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Sinners Beware the Shopocalypse!
By MP Dunleavey Friday December 18, 2009
Are you addicted, conflicted, hypnotized and CONSUMERIZED by the demon monoculture of materialism?
PRAISE the Lord and put away your credit cards, people! The Reverend Billy Talen-head of the Church of Life After Shopping--is here to SAVE you from path to eternal debt!
Seriously. The Rev. Billy and his partner Savitri D, co-director of the Life After Shopping church and gospel choir, are on the road this month promoting their new documentary, "What Would Jesus Buy?", produced by Morgan Spurlock (who chowed his way to fame in "Supersize Me").
They took time from their soul-saving schedule to enlighten DailyWorth about their mission.
What exactly is the Shopocalypse?
It's the nightmare of total commercialization, when everything around you—all the objects, your personal life, the weather—they've all been monetized, everything is an occasion for shopping.
This seems like the worst time to preach the anti-shopping gospel.
Christmas symbolizes the beginning of change. You don't have to buy a gift to give a gift. The sheer volume of communication we're getting indicates a massive shift in our culture. People are receptive to the message of stopping shopping as never before.
How can the faithful survive the oncoming Shopocalypse?
Don't believe the hype. News anchors say people are "afraid to shop"—but maybe they prefer not to shop.
Flex your muscles. Pick one thing you can do. Flex your human muscles. Flex your citizen muscles. Remember that real satisfaction in your life comes from somewhere else, not what you get at the mall.
Say, AMEN, sisters!
"What Would Jesus Buy?" is streaming FREE on Snagfilms.com, and you can watch the trailer here: WWJBmovie.com.
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Written by amanda, December 18, 2009
It’s true! In all honest we shop instead of eating, or sleeping, or reading or spending time with our families, or doing something positive or productive to change our moods! Instead we turn to retail therapy!
Written by Jennifer, December 18, 2009
I believe that shopping is necessary to support our economy. I think we should shop consciously, however - we should make a choice to shop local and shop handmade (if we can't make it ourselves). This ranges from buying gifts from local craftsmen and artists to shopping for produce at your farmer's markets. The world would be a better place if we all did this, it would eliminate the big corporations, walmart would go out of business, there wouldn't be a need for everything being shipped oversees and then imported back to us. Shop consciously everyone :).
Written by Jeannene Langford, December 18, 2009
Radical film. Excessive shopping is nation numbing. We shop instead of educating or become more aware of ourselves. This is not a new concept, after all this nation was built on capitalism and free enterprise. Consumer demand (initiated by savvy marketing) have made us all culpable. The question is if we will wake up and when.
Written by Tammy L Sexton, December 18, 2009
I'm not a "Christian", however, I do believe in stopping the hype about every commercial. I make and sell HANDMADE things and this year I opted to make presents for family members. I believe that is going to mean more than some store bought item. While I am, myself, a shopoholic, I find the term "giving" to mean so much more than what you can buy at the store.
I sell my handmade items with the attitude that handmade is better anyways. No one else will have one like a personal handmade item and I have taken the pledge to support handmade items over store bought items.
We can't "stop" retail commercialism, but we can stop buying into it!
I sell my handmade items with the attitude that handmade is better anyways. No one else will have one like a personal handmade item and I have taken the pledge to support handmade items over store bought items.
We can't "stop" retail commercialism, but we can stop buying into it!
Written by sonja brown, December 18, 2009
To Tammy:You may not be a Christian,but the way u talk honey the lord has already touched ur heart whether u know it or not!Now,moving along,we just have to remember what life is about!I,ve been off work for 3 mths. due to surgery and I knew I couldn,t buy any gifts this year.But you know what I did?I still put up a Christmas Tree!!!It,s not about us,it,s about HIM!!JESUS!!
