Rethinking "Buy Nothing Day"

In my earlier entry, I suggested people consider turning "Black Friday" into "Buy Nothing Day" and opt out of the wanton consumerism that will ensue in stores and malls across America. While people are already spending beyond their means on stuff they don't really need, it struck me that this weekend could be a "make or break" situation for our economy -- because of the media's obsession with "opening weekend" numbers. Just like a movie's success is now judged not by the reviews, the awards, or if it's any GOOD or not -- it's all about the opening weekend numbers. Nobody cares what it does its second week, or if it stays in theaters two months because of good word of mouth and eventually makes money. It all boils down to opening weekend now. Maybe I'm showing my age, but I remember when people had NO IDEA how much money a movie made -- it wasn't part of conversation. Now it's the entirety of the conversation when it comes to movies.

Take the movie "SiCKO" when it came out this summer. It had limited release, meaning not every multiplex in America had it, and maybe even some cities didn't have it. Whether this important film would "open wide" or even remain in theaters beyond the first week depended entirely on its opening weekend... so it was important that people went out and saw it immediately. I did my part, it was a hit, and went on to be very successful by documentary standards. It became a topic of national discussion and got people talking about the idea of universal health care, which may not have happened if it "only" made a few million its opening weekend.

What's this have to do with "Black Friday" you ask? Plenty. Pundits and news media are falling all over themselves to report whether sales this Friday are up to expectations, and their conclusion could very well effect the economy for the rest of the holiday season, and into next year. If reports are that consumer confidence is high and stores did well, people will believe the economy is OK and feel good about going out and spending, where as if stores don't do well, it will be reported as a harbinger of doom, causing people to stay home and start knitting their holiday gifts. This will lead to layoffs in retail and manufacturing and related industries, tighter credit, and so on and so forth -- based largely on how someone interprets the guestimates from the experts. The economy is on the brink, and this could definitely push things over the edge.

To a large part, the economy only does as well as people BELIEVE it is doing, so whatever the verdict, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Just like the stock market... instead of looking at the huge gains most stocks have made over the past couple years, people have the jitters due to some sub-prime loans, so they're panic selling, which drives prices down and creates more panic selling. It's also prompting the US dollar to take a beating compared to world currencies, which could spell real trouble. Of course, it doesn't help that W. has borrowed almost a TRILLION dollars for this pointless quagmire that will only serve to destabilize world economies, or far worse. The world's respect for and confidence in the U.S. hasn't eroded over the past 7 years -- it's crumbled. All due to fear and stupidity...

So, buck up campers, make your list, check it twice, make sure you have headroom on your charge cards, and get out there and spend! If only to help create a placebo effect for our sick economy... or at least score some cool stuff before the shit comes down.

The photo is Mandy, doing an interpretive dance expressing the confusion and angst of Alan Greenspan's failed policies. Or maybe she's just posing beautifully as she does so effortlessly.