Buy Nothing Day in North America

Finally, I've found the antidote to Black Friday --Today I am celebrating the 20th annual Buy Nothing Day in North America.  It's been going on for 20 years as a push back against the unhealthy materialism and crass commercialism of the day after American Thanksgiving.  Merchants dubbed  this day " black Friday"and made it the official start of what is euphamistically called " the Christmas shopping season" It has turned into a celebration of crass materialism like no other and one in which I have always chosen not to participate.

How did I miss hearing about this  formal observance for all those years? I only  heard about it this year through  #Occupy Wall Street. on Twitter.   I'm all in with this one. Though I should stress that I won't be occupying any malls or shredding my credit cards.  My observance will be quiet, individual, and totally personal, but heartfelt, nonetheless.  Go Gen-Y!!!

I've always thought it a bit odd that the day after we  fly or drive half way across the country  to gather around a dinner table with family, stuff ourselves with food, and  share moralistic platitudes--on the very day after that--sometimes even at the stroke of midnight--, we are pouring by the millions into big box stores  and onto the internet to spend money in an orgy of materialistic excess.  Sadly, as a nation,we are more about the Friday buying spree than the Thursday Thanksgiving.

We are sheep who have been trained to consume, not think or appreciate or( perish the thought) think about the needs of others.  Our culture has turned us into profit centers and target markets.  We have been totally dehumanized and rendered powerless by graphs and charts and the power of the almighty retail dollar.

Well, I'm not a profit center.  I'm a person and that's why I'm celebrating  Buy Nothing Day all day today. Join me if you dare.