Do we live in a consumerist society?

[Occulus5]

On 12/10/2024 at 6:04 PM, Campion said:

  

I'm a fan of second hand stuff, I'm always snooping round charity shops and those free giveaway websites, as well as old stuff on ebay.  I couldn't care less about fashions and brand names which are a mug's game imo. Plus I get through loads of glue, sellotape, needle & cotton mending stuff before I throw it away. 

 

But yeah, you're right that we live in a consumerist or rather consuming society which relies on a high level of waste, so much so that without it we'd fall into a recession.  

 

Interesting comparison with relationships too ...  I guess the imperative of highly egotistic people is to get things for themselves. 

Yeah charity shops are a nice place to look for old stuff, you can find lots of DVDs in there for next to nothing. But charity shops annoy me when you want to give them an old good sofa or couch, if it doesn't have a fire safety label on it they won't take it. If they don't take it and someone on Gumtree or ebay doesn't want it (for free) then it just ends up at the local tip, which means more waste. And having someone take the thing away (which they will just break up anyway or fly tip it because they can't be arsed going to the local tip) will charge you for taking it. 

Edited December 12, 2024 by Occulus5

[lobster]

45 minutes ago, Occulus5 said:

Yeah charity shops are a nice place tsere a pairwhoocatnits head look for old stuff, you can find lots of DVDs in there for next to nothing. But charity shops annoy me when you want to give them an old good sofa or couch, if it doesn't have a fire safety label on it they won't take it. If they don't take it and someone on Gumtree or ebay doesn't want it (for free) then it just ends up at the local tip, which means more waste. And having someone take the thing away (which they will just break up anyway or fly tip it because they can't be arsed going to the local tip) will charge you for taking it. 

They have considerably change there operating model in recent times, from selling old shit cheaply to only selling good stuff at a fairly exspensive price, certainly with clothes, if you get a bargain it's because the old dear doing the pricing didn't know it was an Armani suit, they constantly try and sell Primark stuff for more than Primark do, because they don't understand labels

 

I was considering a pair of Chelsie boots the other day, till I saw the price, 40 quid, nobody round here will give them forty quid for a pair of old boots, even if they were 200 quid new, thats not how it works, maybe if it were a pair of design training shoes 

Edited December 12, 2024 by lobster

[LastOneLeftInTheCounty]

4 hours ago, lobster said:

They have considerably change there operating model in recent times, from selling old shit cheaply to only selling good stuff at a fairly exspensive price, certainly with clothes, if you get a bargain it's because the old dear doing the pricing didn't know it was an Armani suit, they constantly try and sell Primark stuff for more than Primark do, because they don't understand labels

 

I was considering a pair of Chelsie boots the other day, till I saw the price, 40 quid, nobody round here will give them forty quid for a pair of old boots, even if they were 200 quid new, thats not how it works, maybe if it were a pair of design training shoes 

Try small agricultural supply shops for Chelsea boots, it’s where I get mine. 
They’re really tough and last a good few years and they’re about £50 new, and they’re not the poncy ones that look all sleek that are about £200.

Proper shit-kickers.

 

Or try a website called SportsPursuit for discounted Timberland Chelsea’s, all of them around £75. 
 

I’ve also started buying fruit and veg while my garden isn’t producing, from small wholesalers who actually supply all the farm shops and grocers.

25kg sack of high grade Maris Piper potatoes for £10! 25kg of onions also £10. 
I end up buying stuff for my family and others as it’s such a good way to reduce mine and their costs. 

It’s really handy to know these people but I’m lucky as this is an old agricultural area. 

Next stop-independent butchers for beef fat to render into tallow/dripping.

F**k those seed oils. 

[lobster]

26 minutes ago, LastOneLeftInTheCounty said:

Try small agricultural supply shops for Chelsea boots, it’s where I get mine. 
They’re really tough and last a good few years and they’re about £50 new, and they’re not the poncy ones that look all sleek that are about £200.

Proper shit-kickers.

 

Or try a website called SportsPursuit for discounted Timberland Chelsea’s, all of them around £75. 
 

