Sunday, December 15, 2019

"All I want for Christmas is 100 more likes"/ A PostSecret Christmas Story


Dec. 16, 2017 "All I want for Christmas is 100 more likes": Today I found this article by Andrew Potter in the National Post in the Edmonton Journal.

 It reminded me when I saw a spray paint message on West Ed Mall: "Shop for identity."

It’s Christmastime, but something’s missing from the holiday tradition — namely, the familiar complaints about Christmas becoming too commercialized. They used to be as much a part of the season as egg nog, but if anything, the problem with Christmas these days is figuring out what to buy for your loved ones, not worrying about an orgy of overspending.


The anti- consumerist rhetoric around Christmas used to be merely the culmination of an extended jihad against shopping that started around Halloween and peaked right after American Thanksgiving — this thanks to the creation of Black Friday, promoted as the busiest shopping day of the year. 

Retailers used the day after Thanksgiving as an occasion to offer enormous bargains, and shoppers dutifully lined up overnight, desperate to get their hands on the hottest toys of the year. The media always treated Black Friday with a mixture of fascination and contempt, feeding the frenzy with breathless reports on what bargains could be had, then tracking the mortifying scene of department stores transformed into suburban mosh pits.

It wasn’t so long ago that Black Friday was also one of the biggest days on the culture jammer’s calendar, because of Adbusters magazine’s successful counter-branding of it as Buy Nothing Day — a day when anticonsumerism activists try to “jam” the shoppers by cutting up credit cards, engaging in shopping mall sit- ins, participating in zombie walks or critical mass rides, and so on. Their point was to not buy anything, while drawing attention to the grossness of those who were.

This went on for the better part of the first decade of the new century, and then ... it just went away. Buy Nothing Day is so completely off the radar that even Adbusters barely promotes it any more. There’s currently a “Buy Nothing Xmas” subvertisement (geddit?) on the magazine’s homepage, but it’s just a thirtysecond video clip showing Santa and his reindeer flying over a pile of garbage. Subtlety was never Adbusters’ strong suit, but this is barely even trying.

It isn’t just Adbusters though. The entire anti- consumerism agenda against advertising and branding, and the fun little counterculture that surrounded it, is as dead as disco. What happened? After all, it isn’t like we’ve stopped shopping: a new report out of the United States shows a healthy jump in retail spending, while U.K. retailers saw a similar boost from Black Friday sales.

A big part of it is that a lot of the Christmas- gift sort of stuff we used to spend a lot of money on, especially clothing and consumer electronics, is now very inexpensive. 

Other major consumption categories — including music, movies, television, video games, magazines and books — have switched to a subscription-and- streaming model, so even when we are actually paying for this stuff, we’re not really participating in the cultural activity that used to be called consumerism.

As Bloomberg reported earlier this week, brand-loyalty amongst consumers is at an all- time low, and once- powerful brands such as Nike, J. Crew, The Gap and even Lululemon are suffering as shoppers increasingly turn towards private labels. “Millennials don’t care as much about logos,” said one retail consultant in the story.

OK, but the question is, why is this happening? To see what’s really going on it’s worth keeping in mind that the fight over consumerism was never really about shopping. Instead, it was always a proxy for other fights people wanted to have. As Naomi Klein made clear in her anti-consumerist manifesto No Logo, the real struggle wasn’t about branding, it was about globalization, the environment, or sweatshops. It was no real surprise to see that in later works she just dealt with those issues directly in her books on “shock” capitalism and on climate change.

But mostly what people wanted to fight over was taste, as filtered through class prejudices. That is, the fight over consumerism was largely about identity, which you signalled through which brands you wore, what music you listened to, what movies you watched, what slang you adopted. Back in the golden age of identity-driven consumerism, you could tell pretty much anything you needed to know about someone, especially which tribe they belonged to, by giving their record collection a quick scan.

These tribal differences weren’t neutral though, since no signalling of taste is ever totally innocent. Instead, all of these competing styles and identities were shot through with status claims, largely having to do with who is richer and/or cooler. The 1985 movie The Breakfast Club set the template for an entire generation of teenagers by riffing off the status dynamic between the archetypal princess, nerd, jock, burnout and freakazoid, all of whom could be instantly identified by their haircuts. 