Written by Jess, December 18, 2009
This is a great film I'm only half way through it. So many people need to see this and take heed. We cannot keep shopping at the rate we are going. Luckily my fiance's family and my family agreed on the gift of FUN for Christmas this year. We are going out and doing special things together - going to a nice restaurant for a really good meal, taking winery tours, seeing a show just enjoying our time together doing things together. Not buying things. I also agree with the notion if you want to give gifts handmade and locally produced is a wonderful way to go. Last year I made the majority of the gifts I gave. For the kids in the family this Christmas I purchased handmade penguin softies off etsy and got them some cool books.
Written by MP Dunleavey, December 18, 2009
Amen! This is the year I feel that I am no longer rebelling against the commercialism--not even angry--I'm simply ignoring it, shrugging it off. It's not meaningful to me. THis year I've reclaimed MY christmas spirit by having fun, inviting friends over for an impromptu Wassail party (never made Wassail, but hey), and--currently--about to make brown sugar shortbread cookies for the neighborhood potluck. I shopped a little (per Jennifer's point), and I shopped locally and carefully--and Etsily! ;-)
Written by Laura, December 18, 2009
As Jennifer says, shop consciously, buying handmade and local products. I make and sell handmade and that's all I'm giving this year. Anything I can't make myself, I bought from other artists. Christmas is the perfect time to begin and let it continue all year long!
Written by Marie, December 18, 2009
Great massage! Great video, I liked that it drew your attention to slave labor, which seems to be so quickly hushed up and brushed aside in the media. Our neighbors owned a small clothing store in my town, just like the one shown from Iowa in the video. They had to close shop a couple years ago, and were saying that they just could not compete with Wal-mart (people around here will drive 45 minutes away just to save 5 buck at Wal-mart....)
I did find it weird that the advertisements in the video were for Wal-mart though, and it was sad that those Wal-mart advertisements said you needed STUFF in order to have a family moment.
I'm happy to say that me and my family are having a handmade Christmas this year, making all the gifts we give each other. It is so fun! We are all really making things from the heart and coming up with creative ideas that fit our personality and the personality of the person we are giving the gift to; it doesn't have to be fancy, just made with love. My sister reclaimed a sweater by making some awesome leg warmers for my other sister (which she will love and use all the time!!). Unfortunately, I did go shopping yesterday to pick up something like a box of candy or something for a quick gift for a friend. I wasted two hours shopping and came back empty handed. A box of candy seemed too impersonal and a cheaply made, impersonal Christmas decoration seemed like I would be showing that I really didn't care. It came to me while I was shopping that just being there for my friend is what they really needed. I could have spent that two hours visiting them instead of looking for a gift for them.
I did find it weird that the advertisements in the video were for Wal-mart though, and it was sad that those Wal-mart advertisements said you needed STUFF in order to have a family moment.
I'm happy to say that me and my family are having a handmade Christmas this year, making all the gifts we give each other. It is so fun! We are all really making things from the heart and coming up with creative ideas that fit our personality and the personality of the person we are giving the gift to; it doesn't have to be fancy, just made with love. My sister reclaimed a sweater by making some awesome leg warmers for my other sister (which she will love and use all the time!!). Unfortunately, I did go shopping yesterday to pick up something like a box of candy or something for a quick gift for a friend. I wasted two hours shopping and came back empty handed. A box of candy seemed too impersonal and a cheaply made, impersonal Christmas decoration seemed like I would be showing that I really didn't care. It came to me while I was shopping that just being there for my friend is what they really needed. I could have spent that two hours visiting them instead of looking for a gift for them.
Written by Selena, December 21, 2009
I cried when the woman talked about getting the oranges in her stocking, and that what they got was like a pair of boots. It was something they really needed. yes....stop shopping.
Written by Amanda Steinberg (DailyWorth founder), December 28, 2009
As DW founder, I loved this film and support changing the buying dynamic of the U.S. holiday season. And, I don't want DW to become a community of vocal anti-shoppers where the shoppers among us (myself included) feel marginalized. Our amazing country (speaking as an American) works because we spend. Most DailyWorth readers sell something or work for a company that sells something. If you're saving, have an emergency fund, setting yourself up for retirement and living an empowered financial life, enjoy spending-- try to do it consciously, know where your money is going and how the products are sourced. I am sure most of you will agree with me, just needed to say it.