I’ve also started buying fruit and veg while my garden isn’t producing, from small wholesalers who actually supply all the farm shops and grocers.

25kg sack of high grade Maris Piper potatoes for £10! 25kg of onions also £10. 
I end up buying stuff for my family and others as it’s such a good way to reduce mine and their costs. 

It’s really handy to know these people but I’m lucky as this is an old agricultural area. 

Next stop-independent butchers for beef fat to render into tallow/dripping.

F**k those seed oils. 

My MO for getting good stuff cheap is not to need anything by planning ahead and have faith that a bit of patience will turn stuff up at an advantageous price

 

I've just dug out a pair of DM shoes, that I got for a song three years ago, I,ll probably get three winters from them, I'm now looking round for another pair of winter shoes/ boots to turn up at a price I can't turn down to replace them. I have two years to do so. or in the meantime any decent pair of shoes that are something I fancy for the hell of it.

 

Yes on food point, I find ethnic shops, that cater for ethnic minorities are ridiculous cheap and general better quality compared to super markets, 

15 lb of onions of three quid from the African shop for instance, big sacks of rice for a tenner from the Asian shop. If you want cabbage, go Polish etal

 

My challenge isn't buying a big sacks of food stuff for very little, it's getting a 56 lb bag of spuds home on a push bike,( which I've done and it was nowhere near as difficult as 10 gallons of emulsion paint)

Edited December 12, 2024 by lobster

[LastOneLeftInTheCounty]

6 minutes ago, lobster said:

My MO for getting good stuff cheap is not to need anything by planning ahead and have faith that a bit of patience will turn stuff up at an advantageous price

 

I've just dug out a pair of DM shoes, that I got for a song three years ago, I,ll probably get three winters from them, I'm now looking round for another pair of winter shoes/ boots to turn up at a price I can't turn down to replace them. I have two years to do so. or in the meantime any decent pair of shoes that are something I fancy for the hell of it.

 

Yes on food point, I find ethnic shops, that cater for ethnic minorities are ridiculous cheap and general better quality compared to super markets, 

15 lb of onions of three quid from the African shop for instance, big sacks of rice for a tenner from the Asian shop. If you want cabbage, go Polish etal

 

My challenge isn't buying a big sacks of food stuff for very little, it's getting a 56 lb bag of spuds home on a push bike

Fair point, transportation is the issue when dealing with these quantities.

Yeah the ethnic shops are also very good, get most of my spices from an Asian shop which they used to run as a post office. 
There’s some great deals around, all people have to do is look and inquire- step outside of the supermarket monopoly. Convenience is the excuse, and time etc, but these supermarkets have a hold of the populations balls and are trying not to let go.

 

I’m still living in the future where everyone and their mothers are running a small cottage industry for food/ essential goods, taking advantage of a community barter system.

Itll get to that stage if starmer carries on with the globalist net zero crap.

 

I was talking to one of these veg wholesalers, he said he went to Spittlefields market in old smoke the other night. He told me 80% of all stalls were ethnic- like Turkish or Asian or African. He had a hard time finding a traditional British stall that was flourishing. It was literally all sugarcane and spices 

[lobster]

19 minutes ago, LastOneLeftInTheCounty said:

Fair point, transportation is the issue when dealing with these quantities.

Yeah the ethnic shops are also very good, get most of my spices from an Asian shop which they used to run as a post office. 
There’s some great deals around, all people have to do is look and inquire- step outside of the supermarket monopoly. Convenience is the excuse, and time etc, but these supermarkets have a hold of the populations balls and are trying not to let go.

 

I’m still living in the future where everyone and their mothers are running a small cottage industry for food/ essential goods, taking advantage of a community barter system.

Itll get to that stage if starmer carries on with the globalist net zero crap.

