# Anti-Consumption
I'm a bit of a rebel.
I'm a skater. I don't respect the authority of anyone who tries to tell me "no"*. In my opinion, the only real power authority has is the threat of force. And if your power is "do this or I'll hurt you", I don't respect you either. It's why I hate cops.
But anyway, the powers that b (opens new window) have gotten a little too fat off of consumer spending so we are now ruled by, quite literally, evil mega-corporations. It used to be Google's motto: Don't be evil. (opens new window)
"Absolute power corrupts absolutely"
There's another saying I'm fond of, which really is instrumental in waging war against corporate greed, and that is:
"Vote with your wallet."
It's why I buy Bitcoin. (But if anyone asks, I lost my keys in a boating accident.) I recognize the only real power we all have is the power to say "no" right back at them.
Take a look at this video.
If this isn't a wake-up call, I don't know what is.
Guess what? I don't want to support this financial system. What do I do? I opt out (buy Bitcoin. Seriously. (opens new window)). It's not the first time I've opted out of something I don't support. Since college, I've been using various free and open source operating systems as opposed to Windows. In 2020, I deleted Facebook and made this blog instead.
In this sense, I've always been a rebel. Choosing to opt out and put my money where my mouth is.
Today is no different.
# February 28th
I keep tabs on various subreddits and one of them caught my attention recently. r/Anticonsumption (opens new window) posted the above image which reminded me about their effort to "opt out" of the economy in 2025.
No Buy Movement
byu/Pitiful_Click inAnticonsumption
It might sound crazy, but I truly believe this is the only way things can change. At the very least, it is well within my realm of possible actions I can take against this corrupt system.
There are a number of events planned for 2025, but one of the first one's happening this Friday, February 28th: A full, economic blackout. No spending and cancel your subscriptions.
# Considerations
While I am in favor of boycotting a number of major corporations, there are some considerations I will have to take when canceling some of my major subscriptions.
The irony of deleting Facebook is that I still use (however sparingly) Instagram, which is still supporting Meta. I don't even use it that much, except to keep track of my local silent book club (opens new window) and to message tattoo artists.
As I've been socializing lately, I notice people still defer to Instagram as the default means of connecting with. Going forward, I could just ask for people's phone number instead. But I think minimizing my use of the app while I figure out how not to cut off my social circle that exists only on Instagram might be enough for me to keep it around for now.
This one is going to be tough. Since I've used the internet, I've relied— nay, I've trusted Google to safe keep my data in the cloud. I use Google, I use Gmail, I use Google Nest devices. These are all things that will be difficult (but not impossible) to replace. I've already switched to Duck Duck Go (opens new window). I have a raspberry pi lying around and there are open source AI implementations like Open Voice OS (opens new window) so I could possibly create my own smart device. These will be among some of the things I will be considering on Friday when I cancel my subscriptions.
# Amazon
This will be the biggest sacrifice in convenience. In reality, it will probably be easier than I think since most things that are sold on Amazon can be bought directly from the vendors website. Will I get next day delivery? Possibly not. But I think that's a small price to pay, actually.
# Groceries and Clothing
Fortunately for me, I don't shop at Walmart or Target. I live close by to a Publix (opens new window), which is an employee owned business. I also live within walking distance to a local Asian supermarket and a second hand clothing store. This will be a good excuse to walk to and patron these locations.
I hope, in reading my thoughts on the matter, you will choose to take actions similar or at the very least, opt out of spending money for one day.