Buy Nothing: No, Really, It's For Sale

Buy Nothing: No, Really, It’s For Sale

What the hottest gift this holiday season is, or how to dodge your modern addictions.

Let’s face it, we live in a material world. And this week is its annual pinnacle, the frantic shopping bonanza known as Black Friday. But it’s also the 10th international Buy Nothing Day — Friday in the U.S. and Saturday everywhere else. It’s a chance to detox from the omnivorous toxicity of conspicuous consumption, to seek some brief redemption from our wasteful and unsustainable more-more-more modus operandi. (Come on, did you really need that Steve Jobs bobblehead?)

Our friends at Do The Green Thing are doing something quite ingenious — they’re selling nothing. Really. Their Buy Nothing campaign is a clever reminder that we all buy stuff, often just for the sake of buying, while sticking with what we’ve got can make more sense. So in their Amazero store, an Amazon mock-up, you can literally purchase Nothing, which costs, well, nothing — they’ve got the standard e-commerce checkout procedure, from the Buy It Now button to the email confirmation after your purchase. (We’ve worked out a special deal for Brain Pickings readers — you can purchase Nothing for 30% off using this link.)

The point, of course, isn’t to completely eradicate consumption — that would be absurd — but, rather, to help us be more mindful of what it is we actually need versus what we buy just for the new-stuff thrill of it.

The effort is a simple yet powerful reminder that, over the holidays, we often end up giving and getting lots of useless stuff. (Green Thing did a survey, which found — unsurprisingly — that 96% of people have gotten a useless gift at some point. We can attest with what’s now a vast collection of annual reindeer figurines from grandma.) That stuff takes energy and precious resources to make, creating unfortunate waste as it ends up in landfills.

And if you think you’re immune to the buybuybuy messaging of the ad industry, you can test just how stealthy its impact is in the All Spin No Substance game, where you get to guess the brand advertised based solely on its logoless visual communication — we bet you’d be surprised how many you get right.

Buy Nothing promotes one of Green Thing’s 7 green actions, stick with what you got, as an antidote to our reckless and thoughtless material habits. And with testimonials from an impressive line-up of celebrities (including one of our favorite British indie bands, The Noisettes) swearing by Nothing, it’s not hard to buy into it.

And if you still feel the compulsion to buy — because, let’s face it, we’ve been so powerfully conditioned for it by today’s media environment — Green Thing’s got your back. Dr. Will Powers, retail therapist, can help you dodge any temptation to buy with some grounded professional advice. You can email him for help in taming your shopaholic urges, or tweet your concerns to @DrWillPowers.

We love both the clever campaign and what it aims to achieve. (We’ve even offered Green Thing some ad space on Brain Pickings — look right — for the attractive price of Nothing.) So exorcise your shopping urges this weekend by buying yourself some Nothing — we vouch for it with a full money-back guarantee.

Psst, we’ve launched a fancy weekly newsletter. It comes out on Sundays, offers the week’s articles, and features five more tasty bites of web-wide interestingness. Here’s an example. Like? Sign up.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 8:53 am in culture, sustainability and was tagged activism, advertising, cool, culture, humor, sustainability.

This Friday is Black Friday in the US. Also, the 10th Iinternational Buy Nothing Day. Read more at http://bit.ly/7pOsSP #GreenLiving

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

sanjeevnaik on November 24th, 2009 at 9:30 am

Buy Nothing – no, really, it’s for sale. @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ Please RT!

brainpicker on November 24th, 2009 at 10:15 am

RT @brainpicker: Buy Nothing – no, really, it’s for sale. @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ …

berique on November 24th, 2009 at 10:16 am

Buy Nothing – no, really, it’s for sale. @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ (via @brainpicker)

amanda on November 24th, 2009 at 10:17 am

RT @brainpicker: Buy Nothing – @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ

MosesHawk on November 24th, 2009 at 10:19 am

webkitten on November 24th, 2009 at 10:19 am

leiyireads on November 24th, 2009 at 10:19 am

RT @brainpicker: Buy Nothing – srsly. @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ Please RT!

sethgray on November 24th, 2009 at 10:20 am

RT @brainpicker: Buy Nothing – no, really, it’s for sale. @DoTheGreenThing’s campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ Please RT!

