65 shopping days until Christmas!

[sophiaserpentia]

Reading Brave New World. Man! Compulsory consumption. Mindnumbing corporate mass entertainment completely devoid of intellectual content. Widespread use or encouragment of sex and drugs to dull the mind and spirit. Job specialization and a rigid class-caste system.

I'm sure glad I don't live in THAT world. In THIS world I can freely talk about how much I despise Christmas, especially the compulsory consumerism involved with the whole season, and not feel like a freak or outcast.

Comments

[kumbunny.livejournal.com]

cannot help but feel that you are bias.

endless sex and obstacle golf!!!!

don't knock it until you try it y0

[liminalia.livejournal.com]

BNW is one of that handful of books I've read over & over again. It's hard to believe it was written that long ago.

[valdelane.livejournal.com]

Tremendous quantities of Christmas crap...err merchandise showed up at Costco in September. Un-fucking-believable.

For a few close kidlets -- I'm Auntie to several -- I'll buy a gift in the vicinity of their birthday. Other than that, I ignore the usual expectations on bday/Christmas/Solstice gifts. If I'm inspired, I might buy/fix/make something for someone I love at some random time of year. They've learned that I think no less of them even though I'm capricious.

[archanglrobriel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, BNW is one of those books that I can't read comfortably anymore. When I first read it I was ten or eleven and the world looked very different. Now it hits a little close to the bone.

Ah Christmas, the whore of Babylon got nothing on you!

[ex-rosabel-b372.livejournal.com]

Have you read Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman. Something tells me you might very well enjoy it.

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

Actually I stopped reading that about a third of the way through because, while I thought he had many good points, I couldn't stand his condescending tone any longer. That was ten years ago, though, maybe I should take another peek.

[ex-rosabel-b372.livejournal.com]

Yes, it was more than a bit condescending, but if you can overlook that, he really does have some excellent points. I should read it again because it's been a good 7 or so years since I read it. I first read it, of all places, for my Preaching 101 class in seminary. An interesting read for that type of course/setting, I think.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

This was an excellent book. Great recommmendation.

[cruelly-kind.livejournal.com]

To paraphrase Dave barry, when you see the Christmas junk all over the place, you know it's almost Halloween.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

I dunno... I'd like to go to a feely. ;)

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

Within our lifetimes.

[badsede.livejournal.com]

I don't like Christmas either - but only the compulsory consumption and expectations of social interactions - so we can be outcasts together.

I'm more of an Easter guy anyway.