I am not participating in "society" anymore....

[LeftHander]

I have fought commercialism and "normal" society all my life. But I have been lulled by the little perks of new cars, nice clothes, gadgets, big salaries. I have let these things drag my life into a soft muzzeled existence, it is like a slow creeping disease.

With the election I have taken careful stock in what my place in our culture was and I came up with a list. My wife, daughter and I have already implemented many items on this list over the years. Since the election we have added a few more and I have challenged myself with the top two on the list over the past month. I honestly believe that change in America will only happen when the forces that drive our culture change.

Join me and lets turning our backs on the machine that has allowed America to regress into an idiot, TV Nation and forced many of us to live in ways that are at odds with our values.

Most of these we all pretty much can say "yeah..I do that already.". Some we can always do more of..but some...will be very challenging to do for many. One thing is for sure...it will change your life and the lives of people around you. I has done so for me.

If you already are acknowledging this entire list then you are the TRUE LEADERS in our society...and this is the direction that will lead to REAL change in America.

I will not watch ANY television.

I will not listen to ANY commercial radio.

I will not shop at malls.

I will not shop at big box retail stores.

I will buy only what I need to support my family.

I will patronize locally owned businesses whenever possible.

I will buy and eat organically and locally produced non-gm foods whenever possible.

I will not tolerate invasive advertising.

I will not take on unnecessary debt.

I will not drink soda.

I will not eat "junk" food.

I will not eat fast food.

I will choose live performance.

I will choose substance over plastic culture.

I will be "culture creator" not just a consumer.

I will reduce, reuse and recycle.

I will choose renewable and ozone neutral energy sources whenever possible.

I will not patronize establishments that have more than one TV. If there is a TV present I will ask that it be turned off if no one is really watching it.

I will talk to people.

I will not be afraid to tell people how I feel.

I will listen patiently.

I will read more.

I will stop fussing over a lawn of "kentucky bluegrass".

I will demand clean air.

I will demand clean water.

I will listen to music for an evening of entertainment.

I will purchase art from a local artist.

I will talk to my children more.

I will not buy a firearm designed to kill people.

I will not kill for sport.

I will not just tolerate but embrace.

I will not stand idly by and support people who foster hate and fear.

I will take a stand.

I will take a chance.

I will not be afraid.

I will choose peace over war.

I will choose love over hate.

[Zorra]

1. Great idea. DU Economic Activism Forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

[MsAnthropy]

2. RIIIIIIIIIIIGHT. Good luck with that! n/t

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[el_gato]

10. stop whining

"fuck you"? maybe you're getting a little defensive there
maybe the poster hit a sore point.

[yodermon]

13. dude

I think you read "You must" in place of "I will" in the original post.

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. Don't you mean "Go Cheney Yourself?"

:eyes:

[China_cat]

4. Sounds so wonderful

But from someone who tried all those things in the 60's please add this to your list;

I will be so bored.

[el_gato]

8. why?

Haven't you ever heard of reading a book, learning to play and instrument, growing a garden, etc. etc.
If laying around watching t.v. alleviates bordom for you I would say
you have a very low threshold for stimulation.

[China_cat]

20. Strict adherence to your set of 'rules'

will only make you feel boxed in, eventually...which leads to a feeling of boredom. Or at least dissatisfaction, like something is missing. It's as limiting as any other regimentation.

I read (10 or more books a month), have 4 dogs, 6 cats (2 diabetic), have discovered computer graphics, take 4 or more classes per year just for fun...not toward any kind of degree goal...do all the things on your list except for garden (where we are we aren't allowed to by zoning laws, but I did in the house we lived before this one) and I still find that once in a while I want to watch tv, go to a movie or any of a number of things on your 'forbidden' list.

Moderation in everything, including moderation.

[el_gato]

24. he didn't say he wouldn't watch a movie

but regardless I do whatever I want to and I never seem to want to watch tv (I'm referring to broadcast tv not renting a movie) since I find it annoying more than entertaining.

zoning laws that don't allow gardening sound pretty fucked up BTW

[China_cat]

25. Yep, you're right about the zoning laws here

Code enforcement is the pits. We got annexed into the city over our objections. I've even gotten a ticket for my dog shitting in MY fenced yard because I wasn't there with a shovel under her ass.

Last year they even instituted a tax on rain water runoff. Yep...we have to pay to get rained on.

It's very, very difficult to sell houses in this area now.

I may not be able to garden but I do buy from the local farmer's market.

[John BigBootay]

26. What about watching TV with Tivo?

Tivo is awesome-- you can skip right thru commercials or whatever content you don't feel comfortable with.

But of course purchasing a Tivo would break one of those rules too, soo.... nevermind....

Did I say "good luck" with your new life, yet???

[datasuspect]

11. what did you find

that was fun/not boring since the 60s?

