Contrived Demand
December 21, 2007
Allow me to reprise my “Scrooge” role from years past. I still maintain that the Christmas holiday is grossly inefficient and that it probably does at least as much harm as it does good. The net result is that in general, we are induced to spend money on others, who are going to return the “favor” with items on which we wouldn’t otherwise spend our own money. What we are dealing with is completely contrived demand for holiday spending. Think about that outrageous Santa-themed sweater, or the toy that is neglected by your nephew a few days later…
Basically, the would-be gift recipients are pressured into creating a list which consists of items which they desire less than whatever they spend their own money on. And in turn, they are shamed into spending their money to buy the same category of gift for others. In one manner or another, “Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need.”
Now, the idea is pervasive in our society. Nearly everyone buys presents for some other people. And “nearly everyone” includes a great number of people who really don’t have money to spend. Michigan is mired in a single-state recession, reeling from continuous downsizing in the manufacturing/automotive sector which is compounded by the aftershock of a decade of loose lending and a bursting bubble. Housing values have declined in Oakland County for the first time ever, since they started keeping track about 40 years ago. Yet the mall is packed. The BestBuy is packed. Parking is hard to come by at Kohl’s or Target or Wal-Mart. People are spending money that they don’t have, in order to buy shit that they don’t need, all in the spirit of Christmas.
I’d rather give a thoughtful present, for no good reason, in April (or July, or October, etc.) than buy you some throwaway item from a list of things you neither need nor want, just because the Calendar says so. I’d rather receive my gifts in this manner, too. If you want to “spread the spirit,” then buy gifts for people all year ’round. A little bit here and there, just to say that you care. Help people out when they actually need the help — not when Macy’s says so.
And live up to the ideal, “better to give than to receive.” If you scratch enough backs, sooner or later, someone will scratch yours in return.
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NOTE: Blogging may be light and/or non-existent during the next few days, although I intend to resume a more normal posting schedule after Christmas. Then again, there’s Wi-Fi at Crystal Mountain, and if it rains, what else will I have to do?
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