I am considering boycotting Christmas. I hate both the religious version, because it is a complete crock, and the American, buy-a-bunch-of-shit -you-don't-need version. It is easy enough not to get anyone anything, but I don't just want to look like I am trying to receive shit without giving it. I realize this will make somewhat of a jackass out of me, but I need a way either to give gifts back, or keep people from getting anything. Comments, ideas?
tell people to not buy you anything. i have a cash-only policy myself.
the good thing for me is that i am poor and my mom is poor. we both understand this, so we agreed to just abstain from gift buying. it saves us both money.
so just establish that spending money on junk is dumb, and get everyone on the level with you.
the good thing for me is that i am poor and my mom is poor. we both understand this, so we agreed to just abstain from gift buying. it saves us both money.
so just establish that spending money on junk is dumb, and get everyone on the level with you.
i'm requesting t-bills and cash.
t-bills? why
don't need the money right now and i've never had one before. i'm curious to see if paper bills are issued still or if it's all digital with a special number or what. it would nice to have a few more cool things to put in a safety deposit box too.
jk, just let people know you don't want anything, and if you get something give it back unopened. your gift to them is the shipping you paid to give them the nice product right back to them. they can return it if they want. yes it's rude, but you're standing up to your principles, and it would be even more rude if you accepted the gift and didn't give anything back. mitigate your poison.
jk, just let people know you don't want anything, and if you get something give it back unopened. your gift to them is the shipping you paid to give them the nice product right back to them. they can return it if they want. yes it's rude, but you're standing up to your principles, and it would be even more rude if you accepted the gift and didn't give anything back. mitigate your poison.
why would you ask for t-bills when you can just get cash and buy t-bills?
if you get stuff, keep it. if someone you know has already bought you something, buy them something small to show you care. don't ship stuff back to people.
dp, if your grandmother bought you something, would you ship it back to her in the name of your principles?
if you get stuff, keep it. if someone you know has already bought you something, buy them something small to show you care. don't ship stuff back to people.
dp, if your grandmother bought you something, would you ship it back to her in the name of your principles?
excuse me, lr of social experiments. i'm not jk, so no i wouldn't do that. i don't mind the gift giving festivities.
i don't want to buy a t-bill but it would be interesting to get for a gift. why are you so surprised?
i don't want to buy a t-bill but it would be interesting to get for a gift. why are you so surprised?
maybe i should just look at this not as christmas, but as an opportunity to make all parties happy. I buy a few major people gifts, and make sure they get me cash or practical things (originally i told my mom to get me a jacket), then jk comes out ahead, and mom is not traumatized that jk boycotted xmas. I already boycott christmas eve church, and i never sing songs or do any of that other christmas shit, so it more comes down to putting up with minimal bullshit to profit in the end, and not at anyone's expense.
jk, i think that is very reasonable.
> i'm not jk, so no i wouldn't do that. i don't mind the gift giving festivities.
since "you're not jk," how can you make any valid suggestion at all, then?
> i don't want to buy a t-bill but it would be interesting to get for a gift. why are you so surprised?
i'm not surprised. you love the barter. me, i prefer cash exchanges then purchase what i need. i just thing there is a reason for cash instead of barter.
> i'm not jk, so no i wouldn't do that. i don't mind the gift giving festivities.
since "you're not jk," how can you make any valid suggestion at all, then?
> i don't want to buy a t-bill but it would be interesting to get for a gift. why are you so surprised?
i'm not surprised. you love the barter. me, i prefer cash exchanges then purchase what i need. i just thing there is a reason for cash instead of barter.
> since "you're not jk," how can you make any valid suggestion at all, then?
easily, if my principle was 'fuck christmas' i would be the first to start mailing back gifts - even and especially from my grandmother to get my message across. apparently the meaning of that topic/phrase has changed from what i perceived from jk's first post. since the goal is not to stop the exchanges or any of the holiday goings on as i would expect from 'fuck christmas' the american and christian styles, it looks like all of my suggestions are as invalid as you suggest. since this boycotting has turned hypothetical it follows my suggestions follow suit.
i would find it far more entertaining if jk were as adamant about boycotting christmas as i read it.
about the cash i agree completely. i don't need a t-bill otherwise i would buy one. i do find it a practical addition to cash though for the reasons i've already stated.