 

I was talking to one of these veg wholesalers, he said he went to Spittlefields market in old smoke the other night. He told me 80% of all stalls were ethnic- like Turkish or Asian or African. He had a hard time finding a traditional British stall that was flourishing. It was literally all sugarcane and spices 

Ive given money saving tips to friends and family, not unsolicited, they are complaining about the price of food and Their general reaction is I must be mad to suggest they should shop in 6 different places like the 1960s moving from one to the next to get the best deal on margarine or coffee or what ever, I explain that walking round 6 shops in reasonably close proximity is no more time consuming than walking round one big shop very slowly because twats with trolley s keep getting in your way. But no , it's not for them.

 

However I do like to exploit the big supermarkets by going in and buying only the loss leaders and nothing else, that way I get cheap stuff and they loose money on me

[LastOneLeftInTheCounty]

20 minutes ago, lobster said:

Ive given money saving tips to friends and family, not unsolicited, they are complaining about the price of food and Their general reaction is I must be mad to suggest they should shop in 6 different places like the 1960s moving from one to the next to get the best deal on margarine or coffee or what ever, I explain that walking round 6 shops in reasonably close proximity is no more time consuming than walking round one big shop very slowly because twats with trolley s keep getting in your way. But no , it's not for them.

 

However I do like to exploit the big supermarkets by going in and buying only the loss leaders and nothing else, that way I get cheap stuff and they loose money on me

I do exactly the same thing.

I’ll visit four different stores on one trip into town, as they all have a mix of good value good quality things, and bad value shit things. Some of the more expensive supermarkets like Waitrose or m+s have better quality cheaper goods than places like Aldi or Tescos.

It’s weird. 

Usually it’s meat and veg from Waitrose because it’s fairly cheap and very high quality, then it’s dry goods like flour and rice from Morrisons (if I’m feeling brave) as they’re good quality and cheaper, then I used to buy all my dairy like butter, yoghurt and cheese from m+s because it was good quality and cheap, but now the boaver thing hit and I’m avoiding them, then it’s toiletries, olive oil and certain spices from Aldi as they’re- you guessed it- good quality and cheaper than the rest. Save a few quid but have the best of each store.

Trial and error. 
I no longer do this however, as I’m sticking to local wholesalers, butchers, farm shops etc. 

 

The Boaver thing made me think- what else don’t we know about, that we’re already eating- from these supermarkets??? 
 

Probably too late I’m most likely infertile from too much m+s dairy 

[lobster]

12 minutes ago, LastOneLeftInTheCounty said:

I do exactly the same thing.

I’ll visit four different stores on one trip into town, as they all have a mix of good value good quality things, and bad value shit things. Some of the more expensive supermarkets like Waitrose or m+s have better quality cheaper goods than places like Aldi or Tescos.

It’s weird. 

Usually it’s meat and veg from Waitrose because it’s fairly cheap and very high quality, then it’s dry goods like flour and rice from Morrisons (if I’m feeling brave) as they’re good quality and cheaper, then I used to buy all my dairy like butter, yoghurt and cheese from m+s because it was good quality and cheap, but now the boaver thing hit and I’m avoiding them, then it’s toiletries, olive oil and certain spices from Aldi as they’re- you guessed it- good quality and cheaper than the rest. Save a few quid but have the best of each store.

Trial and error. 
I no longer do this however, as I’m sticking to local wholesalers, butchers, farm shops etc. 

 

The Boaver thing made me think- what else don’t we know about, that we’re already eating- from these supermarkets??? 
 

Probably too late I’m most likely infertile from too much m+s dairy 

Or I can sit outside the Caffe bar on the local precinct, which is equidistant from Morrison s, Aldi and Tesco and wait for the shop lifters to show up and selling the things they have just lifted, sometimes the staff from Tesco shows up in their break selling meat, sometimes they stop on the way in and ask if I have any orders

Edited December 12, 2024 by lobster

[lobster]

20 minutes ago, LastOneLeftInTheCounty said:

I do exactly the same thing.

I’ll visit four different stores on one trip into town, as they all have a mix of good value good quality things, and bad value shit things. Some of the more expensive supermarkets like Waitrose or m+s have better quality cheaper goods than places like Aldi or Tescos.

It’s weird. 