And that is where things seemed destined to sit, as North America reached the end of history, which Francis Fukuyama famously characterized as the comfortable life of “liberal democracy in the polit- ical sphere combined with easy access to VCRs and stereos in the economic.”

But something happened on the way to the end of history — namely, the birth of the internet and the rise of social media. The reason there is no brand- consciousness any more, and the reason why there is no corresponding anti-consumerist backlash, isn’t because no one is buying things — it is because the whole fight over status and identity that consumerism represented has migrated online, lock, stock and Bumble.

Where once it was possible to think of the analog world of meatspace as “real life” and the online world as something a bit fake or at least unimportant, that has long since ceased to be the case. Everything important in the culture now happens online, including — even especially — the fights over identity and status.

But now the battle for status is fought directly through social media: Instead of being mediated through our consumption habits, the indirect proxy war of status- seeking that drove consumerism from the post-war period until the turn of the millennium is now hand-to-hand combat in the form of Facebook likes, Twitter RTs, Instagram followers. Why worry about getting the latest hoodie from Dreamville when your clever meme- heckle of Donald Trump goes viral and gets you name-checked on Buzzfeed? 

This alone makes status seeking seem far more exhausting, and certainly less fun, than it once was. But there is a darker side to it that feeds into one of the most destructive and dangerous phenomena of our time.

One underappreciated aspect of the old consumption- based status- signalling was the way it took the form of conspicuous virtue. In its milder forms, it consists of relatively harmless things like voluntourism or an excessive fondness for all things local or organic.

In contrast, the chief impact of social media, especially open and anonymous platforms such as Twitter, has been to turn individual virtue- signalling into a tyranny of the mob. From the left, the oneupmanship embedded in all identity politics has turned into a mass of hysterical thought-control. From the right, the traditional animosity toward the “cultural elite” has turned into an unhinged rejection of everything unpleasant as “fake news.”

It’s enough to make you nostalgic for the great age of anticonsumerism, when getting into the Christmas spirit meant fighting for your right to go shopping.
THE WHOLE FIGHT OVER STATUS AND IDENTITY HAS MIGRATED ONLINE.
https://www.pressreader.com/canada/national-post-latest-edition/20171216/281483571735166

  1. Rob McVey, T4B
    I was thinking this is interesting, thoughtful. Until the end. The penultimate para tries to do a summation. I couldn't see the connection to the rest above. Obscure. Non-sequitur. Is there an in-crowd this 'subtlety' caters to?

    — Rob McVey, T4B
    More Options
  2. Prop_Full_Fine
    We have not changed our basically frugal consumption pattern for Christmas, except to buy a frozen turkey that will be served on the holiday, then "recycled and reused" as freezer meal, sandwiches and soup in 2018... not a morsel wasted (haven't found a use for bleached bones yet!) Anyway, we do this with turkeys during the year, too. They'll be a few cents on the power bill for LED Christmas lights and a few extra bucks for eggnog and wine. All this is not for lack of money. It is...  More
    More Options
  3. GKGeorge Klein
    The most relevant Christian religious celebration is not Christmas, it is Easter.
    Easter defines Christianity, Christmas does not.
    In spite of that, in North America Christmas celebrations are huge, Easter celebrations are a nothing.
    In Europe, especially in Italy Easter celebrations are very significant.

    I still hear opinions from Christians, that Christmas is still over commercialized, and I think they are right.
My opinion: I like the article because it was about anti-consumerism.  We should all save our money.  Then it started turning into all psychology and about being cool.

 Dec. 8, 2019 A PostSecret Christmas Story:


—email—
To the person who feels horrible for telling their child there is no Santa. My son just wrote Santa last night asking for that special present. And I didn’t have the heart to tell him that “Santa’s” back injury has kept her from waiting tables these past two weeks, and with no child support check these past 7 months, all the other bills are adding up too. And the local charity is saying the application deadline is past, and they can’t guarantee anything specific.
What’s my secret?
I wish Santa Claus was real, so on Christmas, no child would have to go without, and no parent would have to feel like they failed their child.
-Amber

