20% of the world’s population (developed countries) is consuming 80% of the earth’s resources; the average North American consumes five times more than a Mexican, 10 times more than a Chinese person, and 30 times more than a person from India.
As someone originally from India, but brought up everywhere from the UK to Dubai — I’ve seen life in two extremes. One side you have children in India who don’t have a grain of rice to eat, and then you have people in Dubai squandering sick amounts of money everyday on new Ferrari’s, the latest Air Nike’s and Armani suits. I know people who take loans to buy Versace clothes, just because they have the uncontrollable desire to own them — mainly afraid of being judged if they didn’t — something I could never understand.
I’m no Gandhian, but I don’t buy things I don’t need, and will only pay for a brand when quality and durability is important.
With the ridiculous rate at which consumerism is growing around the world and the billions of dollars being minted by international brands always made me think that there is no hope; consumerism is impossible to undo.
But that’s not true because today is “Buy Nothing Day” (for North America) — a day launched by Kalle Lasn, the founder of Vancouver based Adbusters, in 1993 to ridicule the ghastly heights of global consumerism. It is now celebrated internationally across 65 nations on November 24.
Some people will never understand such ideas though, for instance, watch this video from CNN — the host just doesn’t understand how this day makes any sense!
So as friends and most intelligent and considerate readers of Gadling, why not try to not buy anything this Christmas? Spend it appreciating the non-material things you have?
Happy Buy Nothing Day!
[Via Guardian]