In the past couple of years I've been to what seems like a million bridal showers, baby showers, house warming parties, kids birthdays ect ect....and the list goes on and on. In theory these events are a great way to celebrate milestones in the lives of those we love. And I understand that its a great way to ensure that the soon to be newlyweds or soon to be parents aren't completely broke by the time all is said and done. However I believe there is a difference between getting what you need out of necessity and getting enough stuff to start your own store right there in your living room. And I'm afraid most showers I went to leaned more towards the second. As I was sitting at these events my stomach would turn at the site of all the wrapping paper, packaging, ribbons and material that went into making all these products. I realize I'm one of the few who is sitting there trying not to pass out while the 67th present is being opened; and I certainly don't expect others to be the same but hear me out for just a sec.
The truth is most of these goodies will be used a couple of times and stored away somewhere never to be seen again. I understand that not everyone has big showers to only get things that they'll barely use, but the reality is that a lot of people do. Again I believe gift giving is great, and getting what will actually be used on regular basis is fantastic, but in the western world we've gone way beyond necessity to ridiculousness. If we take a moment to bring awareness into our lives, think globally and look at the big picture it becomes apparent that we create more waste then necessary, not only that but all the stuff that we buy at such low prices and high quantities have a great effect on our plant's resources and people in other parts of this world. This is sometimes referred to as the 'true cost' of production. To see what I'm talking about watch the 'Story of Stuff' video posted here.
And is it all really worth it? I think this is a great question to ask ourselves. Is all this stuff making us happier or is it enriching our lives in any way? Does the child who just celebrated their 1st birthday need 10 stuffed animals instead of just one or two? I dunno, just putting it out there. Instead of getting the child you love oh so much a closet full of clothes that they'll get to wear twice before they grow out of it, maybe the money would be better spent on something like starting a college fund.
And it doesn't stop with just showers and birthday parties, I'll be the first to admit that I'm guilty of impulsively buying things in the past that I don't really need. And for that reason I know first hand that the joy that the item brought me at the time of purchase is not a very sustainable feeling over time.
To sum all this up when we look at the three things that makes us happy in our lives, I would argue that the stuff we buy doesn't make it on the list. So the payoff for the 'true cost' of production barely seem worth it at all.
The video that I was talking about is posted below. Go on take some time to watch it, it talks about measuring a country's success not by how much it can produce but by the welfare and happiness of its people. What a concept! Using this as a measure of success Costa Rica tops all other countries...you'll find out what they're doing to come in first place. Its no wonder so many North Americans are moving there.