—email—
Hey PostSecret,
I just read the response the woman wrote about not being able to get the “special present” for her son. I know I can’t do this for every child out there, but if you’d tell her that there’s someone out there willing to try and buy their son that gift, then I’d appreciate it very much. I’d have to know what the gift is. I’m a college student with a limited budget, but I don’t want her to feel like a failure for having an injury. It would be a lovely Christmas present for me if I were able to put a smile on the faces of two strangers on Christmas morning.
-Molly
—email—
Hi Amber,
If you set up a PayPal account, I’ll contribute to it, and invite others to also.
-Frank
—email—
Dear Frank,
First off let me tell you how thankful I am to you and your wonderful offer. I was not in any way expecting any sort of help. I just wanted to let this person know that they’re not alone. I did set up a PayPal account under this email address.
Gratefully yours,
-Amber
—email—
Hi Amber,
Thanks for providing us with a way to help you give your son the Christmas all children deserve. I just made a contribution for you and expect that you might get a few more from other PostSecret visitors.
Happy Holidays,
-Frank
—email—
Hey Molly,
Check the website again. You can help,
-Frank
—email—
Dear PostSecret,
I made a donation, and I was surprised at how good it felt. You don’t have to be a millionaire to feel the joy of being generous.
-Molly
—email—
Frank,
Santa Claus is real, and alive and well. He lives in you and others like you all over the world. I’m overwhelmed by the love and generosity strangers have shown my family today. I never would have imagined it would get as large a response in such little time as it has. Not only will I be able to afford the present he asked for, but clothes and other necessities I’ve been putting off. I’ve got what I need, so please remove my PayPal account from PostSecret, and I urge anyone who wants to help someone in need to get in touch with their local charities.
Thank you for making my wish come true,
-Amber





My week:

Sun. Dec. 8, 2019 Amazon delivery driver goes viral for unbelievable reaction to customer's gift: 'Get out of here!':
 


An Amazon delivery driver is going viral after a customer's gift left him screaming in celebration. 

Kathy Ouma of Middletown, Del., leaves treats outside of her home every year with the hopes of providing refreshments to the workers who deliver packages to her door during the holiday season. But this year, her act of kindness drew at least one extraordinary reaction. 

According to a Facebook post she shared Monday, Ouma placed a box of snacks — including water bottles, sodas, Oreos and Nutter Butters — next to her front door. She left a note along with the presents, addressed to UPS, USPS, Amazon and FedEx drivers. 

"Please take some goodies to enjoy on your route. Thank you for making holiday shopping easy," Ouma's note read. 

The treats seemed to have a massive effect on one Amazon worker, who Ouma later identified as Karim Earl Reed III. Security camera footage from Ouma's doorstep shows Reed's genuine, heartwarming reaction to the goodies, which quickly became a viral sensation. 

"Oh, this is nice!" Reed shouts as he notices the snacks. "Ah, they got some goodies! Wow! Oh, this is sweet! Oh, wow, get out of here!"

Reed then takes a few bags of food and water bottle, all while continuously praising the kindness of the gift. He can even be heard saying, "This is so nice" to himself again as he walks away.

 https://ca.news.yahoo.com/now/amazon-delivery-driver-delware-surprise-snacks-christmas-


Tues. Dec. 10, 2019 Lean Six Sigma Certification: I decided to try something new.  Let's put the word "jobs" into Eventbrite website.  I found this:

Description
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified professional is well versed with Lean Six Sigma Methodology elements to lead improvement projects or member of a team handling more complex improvement projects. Boost your subject matter proficiency with CP Lean Six Sigma Green Belt to increase desirability by employers and salary.


https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lean-six-sigma-green-belt-lssgb-4-days-classroom-in-edmonton-tickets-62056943990?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

https://www.simplilearn.com/quality-management/lean-six-sigma-certification-training-all-in-one-bundle?&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=lean%20six%20sigma&utm_content=315816907410&utm_device=c&utm_campaign=Search-QM-SixSigmaNew-NA-NA-US-Main-NA-AllDevice-adgroup-Six-Sigma-Generic-Phrase&mkwid=sveeGmxI2|pcrid|315816907410|pkw|lean%20six%20sigma|pmt|p|pdv|c|slid||pgrid|71367003068|ptaid|kwd-167923222|&gclid=CjwKCAiAob3vBRAUEiwAIbs5ThjHZKUir3zEBBDrTEVvFFkqEpAe4UkCaS20WEQsRN00-cn2VUokMxoCenkQAvD_BwE

Wed. Dec. 11, 2019 Hot Jobs: I was watching the old reality TV show Starting Over (2003-2006).  Teresa is looking for a job and they show the Yahoo website and hotjobs.com.  I found this on Wikipedia: 

to search
Yahoo HotJobs, formerly known as hotjobs.com, was an online job search engine. Hotjobs. com provided tools and advice for job seekers, employers, and staffing firms. It was
 acquired by Yahoo in 2002, then acquired by Monster Worldwide, owner of its major competitor Monster.com in 2010—leading to its merger with Monster. com and eventual closure. 


