[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FppW5ml4vdw[/youtube]
‘Tis that weird season of consumerism…. just when I was feeling all thankful and shit come all the media reports of Black Friday and idiots camping out on Thanksgiving and pushing and shoving and stampeding their way into the modern Palaces of Worship we call The Mall, The Wal-Mart, the Target, the Nordstrom Northgod, etc.
There’s a better way. Here’s something called Buy Nothing Day. That’s right, you don’t have to be part of the herd, there’s no law that says you gotta buy into the soul-killing retail crapathon, conveniently and cynically tied to ancient times of religious and seasonal celebration. Instead, you might spend some time with your friends and family, out in nature, or reading, making love, sleeping, dreaming – all of which are probably free or at most, very low cost.
Or, if you need another suggestion, let me offer The Lives of Others, a wonderful German film from 2006, which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and a multitude of other awards. Starring Ulrich Mühe, Martina Gedeck and Sebastian Koch, it was written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, who I think should probably get an award just for his name.
Seriously, I found this movie surprisingly and delightfully uplifting, taking me totally by surprise. Also, I think it’s important to remember how recent the totalitarian government in much of Europe was. So take the chance and invest the two hours in something that will make you feel just great – all the while avoiding traffic, parking lots, rude people, screaming children, agita, and tons of worthless junk you won’t remember in a year.