Consumerism

[moogie]

Anyone else sick of all the consumerism?  Everything feels consumerism based to me.  I think its one of the reasons i love the NP/AP way of doing things.  By breastfeeding for instance not only do you save a bundle by not buying formula you also avoid the brand wars.  now that i'm thinking i guess even something as natural as breastfeeding doesn't escape consumerism.  there are breast pads which can be necessary but there also the breastfeeding necklaces, bracelets, breastfeeding tops, breastfeeding creams. sometimes i find it difficult to differentiate between the need and the want.  We try to live in a non consuming way but sometimes i get it all muddled up.   anyone else sick of it all.  I'm trying to find a balance between providing the needs in my house  and not getting sucked into the wants. 

I'd like to hear what everyone else thinks about consumerism.  believe me i used to love shopping but in the end it left me feeling sick.

[wintermaya]

Well is suppose marketers see a trend in breastfeeding and  want to jump on it and make some $$. It is hard. The hardest time for me is christmas/ birthdays.  My kids are literally flooded with things. I have talked with both grandmas. (I love em but they are a little too generous) about getting less.  I feel that when they have too many toys they dont appreciate them as much. I would much prefer they get one nice toy than 10 toys that have lights and sirens, require 4 batteries, and break in a few months. There is a wealthier community a few miles down the road from me that has a wonderful thrift store where I get nearly all of our clothes.  Most of the stuff is much more higher quality than I could usually afford and stuff that people just dont want anymore.  So it saves me money and I feel less a part of that commercial cycle.  One of my personal goals is not to shop for amusement. It is hard sometimes. 

[lorimm11]

I am  very sick of it too.  I guess I didn't pay too much attention before I became a mom, but now I am very aware of things my son notices.  Asking for a "Kleenex", really bothers me now, where I used to say that too.  Now I tell my husband and son it is called a tissue.  My husband thinks I am making too much of a big deal about this, but I don't think so.  It is like being brain washed.  I really try to limit television for my son, and when he does get to watch it, mostly PBS.  This was a very hard habit for my husband to break, but he is so much better now.  He used to like to turn the television on as soon as he got home---no more!  Thank goodness!

[Marnie]

I don't buy much new in the way of clothing or shoes or other fashion items.  I do enjoy op-shopping for books though - and my fabric stash is probably too large :-) (SABLE they call it - stash above and beyond life expectancy!)

You might be interested in reading about the Brown Dress Project where a woman wore the same brown dress for a year (of course, she washed it!)
http://www.littlebrowndress.com/
and also her current project of recycling.

[wintermaya]

I watched an episode of Oprah about a couple who spent one year buying nothing but need items and saved thousands of dollars. It is amazing to think of what could be done with all that money. 

[moogie]

I really like opshopping and i spend very little money that way, but Charlie has a ton of toys from it, so i guess its still consumerism.  i watched the big baby shower on Oprah once and felt so disgusted when i saw her give away a diaper genie.  I just think they are evil.

[heathernkids]

OH WOW! I totally agree with you all! It's disgusting!
I think my problem is the fact that 12 yrs ago I felt like a failure as a person b/c I couldn't afford a pot to p*ss in. I really felt like I was "less" of a person for not being able to buy brand name things, or whatever I wanted instead of simple, basic necessities. We were 19/20 yrs old with a baby, schooling to finish, working multiple jobs, deciding whether to buy diapers or bread... ugh I still get butterflies in my stomach thinking about how hard it was.
And over time the more money dh and I began to make, the more I realized how stupid it was for me that I EVER felt like that. I was brainwashed by commericials and my surroundings. Sickening!! I wish I had been more secure with myself to see that it didn't matter, that those material things weren't important. I watch tv and I'm disgusted by almost every commercial. All of the lies they tell.... it's just horrible. If people could just realize that business don't care about anything except the all powerful dollar- they don't care if we all get cancer and die tomorrow or if global warming is ruining our planet...oh I could go on and on and on....!! 

[moogie]

Heather, thats exactly how i feel.

[lorimm11]

Me too, funny I was never into brand names or anything (except for designer jeans in junior high), but now that I'm a mom I'm so much more aware of it.  Seems like a lot of people could care less though, thats the saddest part of it all.

[kokonutmama]

lol, I know how you feel! 

As a business owner, though, I'm gonna have to ask you to go a little easy on us.  The only reason I have a pot to piss in is because I've sold my soul to my parents in exchange for a room and a toilet.   

I know, I know, you didn't mean me, you meant "big business," especially Megs, you're a business, too.  Soooooo, since I don't want to spoil the fun...

GGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRR big nasty selfish business execs who don't give a fart and try to brainwash us and our kids every chance they get.  GGGRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! grrr for sugary cereal commercials on PBS, grrr for bling barbie and brats dolls, grrrrr for Japanese video game companies preparing us for communist invasion by subduing us into a screen induced stupor. (jk) GGGGRRRRRR to factory farms, exploitive labor practices, destructive grazing, pollution points and sucessful companies that take over niches occupied by smaller guys just because they can.
GGGRRRRRR!

[heathernkids]

LMAO!
My husband is a small business owner too, and every day we sit and wonder when a big fish will come and gobble him up, forcing him into selling out b/c he is known for being customer oriented- not as much dollar.

I hate companies like WALLFART that pretend they sell true good wholesome organic foods when they're nothing but two-bit liars who abuse their workers.
Fast food places like McDonald's that make unhealthy eaters feel like they're making good decisions by not selling biggie fries and offering fruit parfaits that are just as bad for you LOL.
Citgo, Amaco, anything that makes my car GO.
I wish they'd make a bigger, affordable hybrid! My family can't fit is a Scion for crying out loud!

[moogie]

I'm sure we all meant the nasty big businesses.  not we people who care about our customers and don't do a full on rip off deal. Or sell nasty one use products.

yeah, a bigger hybrid would be good.

everyone watched "the corporation" ?

[heathernkids]

No, what's that?

[moogie]

its a really good doco, i'd suggest you rent it.

[kokonutmama]

I think there is a bigger hybrid, I remember seeing an ad and tinking "hey, a big hybrid" but can't say what make or anything.  probably a toyota, I think i saw tat smily guy icon on the ad.  haha, big help, I know.

and hey, since you mentioned it, ow scary is it to own a business were you know if someone with 10 or 100 times your working capital came into the scene you'd be caput.  the only thing keeping me going is credit cards and lack of competition.  my palms sweat just thinking about it.  at least i'll always have the wahm community to back me up.