Starting Over: This is a good TV show and I am learning about finance and careers from watching these women learn about it too.

Teresa has a masters degree in social work so she can be a social worker or psychotherapist.  She had 2 kids so she took time off work to raise them.
Karen wants to be a costume designer for SNL.   She dabbled in her assignment.  The life coach Rhonda gave tips.
Rhonda: You may be like if I send this email, there is no difference.  But you have to make small steps.

Teresa is $40,000 in debt, so she's on the show to get out of debt.  Right now she is planning on selling her silver and art collection on Ebay to make money.

My opinion: I'm looking over my things, and there is nothing I can sell to make money.  I don't buy things to own.  I read the newspaper and watch TV to entertain myself.

Brittany Carmichael: I have been listening to her as she talks that we're at the end of the year and we're going to the new decade.  We need to prepare for it.  It's a time to assess what happened over the year to see if we need to do something new or stop doing something else.

Finance: I am cognizant of jobs and careers.  I am also cognizant of how much money I make and spend.  I write down everything I spend my money on and calculate it each month.  Today I was looking at the whole year and I see that I didn't make a lot of money.  I didn't save a lot either, because I didn't make a lot of money.

I am careful about how much I spend.  

Stewart, Cooper & Coon: I was looking through my old link and I found this:

About Us
Stewart, Cooper & Coon provides a comprehensive array of employment services to both corporations and individuals. We continue to pioneer innovative job search processes, employment management strategies, state-of-the-art technologies and new media applications to serve our clients. Our focus is client success. We are staffed by experts who embody the term “candidate-focused.” We maintain the highest ethical standards and we are proud of our unquestionable integrity.
Stewart, Cooper & Coon has five employment services divisions. Since our inception, quality, service and dedication have been our watchwords.
https://stewartcoopercoon.com/about-us/
Thurs. Dec. 12, 2019 2 situations: Should I go to Las Vegas for a few days with my friend?  She says the hotel and flight is $750.
Pros:
1. My boss M said I was allowed to have the week off Dec. 16-22 because it's not busy.
2. I have always wanted to go to Las Vegas like since I was 21.
3. I haven't been on vacation since I went to Calgary for a few days in 2012.
4. I haven't been out of the country since I was 12 yrs old in 1998 to go to San Francisco, Disney Land, and Universal Studios for spring break with my family. 
5. I did get a whole week off in Sept. because my 2nd restaurant job had to close down to be fixed.  When that came, I thought of going to Vegas.  My boss M actually went to Vegas with her family during that time.  I learned about it after she went.  I guess I could have asked her if I can come along.  She was with her family like son and daughter-in-law.  

If I don't go now, when? 

Cons:

1. This year, I didn't make a lot of money.  When I did my finances, I would have to say all the money I made, I spent it and it was all on needs like rent and bus passes.  I didn't work a lot.  I passed 200 resumes a month.  

2. I don't know the future of next year at my 2nd restaurant job.  I'm sure a lot of you guys are saying: "No one knows the future."  Well in some cases like when I was working at Call Centre #3 in 2009. and they started cutting my shifts.  I started lowering my expectations that I will be there for a long time.  By Jan. 2010, they stopped giving me shifts. 

I also worked at Call Centre #1 and it closed down and laid me off in 2006.  I worked at Call Centre #2 in 2006 and I quit after 5 months go to school.  In 2008 it closed down.

3. I shouldn't go to the US because I hate the current American President.  That seems like an excuse not totally related to my situation.

Dec. 14, 2019 Josh Donaldson gives his mom a Maserati for quitting smoking: His mom screams and says: "Oh my god!"

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/josh-donaldson-mom-quit-smoking-free-agency-022201562.html
City Centre stores closing down:

Bentley's
Pinstripe
Fairweather
Posted by at

1 comment:

mayankj said...

thank you for sharing this nice blog mulesoft course 

August 8, 2021 at 9:41 AM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)