Happy Thanksgiving,
I hope that you can take the time to enjoy family and friends this Thanksgiving. To all my non-American friends may this message find you able to take time to be Thankful in some way. Here in the US, I'm saddened that mega consumption, through internet sales and early store hours minutes after our meal is finished, has set a place at the table. Thanksgiving Day which has been the least capitalistic holiday of the year is being co-opted by the right to shop. Can't we have one day off people?! So between eating the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, we'll be seduced into logging on and firing up the credit card. And 'Black Friday' lures people into impulse buying because of a discount. It gets nuttier and nuttier. We should instead be sharing a story or try to be in some kind of stillness. Friday after Thanksgiving should be a wonderful shut down day, to be whimsical, a day for reflection, not shopping, or working.
I'm loving the Buy Nothing campaign seen popping up around the net. Buy Nothing Day to give Thanksgiving new meaning. Cool People Care's Sam Davidson writes on his blog "Nada For Me," pledge to buy nothing this Friday and stay out of the shopping whirlwind.
and Adbusters who encourage a Buy Nothing Day. Adbusters uses grassroots capitalism to start business ventures, spreading indie culture and providing ever more alternatives to buying from mega corporations.
We Americans work so hard at working hard and take little time to just decompress. Now becoming contagious throughout the world, this is not some American invention we should be proud of.
So try and pledge to stay away from online sales Thursday, and the stores on Friday.
Look to the sky, find a star, make a wish, smile at someone, anyone. Makes you feel good. Or if you absolutely have to go online, watch some of my "What's Your Inspiration?" clips where I have filmed many commuters happy to chat and share their stories, their challenges and loves, and of course their inspirations.
Check out my "What's Your Inspiration?" channel on youtube.
I'll be back in the subway December 5th.
I've been receiving lovely comments to this posting, here's some excerpts including a wonderful Illustration from artist Dianne Engleke.
- consuming much besides food has become a drag. It's about time. Anyway, I liked your alternative and would add music, some blues, old carols, and lieder. Perfect. And some family....
- 'stay home and stay off the internet'', that's our motto!
- I love the idea of "BUY NOTHING". We need to be simpler to appreciate our lives.
- I am with you with the nada for me. I have NO intention of going anywhere near any stores this weekend
- I absolutely love the Buy Nothing Campaign, not only because it is something unique but also the cause to give Thanksgiving a different meaning.
- Those are wise words from you, for every day of the year.
image by Dianne Engleke