intellectual properties

consumer disorder

The trade group anticipates an increase of 5 percent in sales to $457 billion during the holidays, compared with a 6.1 percent increase last year. — sfgate

$457 billion.
BILLION.

in toxic, disposable, unnecessary consumer crap, while at the same time citizens decry the government for not providing health care, education, and other necessary social services. sure, that $457B will produce a significant amount of sales tax which will hopefully (not) be (mis)used on these things that need funding, but what if that money were funneled directly to schools and hospitals and libraries and community projects instead of into Playstations and flat screen TVs and overpriced goods made in 3rd world countries? what kind of world would this be? and, dare i even say it? what would jesus think of that staggering figure? would he applaud the celebration of his birthday with reckless consumer spending, or storm into Wal-Mart and start throwing shit around, a la the moneychanger incident?

this annual consumer madness is almost like a sickness. not almost - it is: affluenza. it defies logic to spend money you don’t have on things you don’t need while basic cultural and human services are struggling every day. while people are starving in our backyards, schools are shutting down, and the sick can’t afford their medications, the privileged are standing outside in line at 4:00am so they can buy a new cheap television. the fact that citizens have been taught to value commercial goods over improving their communities, that consumer culture is “the american way”, that one is entitled to these things despite their inherent toxicity and maleficence is killing us. it’s killing our planet and our society and our humanity. it’s absolutely debauched and sickening, and it makes me ill to see it celebrated on the front page of the paper like these people accomplished some kind of commendable feat.

way to go, america. stay the course.

i, on the otherhand, like last year, won’t be buying gifts and will instead make charitable contributions to local organizations that do good work. any gifts i receive i’ll just give to the goodwill, and i convinced my mom to give me cash instead of goods to a) enable me to visit my family for the holidays and b) pay off my debts, and i encourage others to do the same. if people insist on giving you things, ask them to give you cash, and then use that to do something good. who needs more crap, anyway?