WarrenPearce on November 24th, 2009 at 10:20 am

RT @amanda: Buy Nothing – it’s for sale. @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ (via @brainpicker)

chanchanchepon on November 24th, 2009 at 10:21 am

RT @sethgray: RT @brainpicker: Buy Nothing – srsly. @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ Pleas …

ad_guy on November 24th, 2009 at 10:22 am

In Other News: @DoTheGreenThing’s got a new campaign up where you can, ‘Buy Nothing’ for charity! http://ow.ly/FcoJ (via @brainpicker)

MaliZomg on November 24th, 2009 at 10:22 am

RT @brainpicker: Buy Nothing – no, really, it’s for sale. @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ

kami_usha on November 24th, 2009 at 10:24 am

Go figure! An alternative to mindless consumerism this Friday ?: http://bit.ly/7pOsSP

dejansen on November 24th, 2009 at 10:25 am

FlamDukke on November 24th, 2009 at 10:30 am

RT @brainpicker Buy Nothing – no, really, it’s for sale. @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign… Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ Please RT!

sarahdhillon on November 24th, 2009 at 10:42 am

I love this: buy nothing for the holidays! RT @brainpicker @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ

kirstinbutler on November 24th, 2009 at 10:58 am

RT@amanda Buy Nothing – no, really, it’s for sale. @DoTheGreenThing http://ow.ly/FcoJ (via @brainpicker)

LoveandWater on November 24th, 2009 at 11:34 am

songtree on November 24th, 2009 at 11:41 am

RT @brainpicker Buy Nothing – no, really, it’s for sale. @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ

songtree on November 24th, 2009 at 11:42 am

Buy Nothing: No, Really, It’s For Sale http://j.mp/53iZzk

ghensel on November 24th, 2009 at 12:14 pm

Friday after Thanksgiving-not just Black Friday, but “Buy Nothing Day”, & there’s a store just for that: http://bit.ly/5ATYD2 I’m in.

BGrabher on November 24th, 2009 at 1:41 pm

Buy Nothing: No, Really, It’s For Sale http://tinyurl.com/ya86ybn

timzero4 on November 24th, 2009 at 2:00 pm

sbleby on November 24th, 2009 at 2:17 pm

Buy nothing. No, really, it’s for sale. @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://bit.ly/5eOvK5 (via @brainpicker)

CynthiaHellen on November 24th, 2009 at 2:58 pm

Buy Nothing: No, Really, It’s For Sale | Brain Pickings http://bit.ly/6Gueid

catmyn on November 24th, 2009 at 4:19 pm

RT @brainpicker: Buy Nothing – no, really, it’s for sale. @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day @http://ow.ly/FcoJ

Ted_Crawford on November 25th, 2009 at 12:52 am

RT @amanda: Buy Nothing – no, really, it’s for sale. @DoTheGreenThing’s clever campaign promoting Buy Nothing Day http://ow.ly/FcoJ

valto on November 25th, 2009 at 4:55 am

RT @brainpicker Buy Nothing: No, Really, It’s For Sale | Brain Pickings http://ow.ly/1mIyVF

vassilissamlade on November 25th, 2009 at 7:11 pm

Inspired with “green” and “101 presents” article @planbhr I’ve decided to get my loving ones – nothing. http://ow.ly/FHhP

tomislavkorman on November 26th, 2009 at 3:45 am

Don’t forget tomorrow is Buy Nothing Day in the US (Saturday elsewhere) http://ow.ly/1mIyVF #buynothing #sustainability

brainpicker on November 26th, 2009 at 5:33 pm

RT @brainpicker

amalucky on November 26th, 2009 at 5:33 pm

RT @brainpicker: Don’t forget tomorrow is Buy Nothing Day in the US (Saturday elsewhere) http://ow.ly/1mIyVF #buynothing #sustainability

olivierR on November 26th, 2009 at 5:38 pm

MosesHawk on November 26th, 2009 at 5:38 pm

dialogCRM on November 26th, 2009 at 5:46 pm

SeekBluntTruth on November 26th, 2009 at 5:52 pm

She’s right, I’m wrong. Could do 2 days?! RT @brainpicker Don’t forget tomorrow is Buy Nothing Day in US (Sat elsewhere) http://ow.ly/1mIyVF

WarrenPearce on November 26th, 2009 at 5:53 pm

RT Don’t forget tomorrow is Buy Nothing Day in the US (Saturday elsewhere) http://ow.ly/1mIyVF #buynothing (via @brainpicker)

KWBorders on November 26th, 2009 at 5:58 pm

Don’t forget tomorrow is Buy Nothing Day in the US (Saturday elsewhere) http://ow.ly/1mIyVF #buynothing #sustainability (via @brainpicker)

pezike on November 26th, 2009 at 7:15 pm

RT @brainpicker Don’t forget tomorrow is Buy Nothing Day in the US (Saturday elsewhere) http://ow.ly/1mIyVF #buynothing #sustainability

warmstrings on November 27th, 2009 at 3:05 am

thrivnak on November 27th, 2009 at 4:22 am

Find out more about NothingTM via @brainpicker: http://bit.ly/5eOvK5 And get tips from Dr Will Power (naturally): http://bit.ly/4ujT9t

BBHLabs on November 27th, 2009 at 7:17 am

[...] Meanwhile, though, you should still recycle, you know. And don’t forget today (if you’re in the U.S. — tomorrow if you’re anywhere else) is Buy Nothing Day. [...]

Carbon Sucker: CR5 | Brain Pickings on November 27th, 2009 at 8:41 am

Tackle needless waste & buy nothing – better still could be buy peoples services instead? rt@BBHLabs via @brainpicker: http://bit.ly/5eOvK5