Affluenza

[SecondhandSophisticate]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/yJcIdGzBNnE&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D18&amp;rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/yJcIdGzBNnE&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D18&amp;rel=0</a>

I was fortunate today to find all six episodes of the fantastic series "Affluenza" on Youtube today.

For those of you not familiar with this PBS series from the late 1990s, it details America's obession with shopping, conspicuous consumption, greed, stuff and more stuff,  etc. and how it affects our families, other countries and the earth. I was able to find the book at my library a few years ago, but have not been able to find the series on DVD there. Now here is the series in its entirity for FREE. Many thanks to that blog owner for doing this!

If you can take it out of your library for free, or come across it at a thrift or tag sale, it is worth owning, but here is it free of charge. I feel so lucky! like I won the lotto or something, lol. I've been wanting to see this for years.

Today DH and I went to the $1 an lb store. For 2.21 (yes, including tax) we got four books (one is THE bible of repairs, the READER'S DIGEST DO-IT-YOURSELF GUIDE), a top for me, and a lovely scarf/shawl from India, I think.  Then I went to GW and found a top 1/2 price for 1.76 out the door.  I was thinking how tight I have become with a buck, lol, because even though the stuff was so cheap, lol, unless I needed it, I put it back. The first episode of "Affluenza" articulates the need for the freedom from stuff quite nicely. I hope y'all will watch if/when you have the time and the ability.

Ciao, Bellas!
SeSo

[Mattie]

SeSo, THANKS for posting that link!  I tried to watch Affluenza several times in the late '90s when it was advertised on my local PBS station, and every time it was scheduled to be broadcast it was mysteriously preempted by another program.  I finally figured it was probably cancelled by the station's "sponsors" (advertisers).  I just watched it and I wish a sequel would be created to let us know how much better or worse off we are now. 

[SecondhandSophisticate]

SeSo, THANKS for posting that link!  I tried to watch Affluenza several times in the late '90s when it was advertised on my local PBS station, and every time it was scheduled to be broadcast it was mysteriously preempted by another program.  I finally figured it was probably cancelled by the station's "sponsors" (advertisers).  I just watched it and I wish a sequel would be created to let us know how much better or worse off we are now. 

You are so welcome Mattie. I was thinking about you as I posted it and hoping you would get to see it if you had not before. 

I don't recall it ever showing in my area, either, and maybe your response explains why. 

Though I will tell you, what one of the interviewed says in the first episode has happened here in my community:  A new town was built over the past 20 years. It has its own zip code. The Town center is...you guessed it! A huge outdoor shopping mall, with about 95% chain stores.  The worst part: it is just down the street from the NEW HIGH SCHOOL! Start 'em young! New apartments by the 100s have been built all around it.  The stores are totally superfluous for the most part: speciality stores for every cultural demographic/stereotype known in area: (Tweens get "Justice", moms get "Gap Baby" and another preggers store or two; men get "Joseph A Bank" and "Men's Wearhouse" (the better store), young married/college girls and nervous-about-turning-older 30/40 somethings have Francesa's (a lower-priced "Anthropologie") Lots of chain restaurants. There's a hair cut place for kids and a science store for dads and kids. A 1 million screen movie theater showing all those 18-34 blow-em-up movies or sappy chick-flicks.  It is the height of creative mediocrity. It is the center of the city and everybody goes there. There's no place else to go.  I go under extreme duress a few times a year (like when I need lingerie.) There is a bookstore (chain) but also mid-brow. Let's not stimulate the mind, lol!  Mediocre people are happy people, lol. More consumers for the consumer culture.

You know, I thought a town center would include things people actually needed, like a grocery store and a shoe repair.  But I am definetely archaic in my belief as to what is useful in this culture.

I guess I answered your question, Mattie. I think it's gotten worse. Any other ideas out there?

[foutchie]

really, how many shoe repair stores even exist now?  I have never seen one in our whole county - everyone just tosses them and gets new!   I remember them in my childhood, guess they just retired and went out of existence, more's the pity!

[SecondhandSophisticate]

really, how many shoe repair stores even exist now?  I have never seen one in our whole county - everyone just tosses them and gets new!   I remember them in my childhood, guess they just retired and went out of existence, more's the pity!

I think there are one or two in my county, one I definitely know because I go there.  It's run by an older man in his 70s, and I shudder to think where I will go for repairs when he retires. Even though he knows his business and does great work on what I bring him, there is a lot he can't do because he doesn't have the right equipment for repairs any more, like sewing through thick leather. He's kept my handbags going for years, lol, and has repaired great vintage stuff I have found. But he's limited in what he can do and he has told it's because "Nobody gets things fixed any more. They just throw stuff out and get new." Now everything is glued. Ick.

[genuineimitation]

i really notice stuff like glue vs. stitching. i am more conscious of how something is made, and where it's made. growing up my parents taught me to look for quality over quantity. i would always rather repair than replace, but sometimes i don't know where to get things fixed! we just had to send our washer to the landfill because the computer chip in it was fried, and it didn't make sense to spend the money to fix it over buying a new one (with a better warranty). how dumb is that???

[Femme1]

SeSo, I think I only caught one part of Affluenza when it was first on, so thanks for the notice about YouTube.

Mattie, when I hear about places like the one you describe, I think my lucky stars that I still live in a "real" town. It is gentrifying, though, and the real work-a-day stores that were once downtown, like the hardware and the cheap diner and the doctor's offices, are being pushed out by high rents and chain stores and restaurants are moving in. But we do have a great shoe repair shop (still downtown). One of my most frugal buys were a pair of Cole-Hahn boots at a vintage resale shop. I think I paid $15 for them. But they were so well made that I was able to have them re-soled three times (yeah, I wore them a lot!).

