Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees

#5 December Challenge

Prompt: “We buy things we don’t need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t like.” This quote is attributed to many people, and there’s a version of it in one of my all-time favorite books, Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk.

“Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need” — Tyler Durdan.

Consumerism. Thoughts? Do you own things, or do your possessions own you? What pitfalls of consumerism do you fall into? How do you feel that Christmas items are sold earlier and earlier every year? How do you [think] about holidays people refer to as “Hallmark holidays” that are more based [on] consumerism than their actual history? Why do you [think] the way you do, and is consumerism [inevitable?] Is it necessary? What would the world look like without it?

Author’s Note: I need to catch up on this December Challenge. I’m currently suffering from a sinus infection and many other things, so this is my attempt to catch up. I will list the responses I’ve completed thus far.

We are all aware that money doesn’t grow on trees, so my question is, why do we, yes, we all spend our money as if it does? As someone who is currently unemployed, I’m having trouble purchasing things I need. Cash provides the illusion we all have power. Yes, we are a thousand dollars richer once our direct deposits hit bi-weekly, but what’s left after spending it on things you need like shelter, water, heat, and food? For most of us, nothing.

Just because we have it doesn’t mean we should spend it. I became a victim of buying things I didn’t need just because I had them, and I knew I could make it back by coming back to work with money. That’s the cycle: if companies truly paid us what we’re worth, we would be more generous to return to work the following week. It’s become an illusion that we’ve all become victims, too, and if we don’t wake up from the Benjamin Trance, we will find ourselves under a bridge in the pouring rain.

My impulse spending button has calmed down tremendously; why? Because I don’t have it to spend. I should list all the weird things I’ve bought with my Amazon account (while you’re in your Amazon account, make sure you check your delivery address. Hackers are adding Amazon lockers to user accounts. If this has happened to you, please remove the Amazon locker and update your password.)

I don’t believe that “things” help make your life easier; if you haven’t sat down and written about why you feel like your life is in shambles, nothing you buy will fill that void. Economists preach that consumer spending is needed to push the economy forward. But my rebuttal to that is, “at what cost?” We can only focus on the overall picture if we can look at the negative in our bank accounts.

I love the warmth and the “good” of the holidays, but I never understood why folks are out in these Target streets purchasing the best gift to give someone to show how much you love and care for them. Most people removed Christ from Christmas, and I have a problem with that; since when does God care about the iPhone you gifted someone? None of this commemorates the birth of anyone.

If people focused more on Christ instead of the mas meaning, more people would have more money going into the new year. The world of advertising has undergone a significant transformation. People no longer rely on newspapers, magazines, or radio for information.

Instead, they have turned to social media platforms, where numerous sponsored posts and advertisements are commonplace. It is becoming increasingly common to see TikTok, a popular social media platform, becoming a marketplace for the latest beauty and cleaning products, thus resembling QVC.

My perception has changed being on the other side of Brokeville; my for you page is full of temptation that I know I wouldn’t use. No, you don’t need another:

• Journal
• Perfume
• Scrub Daddy cleaning supplies
• Candle and I love candles, particularly Mahogany Teakwood Intensity
• Makeup
• Tumbler

What pitfalls of consumerism do you fall into? Although I can criticize consumers for their impulsive buying habits, I can also criticize myself because I have purchased many items in the past for wellness and pain relief. These purchases include creams, sweat-inducing shirts, yoga mats, and portable exercise equipment. However, after using them for only a week or so, I lose interest, and they take up space in my storage, becoming unnecessary clutter.

Once a month, I habitually donate a bag of items to Amvets, a non-profit organization that helps veterans in need. However, I do not contribute to Goodwill and strongly advise everyone to refrain from donating and purchasing. One reason is that a homeless man was denied a free blanket at a Goodwill store. Additionally, their “second-hand items” are often exorbitantly high, and they take advantage of needy people.

I don’t celebrate Christmas for years; I see a parking lot full of people keeping up with a family they’ve never met or seen, the Joneses.

For the love of your bank account, “act your wage.”

Tagging Ruby Noir 😈