DoSomethingDay …
Reading through “One No, Many Yeses” by Paul Kingsnorth (which has been translated to German using the completely stupid title “Global Attack” and a cover image that reminds me of some science-ficton B-movie rather than a book on globalization), I got aware of the Buy-Nothing-Day, an idea which is both simple and yet difficult: Just try to spend one short day, 24 hours, without spending money on anything. I’m sure it never will really work out after all, it never will reach more than just a few insiders knowing about it, because perhaps the idea of consumption, of spending money on things we don’t need and can’t afford (remembering a quote I read on a toilet wall some time ago) just for the sake of keeping the economy running has been planted way too deep into our minds and hearts throughout the last decades, perhaps (looking at how we tend to celebrate holidays like Christmas or Easter) this is the culture ours has transformed into, at the beginning of the new millennium.
Then again, perhaps the “Buy-Nothing-Day” is in its idea, in its name itself bad. Perhaps it should rather be a “Do-Something – Day”, encouraging people to, well, get something done. Right now, being force-fed with advertisement and commercials no matter whether watching t.v., reading through some websites or even just taking a walk through the city, perhaps there needs to be some awareness in our minds again that we’re more than just mindless, braindead consumers, only being capable of taking what “they” give us, be that some sort of product or information or news or art or culture or whatever. That’s why a “Do-Something – Day”: Get rid of all that consumption idea, get something done. Try something you didn’t yet do so far. Write a short story, an essay, a poem, a weblog or some code, build yourself a nice piece of furniture, paint a picture or go out to take some great shots of the world surrounding us, create some music, prepare a meal for friends or whatever – just get back on knowing, feeling that you’re able of doing more than just sitting in front of your t.v. set or walking through the city always in search for the next bargain, the next fashion trend or the next “superstar” to be stuffed down your throat by industry, advertisement, marketing. Get something done. Pick your “Do-Something – Day” and get started…