Happy landfill day

[Magicdirt]

Ho Ho Ho Let's all fill the world with plastic garbage in worship of the great consumer god Santa

We've all loved him since we were kids and he has a shrine where we are obliged to baptise our kids into his cult at at almost every shopping centre in the country.

I've lost a few friends in years past just by saying "happy landfill day", when I said it to them they were genuinely angry at me even though in those days I only said it in jest.

To offend someones sense of consumerism is one of the easiest ways to start an argument and instantly lose respect.

These days I couldn't give a toss if someone is offended by it, consumerism (especially Santa cult consumerism) is a form of mass hypnosis and there are hypnotic devices or hooks everywhere to reinforce the control.

In years past when the kids were smaller, well meaning family and friends would buy them loads of plastic shit that was all destined for landfill and that's where most of it is now. Fisher price is my pet hate as they typically produce plastic shit that is mostly useless and almost always annoying with some sort of repetitive jingle, but the worst part is the packaging a small toy comes in a humongous box with loads of ties, extra bits of cardboard, tape and other pieces of plastic shit that all goes to landfill too, even the cardboard is wrapped in too much tape to be recycled easily.

The scene after the "ceremony" where the garbage was unwrapped in a frenzy of hands ripping paper to reveal the plastic shit was something akin to the aftermath of an explosion of paper and plastic. During the ceremony the kids are clearly entranced and self control become almost impossible.

By the time the kids had worshipped the cult for 3 years they knew what to expect and their natural fear for santa had been replaced by excitement and thoughts of consumable plastic treasures that they desperately needed.

This year we didn't get our kids many toys at all, mainly clothes and I was a bit worried they wouldn't be happy with their gifts, but there has been no fights or arguments over any toys and the mood is much calmer than years past. There is much less crap to clean up as well. This year we have only 1 bag of rubbish to throw out. The kids are stoked with new clothes they got as they have pictures of their favourite characters on them and they will enjoy them for more than what they would a plastic toy.

We got the kids a dog (and they are stoked) so there will be dog crap to clean up but at least that's biodegradable.

The Santa cult will undoubtedly work on my kids' minds to possibly turn them against me, but I feel a relationship built on trust and genuine love is more important than one built on throw away bribes.

Undoubtedly I've offended a few with this post so flame away.

If you fail to recognise hypnosis for what is then go and buy a trolley full of plastic shit and be fulfilled - Ho Ho Ho

Edited December 24, 2010 by Magicdirt

[tripsis]

Nice rant. Good to see some people who see through the marketing to the basis of what Christmas is these days.

[Evil Genius]

Yeah Magicdirt, those are some crazy times we´re living in. If the dinosaurs could see us now, singing songs about a fat guy in red suit who flies in the sky with his magic sled in front of a chopped up tree, they´d probably be pretty much like "wtf is this shit i dont even". Nevertheless i like some of that crap because it was an important part of my childhood. But the older i get, the more i am annoyed by all that christmas marketing bullshit everywhere. As soon as the summer is over, the stores are filled with christmas goods. I wasnt aware about that when i was a child and the older i get, the more it disturbs me.

The good thing is that we are part of a new generation who´s in touch with nature and spirituality but has also learnt a lot about the universe through the discoveries of science during the last 10-20 years. Im sure your kids and their kids will do a pretty good job in filtering which values really matter on times like christmas and what insane christmas story they want to pass on to their kids. At least that´s how it seemed to me right now. Let´s be honest...reality is too fucked up to tell children the truth right from the start. They get big in no time and i think it´s a good thing to give them a feeling about the way the world should look like if everything would be alright. Maybe they dont need exactly that stupid story about the red fat christmas grinch but they need something to believe in. The story is pretty much interchangeable.

Besides, i wouldnt want to be the only child who isnt celebrating christmas with my family. No matter how fucked up the sled-driving easter bunny christmas fairy tale might be. bye Eg

Edited December 24, 2010 by Evil Genius

[ThunderIdeal]

nice one dirt.

it's good to hear that lately retailers are performing poorly leading up to christmas. maybe it's because of the economic downturn or maybe consumers are just thriftier and wait for the sales (although i have become a fan of end of financial year myself).... but maybe, just maybe, the 'buy lots of crap and you must get SOMETHING for every important person in your life' mentality of the 80's and 90's is starting to be outgrown by us fat westerners.

[rahli]

My daughter loves Christmas and Santa. He brought her a new bike, on his sleigh all the way from the north pole. She also got some fairy rain boots. She loves fairies and playing in the rain. And a pink tutu to dance in "at dance class daddy".

My son got a miniature Japanese puzzle box for his first christmas, to keep his mummified belly button in. A family heirloom to be sure.

My daughter got a genuine magic wand from hog warts for her first christmas. Should come in handy when she grows up to be a fairy. Dreams can come true you know even in the consumer driven world of the modern day Christmas.

