I get the point here, and sure, I agree that "stuff" isn't the point of Christmas. But the issue is much more complicated than "Buy less and give more." Our economy is struggling. Many jobs are created through consumers going out and spending their money on goods. If we all just stop buying gifts and make homemade Christmas cards, people will lose jobs, factories will close, small businesses will suffer, etc.
Not sure why this video annoyed me, but it seems like a black and white answer to a complex social question.
And yes, I am available to spread this holiday cheer all season long!
I get the point of the video, Murph, and I understand where you're coming from, Steve.
Though 10 billion less spent still leaves 440 billion to spend at Hallmark, Costco, and the bookstore at Vineyard Community Church. And no one goes thirsty.
We're not in this economic crisis because of the American consumer spending 10 billion less. I'm fairly certain of that.
Sean, my sister Marla was just today telling me about Advent conspiracy when she told me NOT to buy her and my bro-in-law Brad any presents for Christmas but instead check into this.
You are right. Ten billion is not much compared to how much we spend on "stuff." (By the way, how about instead of giving banks 700 billion dollars of play money, we bail out people all over the world by giving 10 billion dollars to provide clean drinking water to everyone?)
I guess I just don't like when people make "stuff" the enemy. If people stop buying "stuff," what happens to all of those jobs that Wal-Mart provides? If people stop buying new cars, what happens to all of those GM workers? "Stuff" makes our economy go 'round.
Good heart behind this type of initiative, but as we all know, "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry."
the problem with consumerism is that it only produces consumerism.
we don't buy stuff, we buy crap. cheap crap that needs to be replaced. top that off with the mantra that we won't be happy with what we have so we need to buy more crap.
no one needs a 37" high def television when there is a $40 conversion box available to keep the old cube television working properly. No one needs a new car every 2 years when a used, cheaper car is will last 5-10 years (longer even) if it's appropriately maintained.
we've been bombarded with the message that if it breaks, or if we aren't made to feel the way we were supposed to feel after spending money on something, the answer is to spend money on something new instead of living with what we have and adjusting.
having stuff isn't bad, but there needs to be a grand scale mind-shift back into conservationism.
our grandparents are doing pretty well because they saved and reused coffee filters 2 or 5 times before replacing them. i wonder what kind of other, more significant lifestyle changes that mentality yields if that principle is applied to our everyday life?
No one "needs" anything. You don't need most of the clothes you own; you don't need your camera; you don't need your laptop; and so on and so on. You picked on me with two of your examples, but I bet I have less "stuff" than almost anyone else in this country that makes the amount of money I do. I am very conservative with my spending. I haven't used a credit card in over three years! Hell, I live in a studio apartment.
I'm just saying, there are all these new wannabe hippies (because it's hip and cool) who want us to reuse coffee filters five times - well, when the coffee filter factories close and thousands of jobs are lost, you can explain to them why conservationism was the answer.
Trust me, I get what everyone is saying here - all I am saying is that this issue is far too complicated for some well-intending Christians, or a communication professor, or an english-teaching pilot to figure out.
...all I am saying is that this issue is far too complicated for some well-intending Christians, or a communication professor, or an english-teaching pilot to figure out.
So is AIDS in Africa. But that doesn't mean we don't have a responsibility to do something!
And no one is saying that we should stop buying stuff, just stop buying crap. And to stop buying crap we don't need with money we don't have.
Ok, I am on board with that last statement. We agree...stop buying crap we don't need with money we don't have. But an HD television is not crap, my friend. It is a gift from God himself.
I get the point here, and sure, I agree that "stuff" isn't the point of Christmas. But the issue is much more complicated than "Buy less and give more." Our economy is struggling. Many jobs are created through consumers going out and spending their money on goods. If we all just stop buying gifts and make homemade Christmas cards, people will lose jobs, factories will close, small businesses will suffer, etc.
ReplyDeleteNot sure why this video annoyed me, but it seems like a black and white answer to a complex social question.
And yes, I am available to spread this holiday cheer all season long!
Yeah...that's a good one.
ReplyDeleteLess gifts, more presence...epic.
I get the point of the video, Murph, and I understand where you're coming from, Steve.
ReplyDeleteThough 10 billion less spent still leaves 440 billion to spend at Hallmark, Costco, and the bookstore at Vineyard Community Church. And no one goes thirsty.
We're not in this economic crisis because of the American consumer spending 10 billion less. I'm fairly certain of that.
Thoughts?
Sean, my sister Marla was just today telling me about Advent conspiracy when she told me NOT to buy her and my bro-in-law Brad any presents for Christmas but instead check into this.
ReplyDeletehow cool....
Dan,
ReplyDeleteYou are right. Ten billion is not much compared to how much we spend on "stuff." (By the way, how about instead of giving banks 700 billion dollars of play money, we bail out people all over the world by giving 10 billion dollars to provide clean drinking water to everyone?)
I guess I just don't like when people make "stuff" the enemy. If people stop buying "stuff," what happens to all of those jobs that Wal-Mart provides? If people stop buying new cars, what happens to all of those GM workers? "Stuff" makes our economy go 'round.
Good heart behind this type of initiative, but as we all know, "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry."
Fuller,
ReplyDeleteWhy do you hate poor people so much?
the problem with consumerism is that it only produces consumerism.
ReplyDeletewe don't buy stuff, we buy crap. cheap crap that needs to be replaced. top that off with the mantra that we won't be happy with what we have so we need to buy more crap.
no one needs a 37" high def television when there is a $40 conversion box available to keep the old cube television working properly. No one needs a new car every 2 years when a used, cheaper car is will last 5-10 years (longer even) if it's appropriately maintained.
we've been bombarded with the message that if it breaks, or if we aren't made to feel the way we were supposed to feel after spending money on something, the answer is to spend money on something new instead of living with what we have and adjusting.
having stuff isn't bad, but there needs to be a grand scale mind-shift back into conservationism.
our grandparents are doing pretty well because they saved and reused coffee filters 2 or 5 times before replacing them. i wonder what kind of other, more significant lifestyle changes that mentality yields if that principle is applied to our everyday life?
Bragg,
ReplyDeleteNo one "needs" anything. You don't need most of the clothes you own; you don't need your camera; you don't need your laptop; and so on and so on. You picked on me with two of your examples, but I bet I have less "stuff" than almost anyone else in this country that makes the amount of money I do. I am very conservative with my spending. I haven't used a credit card in over three years! Hell, I live in a studio apartment.
I'm just saying, there are all these new wannabe hippies (because it's hip and cool) who want us to reuse coffee filters five times - well, when the coffee filter factories close and thousands of jobs are lost, you can explain to them why conservationism was the answer.
Trust me, I get what everyone is saying here - all I am saying is that this issue is far too complicated for some well-intending Christians, or a communication professor, or an english-teaching pilot to figure out.
...all I am saying is that this issue is far too complicated for some well-intending Christians, or a communication professor, or an english-teaching pilot to figure out.
ReplyDeleteSo is AIDS in Africa. But that doesn't mean we don't have a responsibility to do something!
And no one is saying that we should stop buying stuff, just stop buying crap. And to stop buying crap we don't need with money we don't have.
this brings me back to a question that has been bugging me for a long time
ReplyDeleteBragg, how do you get a comment to go bold? or leave links?
I honestly have no idea how to do those things...
Fuller,
seriously, why do you hate poor people?
Bragg,
ReplyDeleteOk, I am on board with that last statement. We agree...stop buying crap we don't need with money we don't have. But an HD television is not crap, my friend. It is a gift from God himself.
Sean,
Because they smell funny?