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Buy Nothing Day 2005

polycounter lvl 18
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oXYnary polycounter lvl 18
Heya! Tis that time again. Where you can safely put down your credit card and rest versus rushing like mad for material objects in the vague dream of fulfilling happiness. At least until the next object comes along.

November 25th is Buy Nothing Day

(26th In UK)

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  • Bort
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    Bort polycounter lvl 18
    Also don't forget about November 29th..

    International Organised fun day!
    Yes, you will have fun by doing things people tell you to do. Happy happy, Joy joy.
  • Asherr
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    Asherr polycounter lvl 18
    yay! now instead of just sitting around all day doing nothing i can pretend i am sticking it to The Man and Big Business!
  • Prs-Phil
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    Prs-Phil polycounter lvl 18
    Hey, good idea, sad that it is on a friday when the weekend starts wich will not really motivate the people not to buy anything, allthough it is heading towards the end of the month and lots of people don't have to much cash left to spend anyway.(unless you are a moneydriven person who earns a fair amount, but you deserve a kick anyway ... at least from me)

    I´ll join in and let everybody else invite me wink.gif
  • danr
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    danr interpolator
    asherr - and i can convince myself i'm doing the same, and not that i'm unable to buy stuff cos it's the end of November, the month where i renew car and home insurance, car tax, service, breakdown cover, pay whacking great quarterly bills and try to save for christmas. Hooray!
  • arshlevon
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    arshlevon polycounter lvl 18
    i was going to buy my grandmothers cancer meds but she is just going to have to die, cause i am sticking it to the man!! fuck you granny!! and pharmaceutical companies!! you can take my grandma but youll never take my freedom!! culture jamming the system dudes!!
  • MoP
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    MoP polycounter lvl 18
    Ignore that silly day, 25th November has always traditionally been Buy MoP Loads of Cool Birthday Presents day.
  • hawken
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    hawken polycounter lvl 19
    oXYnary your round. What you not buying a round? We all bought you a drink, now come on it's your turn. Oh right be like that, but no more drinks from us. No. Go and find your own table. No you can't have a chip, theres some bins outside go and get your food there.
  • Prs-Phil
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    Prs-Phil polycounter lvl 18
    there is a thin line between breathing air to live and inhaleing until you explode. *bleh

    I mean, it is impossible not to spend money on the 25th, your existance allready costs and nobody is asking you to evaporate but the idea is a good one.
    It is all about that little extra consumeing you do. (YEAH YOU AMERICA wink.gif) That icecream you buy on your way home because you feel like it. That new hat you buy because it fits to your pants ... or whatever *bleh I think you know what I mean.

    now bite your nipples and milk them, that is cheaper.

    I also wonder how many people will wait until midnight to post the "Happy Birthday MoP" - thread, but my present will be the best, I promise, I´ve got the 25th November tatoed onto my ass ... in 3d.
  • Rhinokey
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    Rhinokey polycounter lvl 18
    i like getting stuff, and since people don't give me stuff, i am often forced into the posistion of buying stuff.

    i like the man and big buisness, cause without them, i would have much less stuff,

    i see they placed it on the day after thanksgiving, which is the busiest christmas shopping day of the year.. which leads me to think, thats its just a ploy, these people start this "buy nothing day" then on the 25th they rush to the now deserted stores and get all the good freakin deals its a conspiracy!

    the whole idea of the day is silly, maybe if you made it,

    "instead of buying stuf donate that money to charity" day,

    or "instead of buying normal stuff, buy some christmas presents for needy children"

    "sticking it to the man" seems pretty far down on the ladder
  • sinistergfx
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    sinistergfx polycounter lvl 18
    If you don't buy something that day, you're just going to delay your shopping till the next day, or the day after that, and so on.

    Guess what? You're not really sticking it to anybody.

    But if it somehow makes you feel better: whatever. Go feel superior or something.
  • oXYnary
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    oXYnary polycounter lvl 18
    I would be content of letting people choose what they will. Critical viewpoints are neccessary, and at least get the matter on the table for awareness.

    However, could some of you do the favor of at least investigating what the ideals behind it (through the supplied link) before spouting off simple rhetoric of "the man". That if nothing else seems an excuse so you can continue in a certain safe mindset without having to question.

    Also, ideas like superiority seem another excuse often used because the supposed judgement one side sees the other making in such ideals. It is pointless, and self-serving to the individual making this claim of what he sees as the other side. It also breaks down communication by using a emotional excuse to ignore by warping the ideal to "us vs them"; versus the initial point of creating a "we".

