Most shops are just landfill waiting to happen.

[SummerDaytoNight]

I mean, all are to a point, but I’m talking about the non essential ones.

Our society is engineering its own collapse. We only need food, health, house basics and clothing. And I suppose, technology.

Fast fashion could go. Housing should just be the essentials.

My friend took me into a shop called sostrene grene. It was lovely, but nothing was essential. Most shops are like that.

The horse has bolted, but I wish we could limit the unnecessarily stuff and just have the basics. Im not talking Amish level, but there’s no need for all this waste. It would be so much better if only the essentials were produced.

At the point of production, it’s already basically landfill.

Stupidest fucking post I have read on here in a while, and that is saying something

Totally agree. I always now try and buy something once at good quality rather than cheap tat destined for landfull before long. The problem is that we have been brought up in society based on consumerism and an economy based on the need for growth. This means that businesses are always looking to grow and therefore sell more. But there is too much. We cannot enternally grow and consume as it will destroy the planet. I now make sure I consume less and buy less and buy reusable multipurposes things wherever possible.

Isn't it just. We're actually creating history for future generations by swamping the planet with shit from Shein.

There will likely be more tat as the stuff destined for the US is dumped on us by China

I notice a trend of a a pre holiday haul, buying new stuff for holiday. But what happened to what they took last time they were on holiday? We often holiday in the UK and the chance to put on a swimsuit is limited, but I have bikini tops that are 10+ years old. I have about 4 summer dresses that I bought about 3 years ago. I still think of them as new.
When DC were little I often needed to top up their holiday clothes as they had grown since the previous year, but would take anything that still fitted, but I don't get as an adult (unless you have drastically gained/lost weight) needing a whole new set of clothes each time you go on holiday!

My last lot of sandals lasted about 15 years. I have one summer dress, about 10 years old. My swimsuit is at least 10 years old. Too bloody cold for that stuff round here!

Totally agree with you OP! I'm really careful with what I buy now. Im buying a lot more edible gifts than I used to. I recently bought BIL a lovely selection of local cheeses. Crackers and chutney for his birthday. He was delighted!

It's the right wing who are engineering our collapse. Have been since thatcher.

Streaming films and tv shows - the platforms can edit them and pull the series at any time.

If your internet is down and got no physical media - you can't use streaming services.

Some people buy a totally new wardrobe when they are going on holiday. Do the locals notice you are wearing brand new stuff? No. Do fellow tourists notice you are wearing new clothes? No.

I probably buy 2-3 new bits for holiday as clothes fall to bits quicker. Probably due to excess heat. sweat and use of sun cream.

Isn’t it too easy to condemn other people’s worthless stuff, though? A PP mentions Squishmallows, but my DD has about 6 little ones that she adores, she’s had them for years and plays all sorts of games with them. I agree, overall, there is too much. But I don’t think you can pick out an individual item and condemn it, other people can surely just say the same about your stuff!

I've found this thread really enlightening, and while I am concious of doing my bit, I realise there is still much more I could do....

It is my birthday soon, and DH has asked what I would like. Apart from yarn or perhaps a book, there is nothing I would like (I'm not a huge consumer anyway), and realistically I don't need them either. Although I do need the yarn to make a jumper

So, I will be celebrating my birthday, but do I want presents? I don't think I do, I'd much rather spend time with the people I love rather. Just my preference.

@Sortalike the societal thing about gifting THINGS is huge, isn't it? It made sense when things were scarce, but they’re not now, are they? What’s scarce is our time and even more, our undivided attention…Food for thought.

I think the offerings on the high street have gone downhill since people buy essentials online. They are mostly impulse buys and stuff we don't need.

I guess there is a survival pressure there.

I desperately want them to shut retail space down or convert it, since my local high street is getting shabbier and more pointless by the day.

It's filled with awful, ugly shops that stock ugly, cheap merch. Stuff like crushed velvet furniture covered with large diamante jewels and weirdly printed shopping trolleys. I was shocked how cheap and tacky everything was last time I went.

In comparison to that, seasonal stuff seemed relatively cheerful. 😫

Exactly! when I think about the pressure about buying a gift for adults it's nonsense because everyone is just exchanging money needlessly - we buy for you, you buy for us: a never ending cycle.

We work to earn money in order to be able to buy gifts for people we care about but what is more valuable? A £10 candle, or a couple of hours spent together?

I'm not virtue signalling, like you say, it's food for thought.

It’s nice to chat to others who feel similarly.

I cant relate to these posts at all, and I’m no fan of landfill products either.

But what do you think is going to happen with no non essential spend in the global consumerism society we live in right now?

you and your family will lose their job. Your houses will plummet in value, you’ll owe more than Your house is worth. You’ll have no income to pay it off anyway. Your pension will be worthless.

it’s not like those people in the USA now are all going “YAY my pensions is only worth 30% of what it was worth yesterday but thank god we won’t have all that landfill crap from china” is it?

I agree

I'm a big fan of the mantra - experiences not things.

Whether that experience is a holiday or spending time with a friend or an adventure day or whatever, I just want to cut the endless spending on stuff.

Was thinking exactly the same thing

Do you really know people who buy plastic tat and post pictures of it “for the likes”?

This is another thing I can’t relate to, I can’t think of anyone who would spunk £100 on Easter decorations to get a few likes on FB. Neither do I know anyone impressed enough to see a “like” as anything more meaningful than a momentary show of support and liking. Unless you have thousands of followers - and even then only on some forums- likes give no financial return.

presumably you’re saying they want likes for self esteem and attention but I find it hard to believe that many people have friends who are so fragile and lacking in self confidence.

Re China, pensions and US there does seem to be a contradiction. We can have lower consumption but it’ll cost.

Yep and that will hit personally. As much as you might not like it consumerism keeps us all in money, security, housing. You can’t just get rid of it.

My family were one of the first not to Christmas presents. All that time, money and effort wasted. I come to the stage of my life where I buy things to replace broken/damaged/worn out stuff. Clothing, if I buy something, I get rid of something.

Plus you don’t truly own it, you can buy a song on a platform but you can’t sell it etc.