Rick Reuben wrote:I think it has to be a 'vote with the dollar' protest. Withdrawing from commerce, even for a day, is very effective.

Be it gas, food, electronics, whatever, people are going to buy what they buy. If you boycott gas today, you will just end up buying twice as much tomorrow. It don't think it's at all effective, particularly on things we need to live our lives. The only way this can work is with a sustained boycott.

Rick Reuben wrote:The civil rights marches were usually disciplined. If they were singing, it was in unison, if they were silent, everyone stuck to the program.

I think discipline may really be the key, and organization. Which is something we're lacking. I think the cynicism and sense of irony that is pervasive in much of our culture (which I'm definitely guilty of as well) reinforces this lack. But I think enough people are fed up at this point that it may all be overcome. And the organizing shouldn't be too hard, like that article said, organization of large groups has taken place without the internet or other means we have today.

Rick Reuben wrote:Make one day a week a day without television. If enough people are all on the same day, ad revenues for that particular day will start to show a decline as the ratings fall. It will be noticed.

A good idea too (or course the consumer based ones are as well). Unfortunately, I can't really participate as I get crap reception on my television and never use it anyway. I'm guessing this might be the case with more people today than in the past. I wonder if a day without the internet would be sensible? It has by and large replaced television for me, and is far more versatile and valuable. But it is very ad oriented. It's loss would make a great deal of news and discussion unavailable though, but it might be worth it and effective. Not sure.

Rick Reuben wrote:Place more emphasis on taking time for yourself, rather than filling your life with purchases.

I think taking time for civic involvement is important too, though it is really time for yourself anyway. I got an offer in the mail yesterday to buy the Discussion on the Constitution or something with a similar title from the Library of America. The copy on it talked about citizen involvement in the creation of the Constitution. A lot more people (though still not everyone) were definitely involved in the guiding of the nation back in the day. Again, I think apathy, cynicism, and a sense of disempowerment are what contribute to the lack of involvement today.

sunset_gun wrote:

Rick Reuben wrote:I think it has to be a 'vote with the dollar' protest. Withdrawing from commerce, even for a day, is very effective.

Be it gas, food, electronics, whatever, people are going to buy what they buy. If you boycott gas today, you will just end up buying twice as much tomorrow. It don't think it's at all effective, particularly on things we need to live our lives.

A general decrease in the use of our cars (if we have them) could be effective though, and would decrease gas sales. It could also be part of a decrease in consumerism; you don't drive as much because you're not heading out to the mall as often to buy those X-box's and Play Stations and whatever else. And a sharp drop in gas sales in one day would definitely be noticed and probably taken into consideration. Think of how much gas is bought and how much revenue would be lost for just one day of a gasoline strike.

slincire wrote:

sunset_gun wrote:

Rick Reuben wrote:I think it has to be a 'vote with the dollar' protest. Withdrawing from commerce, even for a day, is very effective.

Be it gas, food, electronics, whatever, people are going to buy what they buy. If you boycott gas today, you will just end up buying twice as much tomorrow. It don't think it's at all effective, particularly on things we need to live our lives.

A general decrease in the use of our cars (if we have them) could be effective though, and would decrease gas sales. It could also be part of a decrease in consumerism; you don't drive as much because you're not heading out to the mall as often to buy those X-box's and Play Stations and whatever else. And a sharp drop in gas sales in one day would definitely be noticed and probably taken into consideration. Think of how much gas is bought and how much revenue would be lost for just one day of a gasoline strike.

Very strange because again this is what I'm writing about right now.
The thing is.
How do you get a very large number in the U.S. to do this?

slincire wrote:

sunset_gun wrote:

Rick Reuben wrote:I think it has to be a 'vote with the dollar' protest. Withdrawing from commerce, even for a day, is very effective.

Be it gas, food, electronics, whatever, people are going to buy what they buy. If you boycott gas today, you will just end up buying twice as much tomorrow. It don't think it's at all effective, particularly on things we need to live our lives.

A general decrease in the use of our cars (if we have them) could be effective though, and would decrease gas sales. It could also be part of a decrease in consumerism; you don't drive as much because you're not heading out to the mall as often to buy those X-box's and Play Stations and whatever else. And a sharp drop in gas sales in one day would definitely be noticed and probably taken into consideration. Think of how much gas is bought and how much revenue would be lost for just one day of a gasoline strike.

Yeah, I added that sentiment to my post, after the fact. A sustained boycott/reduction is the only way to make this sort of thing work.

fedaykin13 wrote:Very strange because again this is what I'm writing about right now.
The thing is.
How do you get a very large number in the U.S. to do this?

That really is the question. I think the means of organizing are there, it's more getting people to overcome feelings of helplessness and apathy. Which I'm not really sure how to do.

slincire wrote:

fedaykin13 wrote:Very strange because again this is what I'm writing about right now.
The thing is.
How do you get a very large number in the U.S. to do this?

That really is the question. I think the means of organizing are there, it's more getting people to overcome feelings of helplessness and apathy. Which I'm not really sure how to do.

I think the means of organization are there too, but I don't think it's getting people to overcome feelings of helplesness.

Apathy? maybe some.

Unfortunately there are a very very large number of people that don't know and don't care.

Rick Reuben wrote:

sunset_gun wrote:Be it gas, food, electronics, whatever, people are going to buy what they buy. If you boycott gas today, you will just end up buying twice as much tomorrow.

Not if you change your driving habits. That's why I brought up Christmas shopping. There's an opportunity for sustained withdrawal from materialism. I buy used whenever possible- books, CD's, tools, clothes, gear- then, you're just changing owners for something that's already in the supply chain, not taking something new off the shelf.

Buy used? How could you even suggest something like that? It's been touched by someone else, used by someone else, it's not special and new for you and only you. Plus, it doesn't come with all that exciting packaging that assures you of its previous existence in a vacuum, and also goes on to take up all that empty room in a landfill.

Again I will bring up the book "Rebel Sell" I think its an interesting read, though not terribly scholarly.



It provides a theory that runs counter to Naomi Klein, whose theories I find a little hokey sometimes. However, I think it is going for the same end.

Rick Reuben wrote:

sunset_gun wrote:Be it gas, food, electronics, whatever, people are going to buy what they buy. If you boycott gas today, you will just end up buying twice as much tomorrow.

Not if you change your driving habits. That's why I brought up Christmas shopping. There's an opportunity for sustained withdrawal from materialism. I buy used whenever possible- books, CD's, tools, clothes, gear- then, you're just changing owners for something that's already in the supply chain, not taking something new off the shelf.

Right, but that is more than a "one-day boycott".