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arjunM · Nov 21, 2007, 08:02 AM

Just curious on what you guys think about the coincidence of the two events?

Buy Nothing Day
Apple One-Day Shopping Event

Both on Novemeber 23rd.
Look at the URL for the Apple thing. "Black Friday"?

Do you think maybe the Apple is responding somehow to buy nothing day?

I wonder if the whole topic of consumerism has ever entered into these forums.
Just thought I'd start a bit of a discussion on it.

Sometimes I feel that Apple and the whole iPod generation seem to be the epitome these days of the whole "buying your way to happiness" mentality (for some people anyway). Not to say that Apple is a culprit, merely a symptom of a deeper issue.

MacosNerd · Nov 21, 2007, 08:16 AM

lol, I think that has 0% chance of ever occuring.

Not that everybody goes out shopping on black friday but it is the busiest shopping day of the year and trying to organize a shopping boycott on that very day is fool hardy and laughable. It's not going to happen, heck, I'll be going online to see what types of sales apple will have and also if I see a good deal for a flat screen tv, I may jump on that.

imitchellg5 · Nov 21, 2007, 08:17 AM

I doubt Apple is responding to this "Buy Nothing Day". Apple has historically had a shopping event on Black Friday.

Person Man · 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by arjunM

Just curious on what you guys think about the coincidence of the two events?

Buy Nothing Day
Apple One-Day Shopping Event

Both on Novemeber 23rd.
Look at the URL for the Apple thing. "Black Friday"?

Do you think maybe the Apple is responding somehow to buy nothing day?

The idea that Apple is "responding" to "Buy Nothing Day" is absurd.

It's a Black Friday sale. Nothing more. Nothing less. They did it last year too. And they'll probably do it next year as well.

By your logic, it's a coincidence that WalMart has a "Black Friday" sale on (gasp!) THE SAME DAY!!!111oneoneeleven.

That's the whole point of "Buy Nothing Day." It is, by it's definition, on the same day as the day after Thanksgiving, which is the biggest shopping day of the year.

So, no coincidence that Apple has a sale on that day, LIKE ALMOST *EVERY* OTHER STORE IN THE US. And it's not a "response" to "Buy Nothing Day."

MacosNerd · Nov 21, 2007, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by arjunM

Sometimes I feel that Apple and the whole iPod generation seem to be the epitome these days of the whole "buying your way to happiness" mentality (for some people anyway). Not to say that Apple is a culprit, merely a symptom of a deeper issue.

Umm that mentality is much older then the ipod and has been the foundation of madison ave advertising since advertising has existed, i.e. you'll not be happy till you buy this product.

RAILhead · Nov 21, 2007, 09:00 AM

I posted in this here thread.

osiris · Nov 21, 2007, 09:08 AM

Like I'm insane enough to go shopping this weekend. NOT.

Dakarʒ · Nov 21, 2007, 09:10 AM

I did the Black Friday thing once, just because I never had, and I wanted one of those Limited Edition Platinum GameCubes.

Laminar · Nov 21, 2007, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

I did the Black Friday thing once, just because I never had, and I wanted one of those Limited Edition Platinum GameCubes.

What were you, eight years old?

Dakarʒ · Nov 21, 2007, 09:31 AM

I got Animal Crossing to go with it.

arjunM · Nov 21, 2007, 09:34 AM

Ahhh forgive me. I am from Canada, and we don't have Black Friday. I didn't even know what that was. But now it makes more sense. haha.

Naturally, Buy Nothing Day is a response to Black Friday.
Things make sense now.

Originally Posted by MacosNerd

lol, I think that has 0% chance of ever occuring.

Not that everybody goes out shopping on black friday but it is the busiest shopping day of the year and trying to organize a shopping boycott on that very day is fool hardy and laughable. It's not going to happen, heck, I'll be going online to see what types of sales apple will have and also if I see a good deal for a flat screen tv, I may jump on that.

Umm that mentality is much older then the ipod and has been the foundation of madison ave advertising since advertising has existed, i.e. you'll not be happy till you buy this product.

MacosNerd: 0%? Depends how you look at it. You'd be surprised how many people are for Buy Nothing Day in Canada, and also in the USA. So when you say 0%, yeah, obviously it's not going to be observed by everyone... 0% chance of happening in totality, at least now. But it'll be observed by some people. So it actually has a 100% chance of happening. It's been happening for the past few years actually.

