Consumerism

science says

Buy Or Be Stabbed

The global economy is crashing, credit markets are playing ice age, and you consumers have a simple choice: buy things now or prepare to be stabbed next year. More »

9:15 AM on Sat Oct 11 2008
By Carey
16,483 views, 46 comments

consumerism

Are We Nearing The End Of Credit Card Consumerism?

Is it possible? Can this country's insatiable appetite for consumer goods be slowing down? No! Surely not! US News & World Report's Alpha Consumer, Kimberly Palmer took a look at consumer demand and its relationship to cheap credit. More »

3:55 PM on Tue Aug 12 2008
By Meg Marco
15,538 views, 108 comments

shame

Those Damn Europeans Are Taking Over New York

Have you seen them? The Europeans? They're everywhere! In our fancy bistros, on line at the Apple store, spending their fancy-pantzy valuable Euros while we suffer through this intolerable non-recession. The patriots at the New York Times finally sounded the warning call over this European "invasion" that's transforming New York into the "Walmart of hip." More »

12:00 AM on Sun Aug 3 2008
By Carey
15,440 views, 81 comments

Latest by OMG! Ponies!: @zgori: They're shopping for apartments. The reason 2BRs are rare as hen's teeth and 3BRs cost so damned much is more »

retail

Why Do Americans Insist On Buying Cheap Crap Instead Of High Quality Merchandise?

Over at MSN Money there's an interesting article about the tyranny of cheap crap that we, as a people, are accustomed to living under. Why do we buy a coat every year instead of one high quality coat that will last many years? Why do we buy crappy kitchen knives that go dull and become dangerous? Do we enjoy shopping so much that we're content to keep rebuying the same stuff? More »

9:46 AM on Fri Aug 1 2008
By Meg Marco
21,757 views, 179 comments

Most discussed stavr0: The Samuel Vimes 'Boots' Theory Of Socio-Economic Injustice: [en.wikipedia.org] Props to Terry Pratchett for nailing it. more »

friendly reminders

The First Batch Of One-Year iPhone Warranties Are About To Expire, Or Why You Shouldn't Be An Early Adopter

Hey, Apple fanboys! Yeah, you, the ones who stood on line foaming at the mouth so you could be the first to buy those precious little pocket diamonds that didn't sell out. Your limited one-year warranty expires tomorrow, so break your phone while you can. As for the rest of us, let's look back at a year of the iPhone and remember the perils of being an early adopter... More »

3:45 PM on Sat Jun 28 2008
By Carey
9,726 views, 72 comments

Latest by Mudpuddle: I'd give a eye for that phone. more »

consumerism uber alles

Money Can Apparently Buy Happiness

Feeling down? Money might help, according to Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers. The Wharton economists released a paper arguing that countries with higher gross domestic products have happier citizens. The study shatters the conventional wisdom known as the Easterlin Paradox, which holds that GDP and happiness are largely unrelated. More »

10:00 AM on Sat Apr 5 2008
By Carey
3,462 views, 30 comments

Latest by capt1kern: I was on the Circuit Shitty discussion I thought. Oh well. I'll combine the two. Money gave me the ability more »

don't forget

Super Bowl Ads Are Designed To Fuel Mindless Buying

Companies are paying $90,000 per second tonight to get their products before our recession-fearing eyes, and they plan to get their money's worth. Tonight's advertisers will use an array of tactics designed with one purpose: motivating us to buy their products. More »

4:00 PM on Sun Feb 3 2008
By Carey
24,806 views, 85 comments

hype

The Best Deals Are Not Found On Black Friday

Stores offer the steepest discounts the day before Christmas, not on Black Friday. A Boston Globe study found that the orgy of mindless early-morning consumerism is good for cutesy door prizes and savings on one or two items, but provides no discount for the vast majority of surveyed goods. More »

11:30 AM on Sun Dec 30 2007
By Carey
4,767 views, 23 comments

Latest by Electroqueen: If I have to wait for a 2GB SD's price from Sandisk to go down, I'll have to wait probably more »

step away from the credit card

Is Consumerism Killing Democracy?

Political scientist Benjamin Barber thinks mindless spending is killing America. Barber went on Bill Moyers Journal to promote his new book Consumed, and to lambast us for being infantilized drones who drool over whatever big business shoves into our greedy little mitts. More »

12:39 PM on Wed Dec 26 2007
By Carey
2,524 views, 21 comments

Latest by S-the-K: Setting aside the fact that Bill Moyers is a flaming public flag-bearer for Socialism... There are so many things killing America more »

advocacy

Robert Reich Talks About His Book "Supercapitalism"

Apparently "Supercapitalism" is making the rounds over at AlterNet, because they keep writing about it. This time there's a good interview with the author, former labor secretary Robert Reich, and he takes the opportunity to summarize his main arguments from the book. More »

11:44 AM on Fri Nov 30 2007
By Chris Walters
1,971 views, 21 comments

Latest by Amelie: "A few of the world's largest corporations successfully claimed the protection of the First Amendment, then lobbied Congress and more »

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