Buy Nothing Day
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Buy Nothing Day is an informal day of protest against consumerism observed by social activists. It was founded by Vancouver artist Ted Dave and subsequently promoted by the Canadian Adbusters magazine. Participants refrain from purchasing anything for 24 hours in a concentrated display of consumer power. The event is intended to raise awareness of what some see as the wasteful consumption habits of First World countries. Activists may also participate in culture jamming activities like the Whirl-Mart and other forms of radical expression. It is also used to protest materialism and bandwagon appeals.
In the United States and Canada, supporters demonstrate on the day after American Thanksgiving. This day, often called "Black Friday," is one of the busiest shopping days of the year (although this is not so in Canada, the date remains there to synchronize events). In other countries the demonstrations occur a day later.
Since "Buy Nothing Day" occurs the day after American Thanksgiving, and the meaning of Buy Nothing Day is to resist mindless consumerism, some people have viewed Buy Nothing Day as an opportunity to expose the "hypocrisy" of the Thanksgiving weekend. Since Thanksgiving has always had an emphasis on friends, family and community, while the day after Thanksgiving has more recently had an emphasis on consumerism and shopping, "Buy Nothing Day" may be seen by some protesters as a way of reclaiming the 'original meaning' of Thanksgiving: encouraging friends and family to socialize instead of encouraging individual income-earners to spend their money.
Merchants provide valuable goods and services, a sale day serves both buyer and seller, and the Thanksgiving to Christmas season presents both a temptation to materialism and an opportunity for the proper enjoyment of material blessings coupled with a special effort to ensure that the poorest are not excluded.
Critics of "Buy Nothing Day" point out that consumers would simply buy more the next day instead, rendering their protest pointless. However, participants argue that this is a false assumption and beside the point.
[edit] External links
- The Buy Nothing Day site through the Adbusters Media Foundation
- Buy Nothing Day - UK
- "International Buy Nothing Day" - support for your BND
- http://www.bnd.nu/
- "Buy Nothing Day" in Poland
- A similar initiative called "Buy Nothing Christmas"
- The song "Buy Nothing At All" by Joel Kroeker (2MB)
- The Reverend Billy and The Church of the Stop Shopping
- The Church of The Immaculate Consumption
- Buy Nothing Day in Germany
- Buy Nothing Day creator Ted Dave
