Don't Shop 'Til You Drop, Please

*Wow! 2 posts in one day. You guys are lucky. By the way, are there any "you guys" still out there? I'll probably keep writing even if you aren't, but I'd feel a bit less narcissistic if I knew you were. And I like to here what YOU think about what I'm thinking about.*

I ran across this brilliant video about the ridiculousness of America's consumer culture and I just had to share it (and of course my own opinions on the matter).  As a self-proclaimed environmentalist, I have tried my hardest to eschew the materialism and consumerism of the U.S., but no one's perfect and this is one of the many aspects of my eco-guilt.

Back in high school, I never really loved to shop quite as much as most of my teenaged counterparts, but I took part in it anyways. Darn you, peer pressure! I rarely shop now unless I'm in need of a specific item or I'm on a mission for a gift. Today, in fact, I am wearing a concert t-shirt I picked up back on The Flaming Lip's 2002 tour (I have trouble saying good-bye to beloved pieces of my wardrobe.) and a sweater my mom picked up for me at a thrift store (Thanks, mom!). But my pants were only recently purchased back in February when I just needed some of those "skinny jeans" that tucked so nicely into the boots I wore nearly everyday to keep me warm.

Once I moved out of my parents house, I realized how effortless it was to amass a giant pile of junk in an extremely short period of time. I didn't particularly enjoy hauling all of my belongings from dorm room to parents' house to new apartment etc. etc. etc., yet I still managed to save up a truck full of stuff before leaving on my present journey. Dustin and I have only been in Japan for 7.5 months, but already our apartment is filled to the brim. Most of our belongings are things we brought from home or furniture, but some of it was unnecessary. Example: Did I really need that LEGO® calendar? I did get it from our premier recycle shop (read: thrift store with no charity involved), but it currently sits on my desk still displaying April's dates, because it's kind of a hassle to change and I rarely reference it anyway. 

Japan is definitely a materialistic nation. Japan isolated themselves from the rest of the world for quite a long time before us big bad Americans came over with intimidating black ships and demanded they trade with us (Commodore Perry 1854). After that, being the extremely efficient peoples they are, they modernized rapidly and yearned for the material wealth that the West was enjoying. I can't speak for the entirety of the 20th century in Japan, but here in 2009, the Japanese are a shopping bunch. Whenever I try to make plans with a Japanese friend, they always suggest shopping even if I mention that I'm trying to save money or that I don't really need anything. I've ended up on more than one shopping trip where I just nod in agreement numbly as my friend gushes over this or that. こわいい、ね。(Cute, isn't it?) Going to dinner frequently ends with the suggestion of heading to this store or that for "just a minute." When I asked a young, single Japanese friend what she normally does on a date, she answered without a moment's hesitation, "We go to dinner and go shopping." The consumer culture is so ingrained in Japanese society that it seems to engulf peoples' lives and finances. Even little old Nagaoka has multiple depato (department stores) and huge mall complexes. 

No one's perfect and we're all going to buy something unnecessary every once in awhile, but it doesn't have to be every day or every week or even every month! Before you going shopping the next time you get an urge, ask yourself if you really need it. Watch this and hopefully, you'll see why your shopping can be so harmful to yourself, your planet, and your neighbors near and far.

The Story of Stuff

p.s. There's a new photo album (link to the right) of our fun fun fun BBQ at the beach a few weeks back!