Obsolescence is built-in nowadays. Just yesterday, I had to take my expensive Bosch vacuum to the shop because the plastic latch broke. The entire thing is made of plastic. The repair guy and I were chatting and I told him about my Mom's old bullet-shaped Electrolux vacuum that she had about 35 years. He said he still get those old post-war steel vacuums in to repair.
 
And let's not even talk about built-in obsolescence of computers and digital cameras.

[Big Daddy Audio]

There was a feature article in the Arizona Republic within the last 3 weeks about apartments actually being built within shopping malls.  They've done one in Scottsdale, and they are working on some others in the area.

It reminds me of an episode of SLIDERS - a sci-fi show that starred Jerry O'Connell for a few seasons, as well as John Rhys-Divies as "Professor Arturo."  In one episode, they slide into a parallel earth (all the episodes featured them sliding from one parallel world to another, in an attempt to find their way home) where everyone lived in super colossal shopping malls, and everyone was a slave to the mall - earning only to spend in the mall - There was no escape.

"Anyway, it's sick out there and getting sicker."   
                                                  - Bob Grant

See you next time
bye for now.

[valleythriftshopper]

I think my lucky stars that I still live in a "real" town. It is gentrifying, though, and the real work-a-day stores that were once downtown, like the hardware and the cheap diner and the doctor's offices, are being pushed out by high rents and chain stores and restaurants are moving in. But we do have a great shoe repair shop (still downtown). One of my most frugal buys were a pair of Cole-Hahn boots at a vintage resale shop. I think I paid $15 for them. But they were so well made that I was able to have them re-soled three times (yeah, I wore them a lot!).

We are lucky to have an old fashioned downtown in our city too (though unfortunately as in many small cities crime is on the increase).  The most notable downtown landmark is Wilson's department store which has been there for the last 125 years.  It was featured on the CBS morning show last year.  I love a good bargain at the thrifts, but I don't mind paying a little more occasionally to support local businesses, although I usually still hit the clearance rack!  

[genuineimitation]

Obsolescence is built-in nowadays. Just yesterday, I had to take my expensive Bosch vacuum to the shop because the plastic latch broke. The entire thing is made of plastic. The repair guy and I were chatting and I told him about my Mom's old bullet-shaped Electrolux vacuum that she had about 35 years. He said he still get those old post-war steel vacuums in to repair.

i was feeling like my vaccuum wasn't working so well - i was looking for a new one. mine is a miele i bought about 11 years ago. it cost way too much money even then, but i felt like it was the right thing to buy (HEPA filter, etc.). i looked and looked for a replacement.. nothing comes close. so, i took it to the shop and asked if they could tune it up. cost me $40. for a new belt and a couple of little things. now that baby hums again! and i've got a "new" vacuum cleaner! i kept it out of the landfill and saved a ton 'o money to boot!

[Jay2TheRescue]

Obsolescence is built-in nowadays. Just yesterday, I had to take my expensive Bosch vacuum to the shop because the plastic latch broke. The entire thing is made of plastic. The repair guy and I were chatting and I told him about my Mom's old bullet-shaped Electrolux vacuum that she had about 35 years. He said he still get those old post-war steel vacuums in to repair.

i was feeling like my vaccuum wasn't working so well - i was looking for a new one. mine is a miele i bought about 11 years ago. it cost way too much money even then, but i felt like it was the right thing to buy (HEPA filter, etc.). i looked and looked for a replacement.. nothing comes close. so, i took it to the shop and asked if they could tune it up. cost me $40. for a new belt and a couple of little things. now that baby hums again! and i've got a "new" vacuum cleaner! i kept it out of the landfill and saved a ton 'o money to boot!

I love my old Kirbys.  I buy them at thrifts, if you look hard enough you can find them for $10 or $20.  I once bought a near mint Kirby G3 at the SA in Leesbrug for $10.  The nice thing is that Kirbys are made of cast aluminum, and have fantastic suction.  My local dealer has parts at a really good price, I've rebuilt motors on the Kirbys before for less than $20 in parts.  Kirbys are built to be the last vacuum you'll ever buy.  My Kirbys range in age from 15 to almost 70 years old, and they all work great.

Any Kirby made since the early 80's (Heritage, Legend, G Series, and the new Sentria) all can be upgraded to HEPA filtration easily if not already running HEPA by just buying the G series HEPA bags.

-Jay

[SecondhandSophisticate]

There was a feature article in the Arizona Republic within the last 3 weeks about apartments actually being built within shopping malls.  They've done one in Scottsdale, and they are working on some others in the area.

It reminds me of an episode of SLIDERS - a sci-fi show that starred Jerry O'Connell for a few seasons, as well as John Rhys-Divies as "Professor Arturo."  In one episode, they slide into a parallel earth (all the episodes featured them sliding from one parallel world to another, in an attempt to find their way home) where everyone lived in super colossal shopping malls, and everyone was a slave to the mall - earning only to spend in the mall - There was no escape.

"Anyway, it's sick out there and getting sicker."   
                                                  - Bob Grant

See you next time
bye for now.

This is stupendously wonderful, Big Daddy!!  Is there any way I can get this on video or DVD--is it out as such?  I can see this happening down the road, in my lifetime.

BTW, I was out in Scottsdale/Phoniex in the 70s and looking for work in the retail industry. I do remember going to a mall that had apartments built right across the street to "house" the retail workers. It was utterly spooky. The apartment I would have ultimately chosen was in an old house away from the mall, next to the desert, where I could have picked up my own mesquite for my b-bque. I'm sure that's a shopping mall now

Ciao,
SeSo