[gg3]

If you define orgasm as a cathartic pleasure reflex, then yes, mindless consumer behavior appears to fit. Though, the behavior that shortly precedes orgasm appears to be a more accurate fit.

Look at pictures of riots in shopping malls, where people storm the gates of a store and practically trample each other to get their coveted things.

Harder, harder!, faster, faster!, more, more!, now, now!

But unlike the frantic writhing that occurs in the lead-up to a real orgasm, the frantic writhing at the shopping mall offers no real release from the tension. The consumers get home, unwrap their purchases, and discover.... that life goes on normally as before.

By analogy it's like sex with all the writhing and squirming but interrupted by a distraction that results ultimately in going but not coming. The pent-up libido accumulates for the next round. And whether in bed or at the mall, the result is more writhing and thrashing the next time.

This, I suspect, is at least partially responsible for the intensity that some people bring to shopping as a form of recreation.

==

As for doing without buying: good exercise, good practice. I would suggest that for most people, a simple conscientious inventory of purchasing patterns and the intention to lower overall expenditures is at least achievable.

Opting out of the Winter Holiday Shopping Season is a good idea in any case. It makes no sense to buy things for people that they can afford to buy for themselves if they really want them; very often you "guess wrong" anyway and "whatever it is" gets returned and exchanged for something else.

The point of making a "generous gesture" is lost altogether in an age when advertisers tout the virtues of giving that Special Someone a new car: after all, who realistically can afford to give a $30,000 present, and compared to that scale of excess, anything else seems almost a sign of inadequacy. Better to chuck the whole concept and push the Reboot button.

The simple fact of taking time off from the rat race to spend with family and friends counts for more than consumer excess.

Any amount of time you can disengage yourself and those close to you from the rat race, the stress mess, the frantic pursuit of money and the things it buys, is time you are stealing from the robber barons and giving back to your grandchildren's future. Think of yourself as taking on the role of a Robinhood of Time. Best of all, it's not illegal. Yet.

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gg3', '.').....

The simple fact of taking time off from the rat race to spend with family and friends counts for more than consumer excess.

Any amount of time you can disengage yourself and those close to you from the rat race, the stress mess, the frantic pursuit of money and the things it buys, is time you are stealing from the robber barons and giving back to your grandchildren's future. Think of yourself as taking on the role of a Robinhood of Time. Best of all, it's not illegal. Yet.

[0mar]

you can't take the money with you, so might as well enjoy it nowdays

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('0mar', 'y')ou can't take the money with you, so might as well enjoy it nowdays

[drew]

Yeah, the big blast (orgasm) refered to by the OP is kinda frightening isn't it? I like nice things myself, I have to admit, but I'm not willing to get in a fight or get trampled to be 1st. I don't get those kinds of people at all. I confess I have a fair bit of tech in my house but most of it is far from state of the art. Mostly I refuse to pay ridiculous prices for something that will drop in price considerably in 1 or 2 years-ie plasma tv's. As well I hate waiting in line for anything such as movies, shows, groceries, and consumer purchases. I absolutely can't fathom why someone would lie out on the sidewalk all night just to say "I was first". This seems completely moronic to me.

I'll keep my writhing and gnashing in the bedroom where it belongs!

Drew

[horsestoaster]

My Mom grew up during The 1st Great Depression.She and her siblings received an orange and a hankerchief for Christmas.Her entire life she was pleased with anything us kids gave her.Even the simplest present was appreciated.We had the 1 black and white TV in the living room and the heavy black rotary phone in the kitchen.We thought we were very well off.I have tried since becoming aware of P.O. to drag my husband into reality that the need for the giant consumer holiday thing is just a trick from retailers to get more money out of usand a huge waste of resources.That our kids and myself would be just as happy with a simple holiday.I myself asked for some heirloom seeds and maybe a fig tree.The kids are P.O. aware and are aquiring skills(growing food,caring for small livestock,hunting) that they can use long after I am no longer with them.They agreed to a simple holiday as well.One has asked for a nanny goat and the other a couple of chickens for his flock and help with expanding his coop.My husband refuses to surrender though.He insists they won't be happy(and neither will he) unless there is a huge mound of stuff under the tree every year.This is how he was raised.His mother had a quota of a certain amount of emeralds and diamonds she received every holiday from her husband and children.I have told him we(the kids and I are sticking to a simpler philosophy but he insists his own present from us must be big and expensive to "show how much we care).I may have to find a large and expensive jackass... Guess he'll have to reach orgasm all on his own.But then he generally gets there first anyway...