    Thanks. smile.gif
  • Rhinokey
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    Rhinokey polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]


    However, could some of you do the favor of at least investigating what the ideals behind it (through the supplied link) before spouting off simple rhetoric of "the man".

    [/ QUOTE ]


    nnaahhhhh
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    If people delayed their shopping and didn't buy anything on "Black Friday" the shareholders would panic. That IS damage.
  • poopinmymouth
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    poopinmymouth polycounter lvl 19
    Why not identify products you don't want to support, and then never buy them, on any day of the year. Seems more effective to me.

    I like to reward companies I like with my monies. I like to punish companies I don't like by not giving them monies, ever.

    poop.gif
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    Oh, we're already doing that but delaying your purchases will cause big waves on the stock market if enough people do it.
  • Scott Ruggels
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    Scott Ruggels polycounter lvl 18
    I support Capitalism in all it's glory, I'm shopping for books tomorrow (ans a little work on the Demo reel).

    Scott
  • Asthane
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    Asthane polycounter lvl 18
    The whole thing is silly, if you ask me. If anything needs to be done, it's on the production and recycling ends, to produce more of our own products and produce less waste. Trying to fix 'the problem of consumerism' by stopping people from buying a anything at all is like trying to lose weight by not eating one day-- and going back to your burgers and pizza when you get hungry.

    Besides, I never go out on the 25th anyway, who wants to deal with all those crowds?
  • hawken
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    hawken polycounter lvl 19
    recycle everything day
  • JKMakowka
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    JKMakowka polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    I like to reward companies I like with my monies. I like to punish companies I don't like by not giving them monies, ever.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Exactly, but sometimes it is hard to do if companys have a monopoly or are hiding behind a dozen of different names frown.gif

    But M$, Sony and EA can kiss my ass tongue.gif

    P.S.: I am not planning to participate, but does it count when you are just reciving a product, but payed for it earlier? Cause I should finally get my GP2X tomorrow, (after a few very unpleasant but probably necessary delays) laugh.gif
  • Spoon_of_death
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    Spoon_of_death polycounter lvl 17
    Oh crap I bought a sandwich at school today...

    poly109.gif I RUINED BUY NOTHING DAY FOR EVERYONE!!! poly109.gif
  • MoP
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    MoP polycounter lvl 18
    No you didn't. It's tomorrow.
  • Spoon_of_death
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    Spoon_of_death polycounter lvl 17
    hmmmm then maybe I should buy another one tommorow and call myself 'The great evil Spender, rebel of buy nothing day'... MWUAHAHA yesss, my plans for global domination will start tommorow
  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    I'm the kind of person who prefers watching movies on monday mornings. Same movie, less annoying people to ruin it. So I'm not leaving the house tomorrow. It seems the main conversation each Thanksgiving is what cheap crap walmart is selling at the buttcrack of dawn. I told my family not to buy anything for me tomorrow. Getting someone a new DVD player/digital camera/coffee maker is like saying "I have no idea what you want or like, but everyone wants one of these, and it was cheap, and I stood in line in freezing weather...so here, be happy. random junk = temporary happiness. god bless america"

    Working the service industry on a holiday isn't fun. Not getting time off to spend with family for the sake of the economy. So I'm doing my part to give those hardworking folks a break from the angry aisle monkeys. Less time spending, and more time caring would be a change.
  • AstroZombie
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    AstroZombie polycounter lvl 18
    How about supporting local businesses instead of boycotting buying all together? Go to your local "mom and pop" porn store instead of buying your porn from Wal*Mart, for example ...
  • Justin Meisse
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    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
    gah, I got a 250gb WD harddrive for $59 and then found out later today I could of gotten a 200gb Maxtor for $29. What's worse is I bought Quake 4 a few days ago and now I see it's on sale for half price.
  • flachdrache
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    flachdrache polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    How about supporting local businesses ... ?h
  • Irritant
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    Irritant polycounter lvl 18
    Yeah, fuck the system man! Let's try to crash the stock market so we're all out of jobs and standing in soup lines! Screw the corporations and big business, cuz we are all angry and stuff!
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    What's the stock market good for, anyway?
  • Rhinokey
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    Rhinokey polycounter lvl 18
    I'M ABOUT TO GO BUY MILK AND COFFEE!! AND MAYBE A BURGER!
  • arshlevon
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    arshlevon polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    I'M ABOUT TO GO BUY MILK AND COFFEE!! AND MAYBE A BURGER!

