People seem to think the products and brands they own create their identity. As the picture above states you are not what you buy – products are merely things we have in our life. Only you can decide who you are, and not by the things you associate yourself with. Products can help our lives by making it easier to do certain activities. Such as a phone to communicate, or a jacket to keep you warm. Do we really need that production line – the same product in every colour? Why are we wasting our money on something that will only provide short-term happiness? Products create clutter and confusion to a market when there was the norm and the few choices that we relied on to survive. Why do we buy things when we probably don’t even need/will use them. For example, I have plenty of never worn clothes in my closet. Will I wear them? Probably not. Was it a waste of money? Yes. What’s going to happen to them? They’ll probably sit there until I throw them out. Advertisers manipulate us to feel like we NEED their product through their fancy, or easier lifestyle created through an ad. They want us to consume, and consume some more so at the end of their day their company is making profits and fueling a capitalist society.
International Buy Nothing Day started in Vancouver, Canada in 1992 by social activists. Since then, the campaign has run each year during the end of November. The campaign is an international day of protest against consumerism, education people about our unnecessary over consumption of goods. The day was promoted in Adbusters magazine, which is an anti-consumerist publication.
The day is participated in more than 40 countries.
Adbusters believes it isn’t about changing habits for one day, but about making a lifestyle change to consume less and produce less waste.
Kalle Lasn, brainchild of the campaign and avid culture jammer said “we [north americans] are the most voracious consumers in the world … A world … could die because of the way we North Americans live. Give it a rest. November 24 is Buy Nothing Day.”
Culture Jam: Hijacking Mainstream Media 
I admit it; I love spending my money. But I don’t like holding on to material objects. Even the art I used to do, sand-sculpting, was made of materials that left little trace. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t always this way. Believe it or not, I used hang in the opposite direction – almost a hoarder of sorts. But somewhere along the way, I got tired of being held back by all my belongings. Every career, relationship, or property purchase decision was hindered by the need to move everything I owned and or find space to store it. So one day I sold my television, and before long it was everything else. It just felt amazingly releasing. Now I live halfway around the world in a furnished apartment and can pick up and leave at the drop of the hat. The things I buy are portable or consumable. And, light as a feather, I’m free.
Well from personal experience I spend money (A LOT) on clothes, shoes etc as a type of ‘therapy’, and just like you Ash I probably have half a wardrobe full of clothes I had intentions of wearing but never have and they will go out of style and I’ll inevitably throw them away. I guess for some people it’s an addiction, but for me it’s more out of boredom and like most women anything shiny/new/ trending catches my eye.
I also agree with your statement, ‘you are not what you buy’, however I believe the products we buy can tell a lot about a person’s lifestyle or tastes, but they do not ‘define’ them or limit them into any sort of stereotype.
Byran I could not agree more! My family and I are renovating our house and over the last few weeks my bedroom has been the main focus. Sorting through 22 years of stuff and throwing away what I don’t need or have forgotten about has made me feel lighter and happier. I think this is what they refer to as ‘good feng shui’.
Also, product clutter is getting out of control. Just look at the supermarkets these days. For me just to go shopping for that night’s ingredients for dinner is a CHORE. Really how many types of flour can there be! All of which claim to produce different things, when in reality the only thing separating them is their packaging.
Bryan; you are my true hero and inspiration of freedom. I just feel so tied down to my purchases; they really weigh you down and most times I feel guilty thinking “did I seriously just pay $70 on sunglasses?”. I’ve already wasted my money, I don’t need the extra depressing post-purchase feeling.
We don’t need things like this – just enough to scrape by. I would love to be able to live my life in a suitcase and travel from place to place. Maybe one day…
Jess – absolutely, product can tell a lot about a person – but ultimately they don’t define their identity. Personality, values, opinions and heritage do – things we can’t purchase from a store!! Don’t even get me started with shopping; there are so many useless products out there in different colours or flavours… I really don’t care, don’t need them. Just like I prefer a good ol cinnamon donut anyday to the ridiculous things at Krispy Kreme.
I have too much stuff, which is something that i realise every single time i move! Particularly books and clothes. They look so great when they are nicely arranged in my bookshelves or wardrobe (which funnily enough is also a place where my OCD comes out cause they segmentation of both of these is quite astounding) but as soon as it is time to move i realise how much i dont need most of the things that populate my house. Somewhere over the last decade i have gone from being able to fit all my posessions into the back of my car (and it was a dihatsu charade i might add) but now i too feel the weight of having too many possessions.
But still i’m stuck in the cycle of wanting to buy more, though i must admit my tastes have definately changed and the vapid consumerism from which i think i once gleamed a sense of self image from because, although i definately think that while posessions do not decide who you are they do at least show parts of your character and style, they really dont hold the same allure that they used to. the same thrill i got when i was 18 from buying a new bunch of clothes can only now be gained from finding something unique (but usually with a higher price tag). So have i really evolved as a person or is my identity still attached to what i buy, its just that it now shows an acknowldgement of the metamorphasis of capitalist power over me.
I completely agree that we buy things that we really don’t need. I mean advertising appeals to our emotionals and is irrational by nature. This irrational thought makes us think that we need something that perhaps if we actually thought it over we don;t even really want.
I remember in high school our student council promoted the buy nothing day and there were signs all over the vending machines to not buy anything. The truth of the matter was the camapign in our high school was not super effective. Students who wanted a bottle of coke still bought it with little thought.
I think in theory this idea is a good one but I think that it is really hard to get people on board.
I wonder if maybe it was difficult to get students to forgo coke and candy because caffeine and sugar are addictive.
Belynda – totally agree! As we move on and mature, we realize the more important things in life -such as family, security etc not usually owning every DVD available (my old obsession) as it doesn’t really help our lives that much at all! I do agree that products show the type of person you are, but they don’t make up our full DNA/identity of ourselves. These things go way deeper than material and external goods. Although they may assist us in letting people know what we’re into, it’s only an image that can represent ourselves on a small level.
Jamie – That is so cool how your High School had this. It just adds to my point that North American society is more in tune with culture jamming and consumer culture/spending. I’ll admit – if it were me, I would have still bought the coke regardless! But I find it very fascinating that you have heard of this day and somewhat were a part of it! As well, irrational thoughts are the stronger emotions that spark an action; a purchase.
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