The Ethics of Holiday Consumption

It is the time of gift-giving obligations. Gifts for friends, family, and significant others. And don't forget the pet gifts, Secret Santa gifts, and charity gifts. While you're at it, how about a little something for your favorite mail carrier or hair stylist, professor or phlebotomist? And last but not least, don't forget the brave new world of online gifting. Right now, people are paying a dollar a pop to give virtual gifts to one another on Facebook. (Am I the only one fazed by the fact that these gifts are nothing more than little pixelated icons?)

So, what gives? Why all the pressure? For starters, consider that we live in a thoroughly materialistic society, one in which we are frequently surrounded by voices that tell us where, when, why, what, and how to consume. And for those who stand to make a profit from all this gift-giving activity, it pays to keep fanning the flames.

It is the time of gift-giving, and gift exchanges involve some fairly deep underlying principles, mainly "what goes around, comes around" or "pay it forward." Whether we like it or not, it is difficult to escape the weight of culture and tradition—not to mention the high expectations—that surround gifting. If we ignore these traditions—or heaven forbid, rebel against them outright—there are consequences. You rebuff a gift, fail to reciprocate, or are outed for "re-gifting," and suddenly rumors start to circulate about that cheap, lazy SOB who can't bother to follow the simplest of society's rules.

But have no fear! Opting out of this gift madness is possible, and it helps if you begin by developing a solid rationale. Embracing the miserly, PBR-drinking sloth who lives deep within you is one obvious approach, but it's not likely to win friends or improve your reputation. For some serious gift-slacking bona fides, you'll need a better explanation for your behavior, one that can be delivered with a smug sense of superiority and withstand the barbs of critics. And here is where we must look beyond social expectations, good manners, and civility to speak about the ethics of consumption.

The fact remains that every tchotchke given, every gift card that is passed along, represents the exchange of some quantity of money, materials, power, and/or labor. And quite simply, these exchanges are rarely—if ever—benign. They frequently involve sweatshop labor, environmentally damaging production and disposal processes, oppressive political regimes, and/or padding the pockets of the rich. If a given product is made in China, then probably all of the above. So if you were already feeling glum about your complicity in the forthcoming holiday gift orgy, things are starting to look positively dismal, aren't they? But that's the idea! We've established some underlying principles, and these are always good to bust out if you get cornered. Accused of being a lame-ass cheapskate? Hardly! You are a thoughtful and globally sensitive hipster who lives true to his or her ideals. A regular Buddha in the rough!

There also remain some practical questions about how to turn such principles into actions. One approach is to take no action at all, i.e. stop consuming. This is the sort of message that groups like Adbusters (www.adbusters.org) like to deliver, including through their promotion of "Buy Nothing Day." Every year, an expanding assortment of activists takes this message to the streets, shopping malls, big boxes, and media outlets on the day after Thanksgiving—AKA Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year.

Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping (www.revbilly.com) deliver a similar message, albeit with their own unique blend of gospel-style performance and in-your-face street activism. I first encountered these merry pranksters back in 2005, when Billy and some members of his Stop Shopping Gospel Choir visited Blacksburg during Earth Week. In addition to leading a quite engaging "church-style" service in Squires, they organized a march from the drillfield to Kent Square to protest the Starbucks that was coming to town. If you'd like to see Billy in action—performing feats like exorcising cash registers—don't miss What Would Jesus Buy, a new documentary about the Reverend and his crew produced by Morgan Spurlock (of Super Size Me fame).

I also admit that it's not possible to shop stopping entirely. We need certain goods to survive and get around in the world. And golly, don't you think you should get a little holiday gift for that special someone in your life? If you ask the activists about this conundrum, they'll tell you to support local businesses and products. Doing so keeps money in the town and region, reduces the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing and transporting goods, and creates an improved sense of community. Also look for "fair trade" goods, which are often produced abroad, but with a commitment to environmental sustainability and fair wages.

And don't forget these other simple ideas. If you have a tradition of trading gifts with everyone in your family, for example, why not trade names this year? Rather than buying something for everyone, each participant buys something nicer for one or two people. And if you really want to push the envelope, consider donating to a charity or non-profit organization in the name of your recipient. Some groups even provide you with a verified gift receipt. Other organizations are now offering "gift cards" that allow the recipient of the card to pick the charity that gets the gift.

Using these strategies, you too can decrease your holiday stress, improve your ethics of consumption, and help spread the good word to others.