easily, if my principle was 'fuck christmas' i would be the first to start mailing back gifts - even and especially from my grandmother to get my message across. apparently the meaning of that topic/phrase has changed from what i perceived from jk's first post. since the goal is not to stop the exchanges or any of the holiday goings on as i would expect from 'fuck christmas' the american and christian styles, it looks like all of my suggestions are as invalid as you suggest. since this boycotting has turned hypothetical it follows my suggestions follow suit.
i would find it far more entertaining if jk were as adamant about boycotting christmas as i read it.
about the cash i agree completely. i don't need a t-bill otherwise i would buy one. i do find it a practical addition to cash though for the reasons i've already stated.
you're assuming one principle. what if you were pluralistic, and also had a principle of being moderately kind to people, especally your grandmother?
that's all i'm saying. usually people make moral decisions based off of more than one principle. that's what makes life and decision making so difficult.
that's all i'm saying. usually people make moral decisions based off of more than one principle. that's what makes life and decision making so difficult.
when i said mitigate your poison i was talking about taking other things into consideration to make the most favorable decision. so if you cared more about kindness then so be it, but it seems like he is negating that principle by tearing down something the gift givers appreciate so i see it as a non-issue.
if i had enough animosity for the holiday i wouldn't play any of these games making people happy if i really didn't like the event. fortunately i don't mind and just roll with it.
if i had enough animosity for the holiday i wouldn't play any of these games making people happy if i really didn't like the event. fortunately i don't mind and just roll with it.
well usually it's not one principle or the other if they conflict. it's usually a reasonable balance.
i hate the holiday, but i also love my family. so i strike a middle ground.
i hate the holiday, but i also love my family. so i strike a middle ground.
i like christmas...
that's about it.
that's about it.
Author(s): Waldfogel, Joel
Title: The Deadweight Loss of Christmas
Source: American Economic Review v83, n5 (December 1993): 1328-36
Standard No: ISSN: 0002-8282
look it up...
Title: The Deadweight Loss of Christmas
Source: American Economic Review v83, n5 (December 1993): 1328-36
Standard No: ISSN: 0002-8282
look it up...
I guess I missed this thread.
most of my relatives have no clue what to get me so they just give me money. or something like socks that they know I need.
my immediate family (mom, dad, sister) knows a couple things I want usually and gets me that. I only buy gifts for them.
most of my relatives have no clue what to get me so they just give me money. or something like socks that they know I need.
my immediate family (mom, dad, sister) knows a couple things I want usually and gets me that. I only buy gifts for them.
it's about that time of year again
I love thanksgiving. That's my input. A holiday whose sole purpose is to have one AWESOME meal with people you give a shit about.
Good stuff through and through.
Good stuff through and through.
a holiday that hasn't been tainted by corporate america
yeah, Thanksgiving is nice.
Is it bad that I prefer digital gifts?
I don't usaully buy into the materialization of christmas. But regardless, I do like to show gratitude to my buddies. Usaully we just take a casino trip and I pay them with whatever they want to play. Then they usaully give me a stake. If they double their money, they pay me back. We're pretty on the same level where we don't need anything.
As for my family, we have this secret santa thing we do every year. I usaully cave in and buy everyone something though. I never expect anything in return, so if I get one REALLY good gift, I am ecstatic.
I don't usaully buy into the materialization of christmas. But regardless, I do like to show gratitude to my buddies. Usaully we just take a casino trip and I pay them with whatever they want to play. Then they usaully give me a stake. If they double their money, they pay me back. We're pretty on the same level where we don't need anything.
As for my family, we have this secret santa thing we do every year. I usaully cave in and buy everyone something though. I never expect anything in return, so if I get one REALLY good gift, I am ecstatic.
i talked to my dad today. he said he transferred $200 into my checking for me to buy people christmas presents with. i hate how he forces me to buy presents!
two reasons this sucks:
1. it embraces the commercialism of the season
2. it creates a well-documented dead-weight loss
two reasons this sucks:
1. it embraces the commercialism of the season
2. it creates a well-documented dead-weight loss
just buy one gift for me and be done with it :)
i hate christmas too. i find it awkward.
like.. why are you buying me a present.
> it creates a well-documented dead-weight loss
qft!
like.. why are you buying me a present.
> it creates a well-documented dead-weight loss
qft!
It would be nice if it was about finding a gift that you want to give to people you care about. Rather than shopping for as many people as possible using lists of crap.
What happened to christmas? When did it stop being fun, and become a fucking chore.
What happened to christmas? When did it stop being fun, and become a fucking chore.