Judith Levine - "Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping"

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/fora/showthread.php?t=778

Author Judith Levine examines her spending habits in relation to those of the average American consumer in an excerpt from her book, "Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping."

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Judith Levine talks about "Not Buying It: My Year without Shopping."

Shocked by the commerce in everything from pet cloning to patriotism, frightened by the downward spiral of her finances and that of the trash-strewn earth, Judith Levine enlists her partner, Paul, in a radical experiment: to forgo all but the most necessary purchases for an entire year.

Without consumer goods and experiences, Judith and Paul pursue their careers, nurture relationships, and try to keep their sanity, their identities, and their sense of humor intact. Tracking their progress - and inevitable lapses - Levine contemplates need and desire, scarcity and security, consumerism and citizenship. She asks the Big Questions: Can the economy survive without shopping? Are Q-tips necessary? NOT BUYING IT is the confession of a woman any reader can identify with: someone who can't live without French roast coffee or SmartWool socks but who has had it up to here with over-consumption and its effects on the earth and everyone who dwells there. For the humor and intelligence of its insights, the refreshment of its skepticism, and the surprises of its conclusions, NOT BUYING IT is sure to be on anyone's list of necessities. Levine is also the author of "Harmful to Minors," "My Enemy, My Love" and "Do You Remember Me?" - Cody's

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• economy
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[CamcorderBuYinGuide]

i am looking for for some information about the buying products on youtube, thanks for the advised input.

[msungs]

"It's Called the American Dream Because You Have To Be Asleep to Believe It" - George Carlin. The American Dream is in a state of decay + another good book is "The European Dream". We buy things we don't need in order to impress people we don't know and probably wouldn't like. The American Dream is fueled by cheap credit (nobody in America owns anything + if you do consider yourself lucky). Where does the cheap credit/alcohol come from? From the Federal Reserve as "Federal" as Federal Express

[crewlla]

I found that the book was to much complaining and not enough about her challenges with not shopping. For me, being canadian, I found it to be to americanized. I should of known that. I felt like some parts of the book were a far cry from how she could of went with the book. would I read it again if I knew then what I know now. Yes I would cause I did learn some thing out of it but most of it I already knew. Read it for yourself and see what you think. it is a good read.

[theraindog]

I read the book. Very good !

[papermason]

Read the book, loved it, learned a lot.

[wolfsheim80]

Well, when you look how many live in sublets and /w roommates because they cant pay the rent for an apartment, this could be as well true. And so many service people or in the media do not make much money.

[poop121]

Yup. Moderate housing alone will cost around $ 1000 dollars/month pretty much everywhere in the city.

[SlavicSpirit]

under 45K is a slave wage in NYC!!!