Over-Consumption Friday!

Black Friday is also known as Over-Consumption Friday.

We have become a world where the Christmas lists are endless, and no one is ever satisfied.

What happened? Where did we go wrong? How can we stop this vicious cycle before it’s too late?

Wall-E is an excellent example of what will happen to us if we keep over-consuming the way we are.

Here’s an excerpt from the Rolling Stones review:

First image: the Earth as a garbage dump, a future reduced to ruins. For the past 700 years, what’s left of humanity has been cruising the skies in a spaceship. Only a tiny robot, WALL-E (for Waste Allocation Load Lifter: Earth class), scoots around on urban terra firma compacting trash into piles that grow into skyscrapers.

BNL which stands for BUY n LARGE reminded me of Wal-Mart aka Wallie World ’cause it’s reminiscent of an amusement park where practically everything you want is at your disposal.

BNL is a conglomerate that sells everything at low prices.  Like Wallie World, their stores are ginormous and are located everywhere… making them the primary source for all of the over-consumption and increased waste.

The population, living “the life” on a spaceship called Axiom, has become incredibly lazy and morbidly obese.  Everyone rides around in hover chairs (doing anything like walking, brushing their teeth, working for themselves are all unfamiliars) and every desire is instantly fulfilled.

In one of the scenes, babies are learning their ABCs from a robot who says,

A is for Axiom.  Your home sweet home.

B is for BUY n LARGE.  Your very best friend.

It is true.  Companies are sadly targeting our young, making them a greedier generation than the ones before them.

Advertisements bypass adults because they know we’ll start “over”-calulating and “over”-analyzing, thereby, squishing and, if not most, Christmas dreams.

Now, don’t think me a dream killer because I’m not.

I’m just concerned about where all this over-consumerism will lead us.  It can’t be good, right?

I’m thankful my son doesn’t understand that 98% of the holiday commercials are geared towards him.

I am really, really really, really, really, really thankful for autism, especially, this time of year.  I don’t have to hear, “I WANT, I WANT, I WANT…” because his beautiful mind doesn’t work that way.

THANK YOU, GOD!!!!!

A couple of weeks ago, I watched a video produced by the organization, Commercial-Free Childhood.  Here’s what they have to say about this epidemic.

With virtually no government or public outcry, the multi-billion dollar youth marketing industry has been able to use the latest advances in psychology, anthropology, and neuroscience to transform American children into one of the most powerful and profitable consumer demographics in the world. American kids now influence an estimated $700 billion in annual spending, targeted virtually from birth with a relentless bombardment of sophisticated commercial appeals designed to sell everything from Hollywood merchandise and junk foods to iPods, cell phones, the family car and vacations. The result is that childhood itself has been commercialized. Drawing on the insights of experts, industry insiders, and children themselves, Consuming Kids traces the evolution and impact of this disturbing and unprecedented phenomenon, exposing the youth marketing industry’s controversial tactics and exploring the effect of hyper-consumerism on the actual lived experience of children.

Some parents have become completely blind to this problem.

Black Friday has become a holiday in itself.  That’s all we need is more stuff.

I never understood why my newborn son, or any newborn for that matter, needed the Hep B (a viral disease associated with risky lifestyle choices such as intravenous drug use or promiscuous sex) vaccine, and I guess I’ll never understand why preschoolers or any child needs violent toys, action figures, movies, etc.

Burger King Iron Man toy giveaways for preschoolers. Indiana Jones Lunchable, Dark Knight Cheerios. Violent PG-13 blockbusters are being marketed to young children.

Give the TVs, computers, iPods™, Game Boys™, PlayStations™, Wiis™ and whatever else is sucking the life out of them a much deserved rest.

It’s time we get our kids back, people!

Get them engaged in some FAMILY-POWERED fun!  Get outside or play board games (non-electronic)!

Tell the marketing companies, “NO MORE!”

**please keep the family of former Wal-Mart employee, Jdimytai Damour, in your prayers this holiday season.**