My life has not been a charmed life, the kind you have when you were born with a ‘silver spoon in your mouth’ - the saying in my hometown in Minnesota. But in every way, I have had a full and fabulous life up to this point. I had great experiences in high school and college that resulted in successfully launching me into a career in education; I got married and built a homestead from scratch with my husband– a log home made from hand that was a handcrafted marvel that got us a lot of media attention and accolades; then I found a grad school program I loved which transformed my career into one that has lasted for 25 years. I have traveled North America by car, plane, and by school bus, backpacking in the most remote of places, meeting some of the most fascinating common everyday people, and having profound experiences within the natural world. I have accompanied undergraduate students on semester long studies to Scotland, France, and India. I have a mentor who has worked with me to transform my thinking in ways that has given me deep connection with all life – past, present and future.
I have not made a lot of money in my career, but I have been thrifty, frugal, and willing to forgo popular fads in order to do the work I love and still survive financially. I have owned two homes, bought new cars, and traveled for fun to places that I have wanted to experience. I mostly do my shopping at Good Will, Farmers Markets, and hometown stores and I don’t get caught up in needing all the latest gadgets. (I do long for a Cuisinart). I don’t lack for friends – I have a rich and deep tapestry of humans that adorn my life in multiple ways. I buy good food – organic and local whenever possible; I have always driven fuel efficient cars not caring for what is cool or stylish. I am way too busy with the myriad of things that have meaning and value in my life. I don’t lack for a thing – nada, nothing. I can’t imagine needing anything I don’t already have (except of course, that Cuisinart).
So why am I telling you this? Because I want you to know that I am thriving even though I have never once stepped foot in a Walmart. That confession shocked one of my graduate students a few years back when I shared that one of my life goals was to never shop at Walmart. She looked at me horrified and blurted out “But how do you survive?” I stopped and thought about it because not only did I feel that I was surviving very well, I actually felt that I was thriving. Still do.
What is it about the American culture that has us needing oh so many things – not just every month, but every week, and sometimes every day. Why is shopping the past time of choice? And why is buying something for 10 cents less, or several dollars less the reason to drive 45 minutes to the nearest Walmart store to save that two dollars. I hate to shop. I hate to walk around being enticed by unnecessary objects. Now I realize this all would be different for me if I had children – somewhere the simple life goes out the window as children enter the scene... or at least that is what folks tell me and what I witness in my friends who have children. But I ask, does it really have to be this way? Why are we so gullible?
So Walmart is there to offer the best deal on just about anything one could desire –or it create desires where there weren’t any before. Being the political beast that I am, the 2006 documentary “The High Cost of Low Cost” affirmed my decision to boycott Walmart. What I had always known intuitively was now there for the world to watch. They don’t pay living wages, they get most of their stuff from China or other sweat shop pimp countries. They hurt locally owned businesses if not banish them all together. Walmart is one of the wealthiest corporations in the world and they don’t have to care about small towns or main street. They don’t have to care about workers. They care about their bottom line – profit. The movie is an incredible expose of the worst of American business. And most of us have succumbed to its lures. If you haven’t watched it, please find a copy and review it. If you think Walmart is going green, consider it a great case of green wash. If you depend on Walmart for your survival and happiness, I am here to attest that life can be full, rich, meaningful without ever stepping one foot inside one of their stores. I promise you – it’s true.
When our town went to battle a few years back over whether or not to allow a Walmart in our midst, the people giving pro Walmart testimony kept focusing on the fact that they wanted a place to buy underwear without having to drive 45 minutes. A few of us opposing folks decided that a great summer event in the local park would be an “underwear festival”. Imagine it if you can – booths and booths of underwear vendors selling their wares to save our town from the impact of Walmart. Though the festival has never gotten off the ground, I do think, since we defeated the Walmart proposal, that we do owe those folks a chance at some great underwear deals. Stay tuned. We could make history.
I really identified with your post Coleen. I detest Walmart! And yet.... I do frequent Target, which I suspect is just a shinier, prettier version of Walmart. Everytime I go to Target, I am disgusted by the "discount bins" (bins of cheap, useless plastic junk), and by the seemingly endless rows of things we don't need but think we must have. I actually avoid taking my daughter to Target, because I do not want her to be raised to be a consumer. Big box stores like Walmart and Target exploit the sense of desire humans seem to have for shiny objects :)
ReplyDeleteSo why do I shop at Target? Well.... I can get organic milk for $1.00 cheaper per half gallon, and I can pick up items like socks and a picture frame all at the same time. But I really need to? Where would I go instead for items like socks? I really appreciate your post, because it is making me re-think where I do my everyday shopping, not just select items.
Hi Coleen,
ReplyDeleteAt least 15 years ago my mom told me how bad Walmart was, and that allowing them into a community harmed locally owned small businesses (I think this was before the movie), and how Okemos (where I was raised) fought to keep Walmart out, only for it to be built years later.
Because of my mothers view on Walmart I do not shop there and tell everyone who will listen why they should not.
Although I wish I could say I was raised to be thrifty, I was not. I was raised to not only buy the new fashion of the year, but paint color and car.
It was my husband who was raised being very frugal, who has taught me a great deal about needing "things." We have been married 20 years, and I can go into our room and pull out many shirts that he has had every one of those twenty years, as he does not care what the fashion statement of the day is, only if it fits and is clean.
Yes, when you have kids you want them to have the best. Media tells us they need new this and that, because it has been improved since anyone else purchased it last. I have fallen into that trap.
My oldest daughter (who is the family fashionista), who I tell over and over that corporations jobs are to try and figure out how to get her to part from her money, has even figured out a way to keep her kids in the latest fashion while saving money at the same time.
She purchases most of her kids clothes from a second hand store that carries name brands like she prefers, at a fraction of the cost. Her kids always look very well dressed and don't mind wearing lightly worn clothes, so maybe some of what we are saying is getting through.
Point is, it has been a long road for me to come 1/4 of the way you have, but I am trying and you are right. Fashions come and go, a comfortable pair of jeans or shirt lasts a long time.
I love your communities idea of an underwearfest, what a great idea!
Hey, breaking news!!! Belfast is getting its own underwear store - it's called Town Drawers.
ReplyDeleteI love it - don't have to organize the underwear festival now.