    [/ QUOTE ]

    ASSHOLE!!! the ONLY thing your ALLOWED to buy is ADBUSTERS©®™ magazine and fair trade coffee..and certain orgainic vegetables.. and a VW jetta.. or parts for your messanger bike.. or beezwax for your dreads.. or some weed if your all out dude..

    oh yeah beef and dairy are only for assholes,..... asshole!!
    cows are people too!!

    duh!!!
  • oXYnary
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    oXYnary polycounter lvl 18
    waters.amused.gif

    Doctor Doctor what is wrong with me
    This supermarket life is getting long
    What is the heart life of a colour TV
    What is the shelf life of a teenage queen
    Ooh western woman
    Ooh western girl


    [ QUOTE ]
    Shoppers grab up Black Friday sales; 72-year-old woman injured at Sawgrass Brandsmart; mayhem breaks out at Kendall Wal-Mart

    [/ QUOTE ]

    http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13257171.htm

    News hound sniffs the air
    When Jessica Hahn goes down
    He latches on to that symbol
    Of detachment
    Attracted by the peeling away of feeling
    The celebrity of the abused shell the belle
    Ooh western woman
    Ooh western girl
    And the children of Melrose
    Strut their stuff
    Is absolute zero cold enough



    [ QUOTE ]
    Today is known as black friday *because retailers hope holiday spending puts the year's end in the black. But a certain type of customer can leave a dark spot on a retailer's bottom line.

    Festive and frenzied crowds can potentially hide the customer who fails to pay. Some say the crowded aisles found on days like Friday actually make it easier for people to shoplift.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    http://nbc15.madison.com/news/headlines/2017162.html


    And out in the valley warm and clean
    The little ones sit by their TV screens
    No thoughts to think
    No tears to cry
    All sucked dry
    Down to the very last breath
    Bartender what is wrong with me
    Why am I so out of breath
    The captain said excuse me ma'am
    This species has amused itself to death
    Amused itself to death
    Amused itself to death


    [ QUOTE ]
    Tempers flared at this Wal-Mart in Orlando, where some fights broke out over a popular piece of merchandise.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/headlines/?ArID=158346&SecID=33

    We watched the tragedy unfold
    We did as we were told
    We bought and sold
    It was the greatest show on earth
    But then it was over
    We ohhed and aahed
    We drove our racing cars
    We ate our last few jars of caviar
    And somewhere out there in the stars
    A keen-eyed look-out
    Spied a flickering light
    Our last hurrah



    [ QUOTE ]
    (UPDATE, Cascade Township, November 25, 2005, 7:00 p.m.) It was a dangerous morning on Black Friday at a West Michigan Wal-Mart. Now, corporate representatives are responding to what happened.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4164781&nav=0Rce

    And when they found our shadows
    Grouped around the TV sets
    They ran down every lead
    They repeated every test
    They checked out all the data on their lists
    And then the alien anthropologists
    Admitted they were still perplexed
    But on eliminating every other reason
    For our sad demise
    They logged the only explanation left
    This species has amused itself to death



    [ QUOTE ]
    A Jonesboro (Georgia) woman was robbed at gunpoint outside of her home early Tuesday morning after returning from Best Buy with a newly purchased Xbox 360.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000830069633/










    No tears to cry
    no feelings left
    This species has amused itself to death






    [ QUOTE ]
    Baghdad, Nov 25 (Prensa Latina) The US Central Command in Iraq Friday reported two US soldiers killed and another four wounded in separate attacks in this capital, while the Iraqi government asked Japanese troops to extend their mission in the Arab country.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B93B05539-95EB-4BF5-8279-32B2388660B9%7D)&language=EN

    frown.gif

    Amused to Death Lyrics © Roger Waters.
  • PaK
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    PaK polycounter lvl 18
    I didnt buy anything, cuz i didn't know it was some special shopping day. In Canada it's dec 26th.

    -R
  • notman
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    notman polycounter lvl 18
    Did you guys see the videos on the news of the idiots running people down to get into these stores? I mean really, what are these deals worth? Your life? I mean really, they probably only have 3 in stock and it's probably a cheap piece of crap. I love it how they race for something, but no brand was listed in the ad.

    There was a funny one though. One woman fell, then decided she had to put on her wig before she got back up.
  • Irritant
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    Irritant polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    Baghdad, Nov 25 (Prensa Latina) The US Central Command in Iraq Friday reported two US soldiers killed and another four wounded in separate attacks in this capital, while the Iraqi government asked Japanese troops to extend their mission in the Arab country.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B93B05539-95EB-4BF5-8279-32B2388660B9%7D)&language=EN

    frown.gif

    Amused to Death Lyrics © Roger Waters.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    So what's does the War in Iraq have to do with Black Friday?

