American Waltz: a Black Friday rant
It's a Santa Claus world, if you will
Of ice cream and candy bars - eat your fill
And marshmallow fatness that's bound to kill
But we love it that way.
Yes, we love it that way
Every day
and we hope that the fat times are here to stay,
La la-la-la la-la la la... (from "American Waltz" by Biff Rose)
So here we are, at the official opening of the holiday shopping insanity. I stand here in an enviable position, needing nothing, not defined by what I have or how others see my accumulation of things. I have trouble understanding why anyone would run up credit card debt for worthless baubles and status symbols. Something must be wrong with me - that's downright un-American. Isn't it?
It's a Santa Claus world, where everyone dines
On gluttonous steaks and champagnes and wine
And all virgin waitresses high in the sky
On United Airlines
Industrial pancake
And neon co-op
Mechanical humans - thanks a lot.
La la-la-la la-la la la...
It's a form of insanity, really, to think that a flat-screen TV or an iPhone will bring you more happiness than a sunset or a child's smile, or a glass of water on a hot day. Technology is a tool, a tool that is only useful in whatever capacity it brings humans together to solve their problems or loneliness. And food? You should eat to live, not live to eat. Who the frell needs gold-dusted chocolates? People are starving and struggling, some of them in your own neighborhood. Unless it's your wedding anniversary or some similar milestone, the waste involved in impressing someone with that oh-so-expensive meal in an "exclusive" restaurant makes me want to cry.
In our Santa Claus world the decorations appear
For Christmas in April - the savior is here!
With mass-produced love and peace everywhere
Ten dollars a pair.
It's the spirit of giving
Through selling and buying
It's the spirit of dying
La la-la-la la-la la la...
And here we get to the crux of the matter. Holidays are also tools, useful for telling others that we love them, forming family traditions, and forming community. That can be done with a gift of attention, a homemade craft, cookies, breakfast in bed, or non-commercial means. Holidays should not be an excuse to sell useless crap that will end up in a landfill.
It's a Santa Claus world so let's go for a ride
In cars shaped like bullets with people inside
And concrete that covers our whole countryside
But we love it that way!
I like my countryside not covered in concrete, thank you very much. At this point we have gasoline-powered (or diesel-powered) vehicles. Well and good. But transportation is also a tool. It's important because it allows us to go places like to check on grandma, see a doctor, buy necessities, get to a job, or visit a park - or people. If I had a nickel for every car commercial I've seen where that is NOT what they are selling. Like beer commercials telling us that their brand is associated with picking up chicks, automobile companies want us to associate their vehicles with power, prestige, wealth, or fun.
I'm off the merry-go-round. I will not participate in Black Friday and I will barely be seen in the stores between now and December 25th. I'll be buying a few little extras to let the important people in my life know they are cared about, not on credit, and not to impress anyone except the recipient. When I'm done, they will know they are loved. And I will know I stayed within a budget.
Yes, we all love to dance our American Waltz.
It's our dream come false.
La la-la-la la-la la la...
(To hear the song AMERICAN WALTZ by Biff Rose, circa 1969, go here.)
Of ice cream and candy bars - eat your fill
And marshmallow fatness that's bound to kill
But we love it that way.
Yes, we love it that way
Every day
and we hope that the fat times are here to stay,
La la-la-la la-la la la... (from "American Waltz" by Biff Rose)
So here we are, at the official opening of the holiday shopping insanity. I stand here in an enviable position, needing nothing, not defined by what I have or how others see my accumulation of things. I have trouble understanding why anyone would run up credit card debt for worthless baubles and status symbols. Something must be wrong with me - that's downright un-American. Isn't it?
It's a Santa Claus world, where everyone dines
On gluttonous steaks and champagnes and wine
And all virgin waitresses high in the sky
On United Airlines
Industrial pancake
And neon co-op
Mechanical humans - thanks a lot.
La la-la-la la-la la la...
It's a form of insanity, really, to think that a flat-screen TV or an iPhone will bring you more happiness than a sunset or a child's smile, or a glass of water on a hot day. Technology is a tool, a tool that is only useful in whatever capacity it brings humans together to solve their problems or loneliness. And food? You should eat to live, not live to eat. Who the frell needs gold-dusted chocolates? People are starving and struggling, some of them in your own neighborhood. Unless it's your wedding anniversary or some similar milestone, the waste involved in impressing someone with that oh-so-expensive meal in an "exclusive" restaurant makes me want to cry.
In our Santa Claus world the decorations appear
For Christmas in April - the savior is here!
With mass-produced love and peace everywhere
Ten dollars a pair.
It's the spirit of giving
Through selling and buying
It's the spirit of dying
La la-la-la la-la la la...
And here we get to the crux of the matter. Holidays are also tools, useful for telling others that we love them, forming family traditions, and forming community. That can be done with a gift of attention, a homemade craft, cookies, breakfast in bed, or non-commercial means. Holidays should not be an excuse to sell useless crap that will end up in a landfill.
It's a Santa Claus world so let's go for a ride
In cars shaped like bullets with people inside
And concrete that covers our whole countryside
But we love it that way!
I like my countryside not covered in concrete, thank you very much. At this point we have gasoline-powered (or diesel-powered) vehicles. Well and good. But transportation is also a tool. It's important because it allows us to go places like to check on grandma, see a doctor, buy necessities, get to a job, or visit a park - or people. If I had a nickel for every car commercial I've seen where that is NOT what they are selling. Like beer commercials telling us that their brand is associated with picking up chicks, automobile companies want us to associate their vehicles with power, prestige, wealth, or fun.
I'm off the merry-go-round. I will not participate in Black Friday and I will barely be seen in the stores between now and December 25th. I'll be buying a few little extras to let the important people in my life know they are cared about, not on credit, and not to impress anyone except the recipient. When I'm done, they will know they are loved. And I will know I stayed within a budget.
Yes, we all love to dance our American Waltz.
It's our dream come false.
La la-la-la la-la la la...
(To hear the song AMERICAN WALTZ by Biff Rose, circa 1969, go here.)