Also, I agree with your statement that the mentality has existed probably since the beginning of mankind. I'm not saying it's a new phenomenon, I'm just saying it's is a really clear example of it. The whole point of Buy Nothing Day is to take a step back and consider what is actually happening there.

Anyway, I apologize for my misunderstanding about Black Friday.

Person Man · Nov 21, 2007, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by arjunM

Ahhh forgive me. I am from Canada, and we don't have Black Friday. I didn't even know what that was. But now it makes more sense. haha.

Well, considering that you folks celebrate a holiday called "Thanksgiving" about a month earlier...

MacosNerd · Nov 21, 2007, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by arjunM

MacosNerd: 0%? Depends how you look at it. You'd be surprised how many people are for Buy Nothing Day in Canada, and also in the USA. So when you say 0%, yeah, obviously it's not going to be observed by everyone... 0% chance of happening in totality, at least now. But it'll be observed by some people. So it actually has a 100% chance of happening. It's been happening for the past few years actually.

Ok, perhaps I should have worded my response better.

The malls and stores (in the US) this Friday will be packed as they usually are by holiday shoppers and the clear majority of people who want to go shopping will do so. The people who wish not to brave the crowds will not. Then there's some fringe nut job people who want to try to prove a point by boycotting shopping altogether. Those people will be in the minority by a huge margin.

besson3c · Nov 21, 2007, 09:48 AM

Buy Nothing day, whenever it falls, is a good idea... Don't you guys ever get tired of the ultra consumer/consumption Walmart crowd? So much waste...

Person Man · Nov 21, 2007, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by besson3c

Don't you guys ever get tired of the ultra consumer/consumption Walmart crowd? So much waste...

Meh, they're pretty easy to avoid.

My family loves online shopping.

MacosNerd · Nov 21, 2007, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by besson3c

Don't you guys ever get tired of the ultra consumer/consumption Walmart crowd? So much waste...

I don't shop at walmart so they're easy to avoid.

My family is not ultra-consumer/consumption anyways. We make sure we remember what Christmas is about, i.e., celebrating the birth of Christ.

While we do exchange presents and enjoy the whole idea of opening presents on Christmas, we generally don't like accumulating "stuff"

I think the biggest gift we're going to give to each other this year is the flat screen tv and in fact that will be the biggest gift that we've done in years.

imitchellg5 · Nov 21, 2007, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

I did the Black Friday thing once, just because I never had, and I wanted one of those Limited Edition Platinum GameCubes.

I have one of those.

Dakarʒ · Nov 21, 2007, 11:07 AM

Who doesn't. Limited Edition suddenly became regular edition a few months later.

besson3c · Nov 21, 2007, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by MacosNerd

I don't shop at walmart so they're easy to avoid.

My family is not ultra-consumer/consumption anyways. We make sure we remember what Christmas is about, i.e., celebrating the birth of Christ.

While we do exchange presents and enjoy the whole idea of opening presents on Christmas, we generally don't like accumulating "stuff"

I think the biggest gift we're going to give to each other this year is the flat screen tv and in fact that will be the biggest gift that we've done in years.

I definitely empathize with your desire to avoid accumulating "stuff" for the sake of it. I feel the exact same way.

imitchellg5 · Nov 21, 2007, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

Who doesn't. Limited Edition suddenly became regular edition a few months later.

That's why Toyota is dropping the Limited trim line on the Highlander and Sequoia and going with Platinum.

Laminar · Nov 21, 2007, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

Who doesn't.

People not interested in a "kiddie" gaming system.
/obvious flaming

Dakarʒ · Nov 21, 2007, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by Laminar

People not interested in a "kiddie" gaming system.

That didn't include my girlfriend at the time.
Let's see who's willing to go down this road

Dakarʒ · Nov 21, 2007, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

That's why Toyota is dropping the Limited trim line on the Highlander and Sequoia and going with Platinum.

Because they're dicks? (That was Nintendo's reason)

Laminar · Nov 21, 2007, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

That didn't include my girlfriend at the time.
Let's see who's willing to go down this road

I'm shallow enough I might just have to.