[China_cat]

21. see my reply to el gato

[prairierose]

29. Good heavens, how do you have time to be bored?

there are so many books to read, so much to write, so many people to meet & talk to, so many children to teach the value of free speech & free thought.

I have never in my life had time to be bored; there is soooo much I want to learn. And since the election, I have been spending so much time writing letters & talking to people & trying to organize groups to save our country & save the future for our children.

I already do most of that stuff & have for most of my life. I watch only a few select television show,(mostly cable channels like A&E & Scifi) I only watch Keith Olbermann for news & never turn on commercial radio. I'm working on starting a liberal talk show for a local low power radio station that will also be streamed online.

The list goes on....

[datasuspect]

5. YOU ARE RIGHT

i'm with you every step of the way.

people will ridicule you because they are locked in the consumeristic mindfuck and could NEVER imagine their life without television.

get off the grid as much as possible and engage the consumer culture as little as possible.

you're not alone.

[glitch]

9. Datasuspect is correct - and the ridicule is based on lack of courage

and imagination.
What you are proposing is actually a fun and enriching way to live.

You are not alone.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

6. The kick is it's not an all-or-nothing proposition

Even if the disgust with predatory corporatism/consumerism only makes you avoid a few of the thing listed above, that's already something.

[el_gato]

7. I already do most of those things

[indigobusiness]

12. It's called "comfortably numb".

I'm so proud of you.

[BrendaStarr]

14. I will not talk to my children?

Who knew that was a corrupt right wing thing?

I'm afraid I'm going to have to break that one.

BTW CostCo the ultimate big box store heavily supports Democrats and treats their employees fairly.

KMart supported Martha Stewart a well known Democratic activist who is in jail now though Kenny Boy still walks around freely. They do not donate to Democrats more than Republicans so its a toss up. Kudos to them for not joining the witch hunt though.


There are lots of surpises out there. Check out your favorite product producers. There was a blue/red list going around for a while, but it didn't cover everything.

I found one of my favorite designers of simple greetings and such donates decently though not spectacularly to democrats.

I'm thinking we need to stand up for ourselves and fight for our rights instead of making up lists of what we can and cannot do.

Our big problem is we are always hoping for some group to do things for us and tell us what to do.

I do believe that if we fail to overturn this election we need to treat the next 4 years as a campaign on the interenet where so many of our young people nearly live their lives.

Get to the mixed boards and chats. The right wingers are already there spouting lies. And if you do this enough the shopping habits do atrophy to where you are only buying what your family needs according to my experience.

[Willy Lee]

15. Please re-read...

"I will talk to my children more"

[SmokingJacket]

16. I think you're right, but listing a bunch of "rules" just annoys some

people.

Frankly, I hate TV, always have, hate junk food, always have.

I think living life closer to reality -- that is, one in which I actually enjoy the stuff I have rather than always looking for new stuff -- is healthier and saner. Learning to play an instrument (which I did in my 30s) was far more satisfying in the long run than buying a ton of CDs, for example.

I agree with you that consumerism funds the right wing, if that's what you're saying.

But of course there's nothing wrong with watching football on TV with a bunch of retired people. Sounds awesome.

Point is: taking time to reevaluate life after this election is NOT a bad thing.

[LeftHander]

18. Not a code....or rules...

Just guidelines...

lol

(I didn't say you couldn't watch movies...)

[deep sea]

22. How bout books on tape?

[LeftHander]

23. I'd say anything that turns the TV off....

Is a good thing...

Though I would still recommend reading, books on tape are cool in the car...and entertaining. It is like the old time radio shows in a way...

or chapter a day...on public radio..


Sharing a book by reading aloud as a family is a fantastic family activity...

[LeftHander]

19. LOL - WILL talk to my children more...

Bit of a slip...there...

I'm sure people made the connection..

had to run off after posting for a meeting...

[Johonny]

27. once again

I think the democrats are much better off talking about moderation of modern life as a virtue. Telling people to abstain from TV, Malls and all consumerism is going to get you more George Bush... and I've had enough of him.

I will buy and eat organically and locally produced non-gm foods whenever possible.

What is with the whole non-gm food scare? All food is organic. All the food you get has been genetically modified by man. What’s the difference if it’s been genetically modified over 300 years or 1 week? A lot of the time the difference between the Organic and non-organic marked food is price… and that’s it. The whole genetic scare thing is so funny to me. You wont be afraid… well except of watching a little TV, doing a little Mall walking, eating a bad food… Damn it man your living in fear!


I will choose substance over plastic culture.

Huh? Culture is what it is. There is no culture scale. You may think you're living a better life than other people, but there is no scale by which to judge it is true.

[H2O Man]

28. "Exodus ....

movement of The People." -- Bob Marley, prophet

[talk hard]

30. I completely understand the sentiment.

I feel completely detached from the rest of our world right now. This is THEIR America. I am ashamed to be an American, ashamed of my country, ashamed of half of my countrymen who through abject ignorance continue to support the WORST PRESIDENT EVER.