    Oh I know, Oxy never misses an opportunity to take a shot at America.
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    They died on this day.
  • MoP
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    MoP polycounter lvl 18
    That said, Amused to Death is actually a really boring track if you listen to it. I think oXYnary managed to replicate its boring-ness by pasting it out in full, in italics, thus destroying any notion of "quick and to the point".
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    That said, Amused to Death is actually a really boring track if you listen to it.

    Well, they wouldn't want you to be amused to death.
  • Prs-Phil
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    Prs-Phil polycounter lvl 18
    I would not say that oxy is trying to take a shot at america just because he can't miss the opporunity, all the other quotes concern happenings in the US wich reflect the state of a major part of it's society and how it acts.

    So he is trying to make you do something that should actually happen all the time to ensure a healthy,growing and fair society at all levels (if there should be any wink.gif ) ... critical thinking.
    So the quote on the war in iraq (wich is a big issue for the people of your country, I mean, who likes to be at war ?) does make sense and has got something to do with the "Black Friday" because it is put into relation with the people that also are part of this war thus drawing a better picture of how things are running and who is really running it at what price.
  • Irritant
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    Irritant polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    I would not say that oxy is trying to take a shot at america just because he can't miss the opporunity, all the other quotes concern happenings in the US wich reflect the state of a major part of it's society and how it acts.

    So he is trying to make you do something that should actually happen all the time to ensure a healthy,growing and fair society at all levels (if there should be any wink.gif ) ... critical thinking.
    So the quote on the war in iraq (wich is a big issue for the people of your country, I mean, who likes to be at war ?) does make sense and has got something to do with the "Black Friday" because it is put into relation with the people that also are part of this war thus drawing a better picture of how things are running and who is really running it at what price.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Oh really? Well I have news for you - Capitalism existed long before George Bush and the Neocons. That's some awful broad brush stroking.

    Capitalism is also a big part of what makes America the greatest and strongest nation in the world.
  • CheapAlert
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    CheapAlert polycounter lvl 18
    bought milk.

    i lose frown.gif
  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    The radio tells me that soldiers are fighting to preserve the America way of life.

    The television shows me that the American way of life is to buy lots of the junk you see each commercial break.

    Oh, and I lied. I had to run to the grocery store for something to drink.
  • AstroZombie
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    AstroZombie polycounter lvl 18
    I couldn't pass up Resident Evil 4 for the PS2 for $29.99, or Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory for the Xbox for $9.99 - I'll try and stick it to the man next year tongue.gif
  • Prs-Phil
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    Prs-Phil polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    I would not say that oxy is trying to take a shot at america just because he can't miss the opporunity, all the other quotes concern happenings in the US wich reflect the state of a major part of it's society and how it acts.

    So he is trying to make you do something that should actually happen all the time to ensure a healthy,growing and fair society at all levels (if there should be any wink.gif ) ... critical thinking.
    So the quote on the war in iraq (wich is a big issue for the people of your country, I mean, who likes to be at war ?) does make sense and has got something to do with the "Black Friday" because it is put into relation with the people that also are part of this war thus drawing a better picture of how things are running and who is really running it at what price.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Oh really? Well I have news for you - Capitalism existed long before George Bush and the Neocons. That's some awful broad brush stroking.

    Capitalism is also a big part of what makes America the greatest and strongest nation in the world.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    wow, please, calm down. You have missed the point here. Nobody is saying capitalism is an invention of Bush and/or the "Neocons" and everything is going down the drain because of that, ... it was developing into the wrong direction allready.

    The shocking thing is the form that this "system" has taken on in the past few years and why and what direction it is taking now.

    This is not tagged with the name "Bush" or "USA" because neither own the (c) for "capitalism".
    What has made "your" country so "big and strong" in this field, is the knowlege about this system and the way it is executed and how the public lives with it.

    Instead of standing on the top of the castle and telling yourself why it is so good, you might aswell make use of yourself and keep working on it or in it that it stands the test of time. That is "proper patriotism" (if you need any) and REALLY helps the people and yourself quite frankly.

    I mean if I rob the richest man in the world of his money that makes me the richest guy on this planet then doesn't it ... wipee
  • oXYnary
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    oXYnary polycounter lvl 18
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