The grinch is more likely to ruin Christmas as every child knows.

I think Christmas would be much improved if parents didn't drink bulk piss and carry on with the traditional family Christmas feud.

[Magicdirt]

After my rant yesterday I've got to add that we went to visit grandparents from both sides yesterday and we came home with enough crap to sink a small boat.

Our bin is chocka block and there is plastic shit all over the house.

The kids are now fighting over toys and crying and shit. The mood in the house is now a lot more tense as a result.

These consumer goodies are just so fulfilling

And Santa where's my fucking motorbike ?

Edited December 25, 2010 by Magicdirt

[Amazonian]

My son got a miniature Japanese puzzle box for his first christmas, to keep his mummified belly button in. A family heirloom to be sure.

 

^^^ . I've kept teeth, first haircut locks, hospital id tags, umbilical cord clamps, but the whole belly button forming bit made me gag. Not something that i could treasure. bit like the makings of a voodoo doll. Christmas gifts for my kids ,9 and 12 years old, consist of the latest technology,ie; touch phone (not iphone) and ipod. As they get older, the presents become more expensive ,and they get less gifts and therefore there is less packaging rubbish scattered everywhere. I am a big fan of books as gifts. Father Christmas got me a book which i am looking forward to reading, Sacred Vine of Spirits, Ayahuasca. Music is also a great present. And Magicdirt, i never got my road/trail bike that was on my Christmas list either. Maybe next year.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Amazonian

[woof woof woof]

Amen to Magicdirt's rant!

Been seeing it and feeling the same way for many years. All that fuggin plastic,... we need to wean off of oil based stuff as much as we can.

I love my surfboard though.

[dundee]

sure plastic filling up landfills is unacceptable, but is posting a thread or even replying to a thread any better, think of all the resources that are mined from the earth to build your computer, as well as the resources consumed to build it and keep it operating, the factories and manpower, where do we draw the line, do we all have to strip down naked and run back to the jungle while giving the finger to the corporate machine, just my thoughts, still I do get at what your saying, I'm over the whole xmas pressies shite

Edited January 2, 2011 by dundee

[mescalito]

We didn't go overboard and had a simple Chrissy with the Missus' Family in a shed out of town on a property.

Our little one is only 7 months..(did I say ONLY ) so no drama's there LOL she was more interested in the wrapping paper ironically.

I usually wrap mine in brown paper if at all LOL,always have.

I always say to Mum "Your Presence is better than Presents".

@rahli: "The grinch is more likely to ruin Christmas as every child knows."

LOL

Naaah mate one of these ridden off-road will do it they don't turn so well on hard red ground!

This is not the actual one,but everyone that rode it was thrown.....I'm still on crutches atm....half an hr before heading home too.

Hope ya's all had a good one!

Edited January 3, 2011 by mescalito

[rosetta stoned]

how can we have equality when the commonwealth of australia recognises the holy days of 1 religion state and church should be separate yeah? isnt this offensive to the millions of australians with different beliefs

were so influenced by american culture mass consumption christmas is the most bullshit holiday seems like the biggest threat to our security is not enough spending we only spent as much on christmas this year as we did last year.... this is a major problem apparently alot more people saving money for essentials rather then spending more then they have on plastic bullshit

something like $8 b spent on food for christmas alone "the spirit of giving" what about the billions of people world wide who need actual help could we not give any to them instead of over indulging ourselves

the only christmas present i ever want is a revolver with a single bullet christmas makes me so sad

[Magicdirt]

how can we have equality when the commonwealth of australia recognises the holy days of 1 religion state and church should be separate yeah? isnt this offensive to the millions of australians with different beliefs

were so influenced by american culture mass consumption christmas is the most bullshit holiday seems like the biggest threat to our security is not enough spending we only spent as much on christmas this year as we did last year.... this is a major problem apparently alot more people saving money for essentials rather then spending more then they have on plastic bullshit

something like $8 b spent on food for christmas alone "the spirit of giving" what about the billions of people world wide who need actual help could we not give any to them instead of over indulging ourselves

the only christmas present i ever want is a revolver with a single bullet christmas makes me so sad

 

I hope that last part is not true mate.

Forgive me if it's sarcasm but text communications are bit cold and don't convey the true meaning of the message a lot of the time.

I've had a few Christmas's where I've felt depressed and like I was a bit of an outsider, but after the whole Christmas season was over it was always a lot easier to put in into perspective.

Everywhere you look the consumer mentality is driven home at this time of year, even more so than the rest of the year. We've all been conditioned to feel unworthy if we're not buying enormous amounts of crap.

I just decided not to let a hollow event have a bearing on my mood and Christmas has not got to me since, don't get me wrong I still don't like it but I don't like Julia Gillard either and there's no way that puppet is going to put me off my game.

I'll decide how I feel not some marketing executive.