Our Constant Need for More
How Cyber Weekend promotes overconsumption, overproduction, and overspending
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I have mixed feelings about sales over the holiday season. I love the feeling of getting a bargain and buying something at a discounted price, who doesn’t? Black Friday and Cyber Monday are sales that bolster our insatiable need to always have more, they promote (and arguably celebrate) overconsumption and overproduction. That's something that needs to change.
There's been times where I’ve been hunched over my laptop eagerly watching the clock waiting for the moment when Cyber Weekend starts. I'm not ashamed to admit it, especially in the past when I’ve nabbed some really good deals for myself and managed to tick off a few Christmas presents I needed to buy. I do have a few regrets though, the main one being buying things for the sake of buying just because they happened to be slightly reduced.Â
I know I'm not alone in shopping this way over the festive period, and I think a large portion of the blame falls to the way we’ve been trained to always need and want more. I'm making the effort to be a more conscious consumer and I'm definitely a work in progress when it comes to this. I’m starting to question myself; do I really need this in my life? Will this purchase make me happy? Does this purchase serve a purpose? In other words, I’m Marie-Kondoing my shopping habits and my attitude towards constantly buying and constantly spending.
I have a ton of respect for brands that resist the temptation of having a sale over Cyber Weekend, by doing this they’re encouraging shopping more considerately and that's something I'm all for. But this years been crazy to say the least, and I empathise with brands that are relying on holiday sales to stay afloat. One of the most sustainable things we can do during this period is to simply buy nothing, but I recognise that's not always an option.Â
Here are a few of my tips for shopping over Cyber Weekend and the holiday sale season (if your going to shop at all):
Don't buy anything on a whim, you’ll come to regret impulse purchases.
Try to prioritise buying from and supporting small/independent brands, and brands that are ethically run and operated.
Buy stuff you really need, that way you’ll have a use for it and it won’t just sit in a drawer collecting dust.
I want to support brands and companies I love, but I also want to make sure I'm doing so in the right way. I'm only scratching the surface when it comes to this ongoing conversation, but it's a conversation that needs to be had in order to see lasting change. We need to unpack our unhealthy relationship with consumerism, and learn how to shop a little more sustainably and a little more ethically.
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Twitter to see more of what I’m up to, and I’ll see you same time same place next week!Â
Catch you soon,
J’Nae
WHAT I’VE BEEN READING:
- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett is a brilliant book I’ve just started reading. It follows the story of two white-passing twins who start their life in a small town in America where nothing ever happens, but they end up running away and their lives don't turn out as simple and idyllic as they thought things were going to be. It intertwines themes of love, identity, ethnicity, and belonging.
WHAT I’VE BEEN WATCHING:
- Zarafa is a beautiful animated movie on Netflix with some deeper historical references about race, classism, and belonging. It's a great one to watch with kids, but has even more meaning watching it as an adult as you can understand the implications of what's really going on and the meaning behind the narrative.
WHAT I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO:
- Whoa by Snoh Aalegra. Great song, great lyrics, and a stunning video. I want all of her outfits from this video, can someone put me in touch with her stylist?
WHAT’S CAUGHT MY EYE:
- This post from one of my favourite bloggers Marianne Theodorsen inspires me to be more bold and daring when I next visit the nail salon.