thanksgiving is traditionally known as Black Friday around here, in grim memorial for the hundreds of shoppers who are crushed to death yearly in their frenzied rush to snatch up holiday bargains. Increasingly, in the upper-middle-class hippy-esque circles in which we travel (I mean, literally travel: like, say, Lexington) it's gained another appellation: Buy Nothing Day. The idea for Buy Nothing Day has apparently been around since the mid-90s, but it's taking off big this year, whether in response to the ever earlier onset of Black Friday sales (now on Thursday!!) or thanks to savvy Facebook marketing by the folks at AdBusters. Us, we're not observing Buy Nothing Day specifically: being poor means that every day is a buy nothing day!
Seriously, at this point the idea of restraining yourself from purchasing anything for one day being considered a revolutionary act seems completely ridiculous to me. I do understand that part of the point of the program is to offer an alternative to Black Friday consumerism, in hopes of giving people an opposing narrative to the one that says they have to rush out Friday morning in order to save money on things that they'd have to buy anyways. To that extent, Buy Nothing Day as a kick-off to Buy Nothing Christmas (or Occupy Christmas, or whatever they're calling it this year) makes a little bit of sense. But that's not all they've got going on. Check out this marketing copy:
This November 23rd, go cold turkey on consumption for 24 hours … see what happens … you just might have an unexpected, emancipatory epiphany!Buy Nothing Day is legendary for instigating this type of personal transformation … as you suddenly remember what real living is all about … you sense an upsurge of radical empowerment and feel a strange magic creeping back into your life. [ellipses very much in original]
And people are taking this seriously: on various corners of the internet I've read of people planning to go hiking, work on craft projects, play music with friends. All that and more will be made possible by not shopping!
I see a connection with the "Bedford Unplugged" program we've had here in town for the past several years, which is being observed this month:
"Bedford Unplugged" is an annual community initiative begun October 2004 to encourage families to pull the plug on electronic distractions and disconnect from overly busy schedules, and to connect with each other through activities with family and friends. It is all too easy to forget having meals with others, making conversation, or bringing people together for fun, games, and relaxation. "Bedford Unplugged" is your reminder to take a break from the hectic times for a day or more.
See how hard it is to be rich in the suburbs?! You have to be shopping all the time, and when you're not you're at soccer or playing on the iPad! Not us, though. Our times are actually far from hectic, probably because we're dramatically under-employed and can't afford to send our kids to any programs or shop at the mall even when there's a big sale (40% of whatever is still greater than 0, which is my budget for non-essential items at this point). But hey, that means we have time for family dinners and crafts and walks and music and all that other good stuff our neighbors are apparently having trouble with. And I'm totally serious about that: I love the trade-offs we've made in our life, and think that we're mostly coming out with the better end of the deal. Friday when I'm relaxing with family and friends I won't for a second wish I had the disposable income that would let me hit up the Best Buy.
What does all that have to do with Marie Antoinette? Well, remember how she liked to play shepherdess? When the affairs of the court grew too pressing to bear, she would retire to the country to live the simple life of a village maiden with no responsibilities but her flock of sheep. I get a little hint of that with our Buy Nothing, Unplugged month here: let's all pretend to be poor because poor people have it so great! And the thing is, I agree: when you have less money, you're free—or rather, forced—to think of other things to do with yourself, and most of the time those things end up being better. But I don't think it does any good to just make a day of it. I don't want to suggest that suburban liberals should be the first candidates for the guillotine when the revolution comes, but Marie Antoinette's example might just show that playing poor doesn't work as well as actually reconsidering your priorities and making some real changes in your life.
That's a little harder to sell in an add campaign, though. Too busy? Too stressed? How about quitting your job and spending more time with your family? Food stamps, heating assistance, and Mass Health will make up a surprising amount of your missing income! Sounds good to us; admittedly, it is a little harder to try for just one day.