[PolestaR]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('woodcutter', 'I') posted this yesterday on the "Planning For The Future" thread, but this seems a better venue for it, so here goes: Last evening, as the two of us sat by the fire in our cozy little cabin here in the desert, we spontaneously decided to spend December buying nothing, to celebrate the American holiday spirit of conspicuous consumption. After a quick rundown of available food supplies, gasoline situation in our vehicles, transportation needs for the next month, etc, we realized that indeed it was possible, with a few sacrifices, adjustments and minor contortions, along with a couple of refined working definitions. Our neighbor generously offered to loan us 5 gallons of gasoline--nope, sorry that doesn't fit. Instead we'll carpool a time or two, take the bicycle along and park near town, shortening the trip to stretch gas. Oops, we're a bit short on cat food. But, what about the case of canned organic tuna in the cellar? That's it! Spaghetti every night? What else is new? Not enough beer? No problem, I can handle a glass of wine with dinner, then a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale later...

I've a hunch now that we'll only be a month or two ahead of the rest of the pack in this exercise, but soon it will be more than a game...

[WildRose]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('horsestoaster', 'I') may have to find a large and expensive jackass...

[mercurygirl]

I like that phrase, "Robin Hood of Time".

This is a great thread. I'm having difficulties with the holidays approaching, old habits ya know, but I'd say I'm more frugal than most. When I (rarely) go to a mall lately, it all starts to look painfully sad to me. There's something wrong about buying gifts for people because you're expected to, also.

Sounds like good work, woodcutter. I recently read a book about a couple who tried what you're doing for a year, called "Not Buying It". Thoughtful and a fun read.

I do like the idea that instead of a "thing" you can buy some poor folks a flock of chickens or a pig, for instance. There's charities that do so. Probably I'm being naive, though, and there's some catch with that practice.

My dad grew up in the Great Depression. I used to think he was really strange about money, but it makes more sense now and has given me a conservative streak that is a great asset.

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mercurygirl', '.')...

My dad grew up in the Great Depression. I used to think he was really strange about money, but it makes more sense now and has given me a conservative streak that is a great asset.

[AgentR]

This is nothing new. I still remember people lining up and fighting over those ancient Matel football/basketball handheld, LED blip games.

[PrairieMule]

I saw the PS3 displayed at Wal-Mart last weekend. Very impressive..

For $599 I could add another Brangus calf to herd which in turn could be sold for twice as much in 2-3 years. I'll wait 3 years and buy one used for $199. I guess that makes me a Tantric consumer.

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PrairieMule', 'I') saw the PS3 displayed at Wal-Mart last weekend. Very impressive..

For $599 I could add another Brangus calf to herd which in turn could be sold for twice as much in 2-3 years. I'll wait 3 years and buy one used for $199. I guess that makes me a Tantric consumer.

[JustinFrankl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MD', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PrairieMule', 'I') saw the PS3 displayed at Wal-Mart last weekend. Very impressive..

For $599 I could add another Brangus calf to herd which in turn could be sold for twice as much in 2-3 years. I'll wait 3 years and buy one used for $199. I guess that makes me a Tantric consumer.

[Kaj]

Hello everyone.

I like the sentiment of this post. The (male) orgasmic drive is one of the few biological functions which works on a positive feedback loop - causing a kind of irresistable frenzy until the goal is achieved. I've seen people behave like this when shopping - once they've put one thing in a plastic bag, they get more and more rabidly obsessed accumulating more, till closing hours force them home.

Shopping also seems to give people that kind of post-coital fatigue at the end of the day, once they're home and have lustily ripped open all their shiny plastic cd wrappings, flicked furiously through the lyric booklets and spilled their overpriced new clothes around the floor. And then they're left with nothing, and heading for the fridge and couch. It was definately solo-sex.

[Anthrobus]

an orgasm of consumerism is definitely ok when it involves the tracking down and buying of interesting books.

i certainly have deposed some libido there during my life ...

and my books are bigger than yours haha!

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Anthrobus', 'a')n orgasm of consumerism is definitely ok when it involves the tracking down and buying of interesting books.

i certainly have deposed some libido there during my life ...

and my books are bigger than yours haha!

[PrairieMule]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MD', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PrairieMule', 'I') saw the PS3 displayed at Wal-Mart last weekend. Very impressive..

For $599 I could add another Brangus calf to herd which in turn could be sold for twice as much in 2-3 years. I'll wait 3 years and buy one used for $199. I guess that makes me a Tantric consumer.

[SinisterBlueCat]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PrairieMule', '
')Sorry, the aim of that joke was to infere that through a delayed purchase, I would obtain a greater form of ecstacy buy paying half of what everyone else is paying now for.

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SinisterBlueCat', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PrairieMule', '
')Sorry, the aim of that joke was to infere that through a delayed purchase, I would obtain a greater form of ecstacy buy paying half of what everyone else is paying now for.