That time of the year has arrived. Halloween is over, and even though we can feel the first X-Mas vibes, there’s something coming first. An event so big it almost feels like a holiday. This week we want to talk about the Black Friday phenomenon.
At first, it may seem like a good deal, waiting for the day when prices drop dramatically to do your shopping. However, it may be trickier than you think.
Some stores actually rise their prices earlier, so that when black Friday comes, they can sell at their normal prices while making it look like an amazing bargain.
We all love a good deal, but it’s important to make sure we aren’t being scammed. And literal scams like those aren’t the only ones you should be on the lookout for. The most important thing for stores is to make sure we always buy more, and that no one is leaving with one item only. This means everything that is displayed and the advertises are designed to get us to buy as much as possible. Far beyond what we need and want, because whether we like it or not, we’re far more susceptible to marketing than we think.
As you know, impulse buying and compulsive consumption isn’t sustainable. There are enough people with credit card debts for things they don’t need. There is enough waste on land fields polluting the air we breathe. There is enough human and animal suffering caused be the constant will of making and buying new, faster and cheaper things.
So how can we survive Black Friday in one piece? We want to give you some tips on how to make it through this time of year without losing the sense of yourself or wasting resources.
Ask yourself:
Am I thinking of buying that because I want it or because I need it?
Am I certain that this item didn’t contribute to any sort of suffering, or further damaged the state of our planet?
How often do I see myself using it?
Something, what really helps understanding our behavior, is asking ourselves some simple questions, to get truly insightful answers:
How am I feeling today?
Did something exciting happened?
Am I feeling vulnerable?
Am I feeling empowered?
Do I feel ashamed?
How in love am I with myself today?
How magnificent do I feel?
By understanding where our behavior is coming from, we can better understand if we are buying out of a real desire and need, or if we’re just trying to fill a void inside ourselves that we deep down know that no material thing will ever satisfy.
Most companies are interested in profit. And yes, governments should make sure that profit is the result of ethical and sustainable practices, but they don’t. The good news is we, the consumers, are the profit providers. We can decide to only buy good quality items, that will last and truly satisfy our needs and desires. We can say no, to businesses that aren’t transparent about the way they produce their items, that were accused of using forced labor, toxic materials and abusing Natural resources. The cheaper something is, the cheaper it was to make. No material thing in life comes for free. So, in order to avoid both the skin rash and the financial melt down, let’s invest in items that are good for us and for life around us. That may mean that we have less things. But is that worse? Having less things contributes to a more organized and simple lifestyle. Why do you think minimalism has become so popular? More and more people are realizing that quality over quantity makes us look and feel better.
This year take a step back, and choose what gives you joy despite what others are saying and doing. Don’t be afraid of living by your own rules. If you love that red dress, wear it as much as you want, without worrying about how many people have already seen you with it. If you prefer men wear and you identify as woman or vice versa, don’t let obsolete gender rules stop you. Despite what the media, our cultural values, and this fear based society rules say, we can do whatever we want, and can be truly obnoxiously HAPPY individuals with probably less than a third of the things we own.
This year be aware of the insane advertising, and do whatever it feels right to you, because together we can actually change the world, break the consumption wheel, and create a society where we can all be truly equal, free and living in fraternity!
Have a beautiful day,
NAE
