The current hostile corporate takeover in the USA and the clear loss of political power of the common people, I started wondering what happened if people used consumption as their leverage. Since the system is designed for continuous growth, what would happen if a mass movement of people stopping buying new non-essential consumer goods?
It would send a much stronger message than angry public protests. Thoughts?
Edit 1: Received some fantastic responses one of these highlighted February 28th as the “National No Spend Day” that we can consider the rehearsal.
*Do not make any purchases Do not shop online, or in-store, No Amazon, No Walmart, No Best Buy, Nowhere!
Do not spend money on: Fast Food,Gas,Major Retailers Do not use Credit or Debit Cards for non essential spending
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Only buy essentials of absolutely necessary (Food, Medicine, Emergency Supplies) If you must spend, ONLY support small, local businesses.*
This movement is the definition of equitable, not spending means everybody can contribute within their means, and if you can’t afford to buy shit anyway, you’re already doing your part!
We need society to go back to our earliest economy. The gift economy, just sharing things expecting nothing in return. I wonder what life would be like if that was our main economy.
I try to explain to people how incredible that would be. I don’t believe in pay it back or pay it forward. I believe in helping people because it’s what we should be doing, it’s the way society should function. I don’t expect anything in return, and I don’t want someone I help to pay it forward because I helped them, I want them to help others because it’s what everyone should be doing at all times, so much as they are able to. Building the new within the shell of the old and all that
The bit that these people don’t understand is pretty much everyone has done and taken part in the gift economy. But capitalism has brainwashed people to slave over pieces of paper. But if you’ve ever explained the rules to a board game, helped family members with tech support, helped a roommate learn how to cook a dish then people have partaken in the gift economy. I could list a thousand more examples. Even leaving internet comments is part of a gift economy if you leave a comment, you’re not expecting anything in return and many internet comments are helping people asking about stuff they need help for. The gift economy is so engrained in everyday life yet capitalism just has decades of propaganda.
People argue about human nature, wars, warlords, yada yada. But that is shit is so exceedingly rare to the literal hundreds of examples per day of people simply doing for others, even going out of their way, taking from themselves to do so, with absolutely no expectation of reward or thanks, simply because it brings us joy to be members of our community. Altruism is ingrained in us the way breathing is. It’s automatic. So much so, we don’t realize we’re doing it. It’s a detriment, in ways, if we were more aware of it, we might well be more able to recognize our natural ways, and be able to combat the bullshit propaganda. But as it stands, we don’t even realize we’re doing it.
:(