Usually it’s meat and veg from Waitrose because it’s fairly cheap and very high quality, then it’s dry goods like flour and rice from Morrisons (if I’m feeling brave) as they’re good quality and cheaper, then I used to buy all my dairy like butter, yoghurt and cheese from m+s because it was good quality and cheap, but now the boaver thing hit and I’m avoiding them, then it’s toiletries, olive oil and certain spices from Aldi as they’re- you guessed it- good quality and cheaper than the rest. Save a few quid but have the best of each store.

Trial and error. 
I no longer do this however, as I’m sticking to local wholesalers, butchers, farm shops etc. 

 

The Boaver thing made me think- what else don’t we know about, that we’re already eating- from these supermarkets??? 
 

Probably too late I’m most likely infertile from too much m+s dairy 

I've found a shop run by a Bulgarian gangster looking chap, that's selling 50 grams of tobacco for ,6 quid, that's cheaper than the 1980s

 

I've no idea where they get it from, if it's counterfeit or what but it smokes ok

 

I suspect hey are buying it wholesale in Bulgaria and selling it at Bulgarian prices, either way it's one infavour of immigration

 

[LastOneLeftInTheCounty]

1 hour ago, lobster said:

I've found a shop run by a Bulgarian gangster looking chap, that's selling 50 grams of tobacco for ,6 quid, that's cheaper than the 1980s

 

I've no idea where they get it from, if it's counterfeit or what but it smokes ok

 

I suspect hey are buying it wholesale in Bulgaria and selling it at Bulgarian prices, either way it's one infavour of immigration

 

Sounds well dodgy. A lot of stuff isn’t real these days, check this out:

https://chemtrails.substack.com/p/fake-food-fruit-vegetables-meat-does

[lobster]

17 minutes ago, LastOneLeftInTheCounty said:

Sounds well dodgy. A lot of stuff isn’t real these days, check this out:

https://chemtrails.substack.com/p/fake-food-fruit-vegetables-meat-does

I think that guy needs a hobby before his wife leaves him, but yes he raises some interesting points, GM stuff is everywhere, it really depends what they have modified it to achieve, pest resistance is one thing but I suspect it has more to do with size and presentation. Those potato svhave clearly had ther sprouting gene removed

 

Found that Aldi sometimes sell ," wonky" mushroom at a good price, what amazed me, is that anyone inspects their mushrooms for wonkyness before purchase requiring them to be sold at a discount

Edited December 12, 2024 by lobster

[Mr H]

An extension to the discussion.

 

Did the consumerists get it right?

 

There is a temptation in spiritual circles to look down on others not on the path and call them NPCs etc.

 

Just a thought....

 

It is not outside the realms of possibility that these "souls" have previously done all that stuff. Having done all that stuff they may conclude that in this illusory shitshow we find ourselves in, the best way to muddle through it is with consumerism and hedonism.

 

 

[Mr H]

How relationships are part of consumerist society.....

 

(Speaking norms here not every single case of course)

 

When someone says I love you, or care for you. What does that actually typically mean?

 

It is essentially spoken as a result of chemical reactions due to emotional response.

 

Why the emotional response? 

 

It is because folks are not complete. They lack something. So they go and seek it in someone else, typically for men this takes the form of sexual fulfillment and for women some version of security. It can be other things too - some people unable to self generate excitement, humor, feelings of happiness etc and will seek someone else to give it to them.

 

Once they attain what they lack, it triggers an intense emotional response - like when you was a child at Xmas - overwhelming and words such as I love you etc may come out. But you take away the thing you were providing that they lack and therefore the emotional response; then you will find very quickly that the words I love you are no longer spoken.

 

In essense most humans are selfish and incapable of self generating fulfillment. People are in love with things they want that they don't have and do not actually love people themselves. It is really a business transaction and part of consumerist society.

 

If you're fortunate enough to meet an enlightened being the experience will be very different. The person does not lack for anything. And the reason for sharing experience with another human is because they are complete and full of love and as a result, the overflow must be naturally shared.