Lifestyle

Why can’t you be happier if you don’t buy anything today


Dollar decisions are complicated. “The consumer dilemma is the idea that the planet clearly needs us to reduce consumption, but our economy needs us to consume more and more each year.” James MacKinnon, author of “World Stop Shopping Day: How to End Consumerism that protects the environment and ourselves.”

The pandemic shows how vulnerable our economic system is to any kind of disturbance in people’s shopping needs, MacKinnon noted. “We’ve created a system that depends on us acting as consumers. It pretty much limits our freedom to choose how we want to live and define our social roles. How will I be?”

There may be financial circumstances that drive a person’s urge to buy on big sale days, but if you experience financial freedom that allows you to spend, you may be even happier if you don’t. Don’t buy anything on Black Friday. Here are some facts to consider:

If you’re feeling bad about compulsive spending habits, you’re not alone.

“One thing about Black Friday that makes it even more dangerous is that shopping can not only release dopamine in the brain’s reward pathways – hence potentially addictive – but it also manipulates dopamine sources of the social herd”, shared Dr. Anna Lembke, psychiatrist and author of “The Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in an Age of Infatuation.”

Lembke, who sees smartphones as modern hypodermic needles that deliver 24/7 digital dopamine, notes that when people feel they belong to a tribe and share experiences and feelings with others , dopamine is released.

“That feeling of immersion or immersion is a huge source of dopamine and serotonin,” says Lembke. She notes that these primitive brain circuits can interfere with the prefrontal cortex’s ability to make rational decisions, such as realizing that you can’t afford to spend the money you’re spending.

Shopping with purpose

If you’re looking for another tribe, an intent-based shopping group exists.

Recently, I asked on Instagram Stories if people would opt out of Black Friday shopping and do something else instead. Many people share that they are choosing different ways to shop this holiday season.

Carolyn Kornwitz of Boston wrote that she will opt out of Black Friday and any off-the-shelf shopping altogether. “I’ll find most, if not all, children’s gifts from my local Buy Nothing Facebook group, as well as second-hand stores.”

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Others shared that they focus on supporting local businesses, independent sellers on Etsy, or using producer skills. “My pandemic hobby is knitting so everyone gets these ornate hand-knits!” Anna Brakeman of Madison, Wisconsin wrote.

MacKinnon agrees that all spending is not created equal. “There are certainly better and worse ways to consume. Support smaller businesses, especially those that don’t have an answering shareholder… when you spend your money, spend it. Think thoughtfully of your local community on products that mean something to you or whoever you’re giving.”

Against overconsumption with people and experiences

Lembke notes that overconsumption can be the result of people trying to get out of their situation, a tactic that is understandable but ultimately ineffective. “A potential antidote is to do the opposite and immerse ourselves more deeply in our lives.”

“If we really move on with our lives, things will become more interesting. When we reinvest in relationships and experiences, we create new energy and new meaning and it does. become transcendent,” Lembke said.

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Indeed, many people have shared that they are skipping Black Friday shopping and choosing time to connect by hiking with family or friends, epic games like tag, football fitness, tennis, cycling or leisure time at home.

Others shared that they were getting in the holiday spirit through activities like Christmas tree trimming and experiences like “The Nutcracker” at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. “This year my parents came to town for Thanksgiving. We bought tickets to the light show/nature walk at Crystal sphere, it’s an art museum near us,” shared Liz Fernandez of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Think back to the lessons from last year

Evidence for non-consumer holiday satisfaction can come from your own memories.

Kaci Lint of Mesa, Arizona writes: “Last year forced us to opt out of traditional Thanksgiving and this year made us think about how much we really want to spend those four days off together, ‘ writes Kaci Lint of Mesa, Arizona. Given that she has five children, Lint notes that material goods quickly become overwhelming. This Thanksgiving, her family is deliberately choosing experience over everything by going camping and watching the sunrise over the sand dunes in Utah.

MacKinnon wants people to get back into the mindset that just spending time together is enough and focus on making that time an enriching experience.

“Last Christmas, everyone wished they could be together; that was more than enough,” he said. On the contrary, he notes that this season people feel like you alone are not enough and that they need to show up with loads of gifts.

Humans have the ability to change

One of the most dramatic and surprising observations in the wake of the MacKinnon pandemic is the speed at which people find their way from a consumerism value system to a new set of values ​​that focus on relationships, experiences, and relationships. and skill building.

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“What we see when people move into quarantine and lock their doors is that they move towards other values ​​very quickly. People contact old friends they’ve lost touch with. They’re birdwatching, Mastering new skills, farming, this is very important, says MacKinnon.

That said, depending on the circumstances, behavior change may take longer depending on the extent of their addiction, Lembke noted. “People need to abstain from a behavior long enough for homeostasis in the nociceptive system in the brain to be restored. Eventually, people will be able to indulge in self-indulgence with more modest rewards,” she said.

There’s a lot of work to be done to find the balance of consumerism as it relates to our planet and economy, but one thing is clear: Relationships, experiences, and happiness Ours are worth the investment. And we don’t need to be kept to a date on the calendar or a line around the block to do so.

Christine Koh is a former music and brain scientist turned author, podcaster and creative director. You can find her working at christinekoh.com and on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook at @drchristinekoh.

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