You know it really amazes me the degree to which American society is driven by capitalist, consumerist impulses. Obviously, this time of the year is replete with examples of this, of how American tradition has become a function of its preternatural drive for profit. I went out for my traditional one day of Christmas shopping on the 24th and was absolutely bombarded by the reality of this fact. No doubt the churches were empty. Family living rooms were bare. But the stores were chock full of people scrambling to live up to the expectations set upon them by a society that lives and dies by the dollar.

That's the funny thing though. Americans act out of expectations thrust upon them by an economy that can only profit if we spend. How fundamentally absurd: that the essence of what our people are about is dictated by a corporate America that has a fundamental interest in having us think that we must spend more and more and more - just to keep pace with everyone else. They have viciously tapped into the greatest emotional lever in existence - our desire to please those who we love. They have coldly linked what we spend with the happiness of our loved ones. They have defined whether we are good parents or not - not based upon things like how well we imbue our kids with character - but by how much we buy for them!

It didn't have to be this way. Our culture could have been established on deeper, more humane and human principles. But our every move is dictated by a society that wants to influence us toward more acquisition, toward newer, bigger, more up-to-date . . . things.

That's sad. To a person who appreciates principle and meaning, having the world revolve around naked consumerism leaves much to be desired. Knowing that our collective thinking is manipulated to the benefit of those airing the commercials and creating the products leaves me with a decidedly uneasy feeling. It's as if I were used up and then discarded along the wayside: squeezed for everything I have and then thrown away like everyday refuse. It's as if our exploitation were a 'fait accompli'; that we don't even have any power to push back against the beast.

At the end of the day, I think I am as aware and conscious of American consumerism as anyone. I see the exploitation and call it as such. Nevertheless, my tree was full yesterday morning. I didn't want my children to be disappointed when they woke up. I understand the game being played against me but was, for the most part, powerless to defend against it. Victory can be defined only by a matter of degree. They're going to win. It's just a matter of what the margin of victory will be. The sad thing is is that in the game of consumerism, they always win and most always cover.

Disappointing . . .

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MBM,

The malls are still packed. But I see a growing trend. In my household, this is the 4th Christmas with no gifts. We went and got a few things for some old people we know, but nothing for us. Each year I have encountere more people taking this approach. I find encouragement when I talk to a person who was influenced by our new tradition. We enjoy time off work and throw a big ole backyard BBQ.

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Originally posted by MBM:
To a person who appreciates principle and meaning, having the world revolve around naked consumerism leaves much to be desired.

Yeah, it's pathetic. I keep shopping to a minimum, only buying for my niece and nephew; both are VERY humble. Neither wanted anything when I asked, but I felt I HAD to give them something. (My nephew would be happy if I'd only baked him a lasagna, really!)

I hate the commercialism/consumerism involved and the idea that if people want to show loved ones they REALLY care, they should do so on Dec. 25th (as if the other 364 days don't matter as much). It's the time of year when I feel I more people should join Rev. Billy's "Church of Stop Shopping" and get their credit cards exorcised.

You know, MBM, it's funny you should mention this! I had almost the same kind of paradoxical thinking about Thanksgiving this year.

While it's not quite the same type of gross manipulation of the human spirit due to differing objectives (things vs. food), there are similarities. I didn't have to do the cooking this year, but still had to go to the store. And for at least a week, I saw grocery stores filled to capacity, long lines of people, and prices increased on many things that people wanted/needed most! For my family, the cost of a little more than a week's worth of groceries went into 1 meal!!

And while the gathering of family is, of course, a wonderful thing, when I thought about the true nature of Thanksgiving, and what it's supposed to symbolize vs. the reality of what this "tradition" came to be (the subsequent genocide of Native American people) .. it's like we're doing the right thing for all the wrong reasons based on White America's inaccurate/untrue/unethical mischaracterization of history. And we pay for it dearly.

quote:

Originally posted by MBM:
It didn't have to be this way. Our culture could have been established on deeper, more humane and human principles.

You sure about that? This sounds like the logical progression for a society based on the genocide of the native people and the enslavement of Africans. Not to mention the international exploitation occuring...

quote:

That's sad. To a person who appreciates principle and meaning, having the world revolve around naked consumerism leaves much to be desired. Knowing that our collective thinking is manipulated to the benefit of those airing the commercials and creating the products leaves me with a decidedly uneasy feeling. It's as if I were used up and then discarded along the wayside: squeezed for everything I have and then thrown away like everyday refuse. It's as if our exploitation were a 'fait accompli'; that we don't even have any power to push back against the beast.

At the end of the day, I think I am as aware and conscious of American consumerism as anyone. I see the exploitation and call it as such. Nevertheless, my tree was full yesterday morning. I didn't want my children to be disappointed when they woke up. I understand the game being played against me but was, for the most part, powerless to defend against it. Victory can be defined only by a matter of degree. They're going to win. It's just a matter of what the margin of victory will be. The sad thing is is that in the game of consumerism, they always win and most always cover.

Disappointing . . .

I find this to be a contradictory statement. If you truly appreciated principle and meaning you wouldn't have participated, or rather 'given in'. Your 'powerlessness' was predetermined by 'you'.. Basically, you 'let consummerism win'. I know plenty of people that don't... and their children are quite conscious early on because of it.

But then again, none are X-tian, so there is no pressure to conform to X-mas.

Also as a side note. If Kwanzaa is practiced true to form, it can combat(and replace) this rampant consumerism quite well.

Nowadays you might as well refer to December 25th as GIFTmas instead of Christmas. Americans spend an obscene amount of money on gifts for everybody and their momma as well as an almost equally amount of money on food…everything in excess. Seven years ago when my son was born and diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, I stopped celebrating Christmas in the commercial sense. In fact, during the last 2 to 3 years I’ve started focusing on the real meaning of Christmas. Although I have nieces and nephews, I don’t go running around like a wild banshee spending exorbitant amounts of money and shoveling food in my mouth when for me, that’s not what the holiday season is all about. This morning my beliefs were reaffirmed when I left my apartment to see the mountain of post-Christmas garbage piled up at the trash compactor. The holidays are not only driven by capitalist, consumerist impulses as you mentioned, MBM, it’s also the most ecologically irresponsible time of the year. It’s sickening. I swear on everything that I love that I won’t let anyone guilt me into being a part of GIFTmas ever again.
I’ve started making my own traditions with my son and making the holidays unique for us. I’ve gone so far as to ask my family not to buy gifts for us because that’s not what our holidays are all about.
I’m telling you, the holiday season is less stressful now than they were before my son was born. Even though one of my co-workers called me “scrooge” and others question my Christmas spirit, December 25th is now what I want it to be; I’m not a slave to anything or anyone else.