Boxing Day Sales and the cult of capitalism

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
34
1207

 

Boxing Day madness begins: Shoppers queue early to bag best bargains

Keen shoppers have been queuing since the early hours in hopes of getting the best Boxing Day deals.

People are flocking to stores across the country today in search of specials – and to seek shelter, with many areas due for rain today.

But a marketing expert is warning people not to get caught up in “purchasing mania” and buy things they don’t want or need.

At Noel Leeming in Auckland’s Royal Oak there were about 20 people in line at opening time – 7.30am.

‪I always find the tedious and inevitable news coverage of madness at Boxing Day sales to be terribly depressing – like the sacred ritual of consumerism must be worshipped no matter what condition the planet is in.

Capitalism is our religion with all the holy days marked out for compulsory celebration and faith in never ending economic growth and false profits.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Anyone criticizing consumer dogma is cast out as a blaspheming heretic.

In God we rust.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

34 COMMENTS

  4. Corporate welfare for malls. Don’t forget the supercity changed the rates system to be more ‘business’ friendly so that the residents now pay more than they used to and the businesses less.

    “Westgate is a public-private partnership between the council and New Zealand Retail Property Group (NZRPG), with the first stage including large-scale retail outlets such as Mitre 10 and Pak’nSave opening late last year.”

    “The cost to Auckland ratepayers of the new town centre is $200 million, including roading, parks and community facilities.”

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/66052265/concerns-raised-over-westgate-development?rm=m

    Monster $500 million expansion for malls
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11597095

    “Westgate and the surrounding area are growing fast, and it is forecast that by 2020 another 40,000 people will have moved to the north-west.”

    HMMMM… the council have plenty of money for corporate welfare to big business mall owners and developers but in spite of 200 million+ for the mall, there is no concurrent or before investment in railway before the anticipated 40,000 come to live there… instead it is making it worse for anyone who actually lives there and has to get anywhere. Auckland council are spending ratepayers money on making it worse for the locals paying the rates while giving money away to big business developments in private partnerships!

    That ends in litigation and more ratepayers money down the drains!

    “Auckland Council’s legal battles over the Westgate Town Centre’s development has cost ratepayers more than $1 million, while it postponed millions of dollars in payments owed by developer NZRPG.”

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/nor-west-news/92473193/councils-million-dollar-legal-bill-for-westgate-development?rm=m

    Meanwhile the pollution including road pollution without trains being included before the developments are started, is left for everyone else.

    Harbour of doubt: The tiny creek that drains Auckland of its waste

    “Ardern speaks to the camera in front of a sewage outfall behind the St Lukes mall, one of the single biggest contributors of sewage into Meola, and likely among the biggest overflow points in the country.”

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/117958444/harbour-of-doubt-the-tiny-creek-that-drains-auckland-of-its-waste

    Meanwhile more landfill and more Auckland council subsidies to reduce NZ biodiversity.

    “Michelle said the Waste Management site ignored Ministry for the Environment guidelines that specifically stated that landfills should avoid aquifers, wetlands, areas of instability, at risk flora and fauna, and areas of high rainfall.”

    https://www.localmatters.co.nz/news/33131-kaipara-iwi-join-landfill-protest.html

    “There will be a projected 500 rubbish trucks a day driving between the tip site and Auckland. That will create a huge bottleneck on that goat track of a highway, delays for freight, for produce, for livestock — people just heading to the airport or going about their normal business.”

    https://kaiparalifestyler.co.nz/mayors-join-landfill-fight/

    Green Party response…

    “However, reaction so far has only come from Conservation Minister, Eugenie Sage. The minister has replied saying: “Unfortunately, we need landfills to put waste. ”

    (clearly prevention and sustainability is not on their radar!!!!)

    • malls employ alot of people not just retail there is a whole supply chain that malls indirectly support and the malls themselves only exist on the back of credit growth tied to the housing market

      • I don’t think NZ is going anywhere fast productivity wise, by our low wage retail sunset obsessions (where people’s wages are topped up by other taxpayers for the low wages for retail workers, and millions in corporate welfare for the big business owners) helping slave labour consumerism, and making people go broke by the facist rules from the malls and lack of demand in the first place.

        “There are many desperate tenants out there, too scared to say anything publicly but desperate for some help. I’ve had some call me crying and fearful they are about to lose their house. Another came into my store and told me that they have to sell another business to keep funding the rent. There is no empathy from Stride as to our situations. …

        https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11609164

        • The Canterbury family behind the world’s first colour X-ray machine
          https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/12/the-canterbury-family-behind-the-world-s-first-colour-x-ray-machine.html

          It is a lot better use of government money above, to help people, create new technology and create high paid jobs, than councils topping up low paid retail Ponzi’s everywhere in NZ, contributing to congested roads for more low wage drivers moving future landfill…)

          The only thing stopping NZ from being a lot more successful, is Bill n John’s low wage economy neoliberal mantra, low waged growth, construction Ponzis.. for malls, more hotels, more Mcmansions, more roads… which can never be met because so many people on low wages or income less are coming into NZ to be supported here by locals and keeping the Ponzi afloat.

      • The supply chain to off shore manufacture.
        Too many people for housing facilities yet we tolerate more high immigration numbers.

        This situation does not have a solution unless we reduce local population numbers and restore the precious environment that gets ignored.

    • Super markets and malls can drive down prices but the off shoot is the killing off of the corner store.
      Families once bought produce from local shops often within walking distance and cars were not needed.

      Nowadays many must travel to reach supermarkets so shopping is done with cars which cost families as well as increasing fossil fuel consumption.
      How many million kilometers of road miles do shoppers travel to buy from supermarkets each week.
      How much a week does it cost families to own and run a car.

      Low volume sales at existing corner stores means higher prices and a very much reduced range of goods.

  6. But it’s not the fault of those who wait in a cue to get a deal they’ve been brainwashed into unwittingly and obsessively thinking about.
    I worked with a director called Matthias Zentner once who told me the he thought I was inherently ‘French’.
    I thought that was the nicest thing professionally anyone had told to me.
    He makes television advertising.
    Quite good ones.
    https://vimeo.com/30012350
    And this is what some French people think of the kind of odious advertising we have no choice but to watch.
    “Advertising breaks your spirit”
    https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/dec/23/advertising-breaks-your-spirit-the-french-cities-trying-to-ban-public-adverts
    I think the massive, lurid screens that flicker and glitter at you while you’re in your car should be illegal.
    That kind of advertising is specifically designed to do what it’s intended to do. Get in quick and sell the product before you drive off. How Is that ok?
    They’re everywhere in our larger cities and we have no choice but to endure them while we struggle to keep them out of our eyes and minds.
    There’s one in particular at the eastern end of Ferry Road in Christchurch that’s particularly intrusive.
    It’s where Ferry Road takes a bend at the beach at Ferrymead. It’s enormous and it’s directly in front of every car that must wait at the traffic lights at that intersection. In my opinion, it needs a nice big fuck off brick thrown through it.
    And of course, we must spare a thought for the poor little banksters putting your money in their pocketsess.
    The young who to line up to go to war? People who mortgage themselves into debts until death? People who believe what the tv tells them about other people of different cultures, their skin colour, their religious beliefs? AO/NZ farmers believing what the national party tells them?
    We believe what the neo liberals tell us. ( Not me, I hastily add.)
    All that stuff came from a small group of people well trained on how to fuck us on the deal and all they have to do is get their messages into our minds using extremely sophisticated techniques that we’re not even aware of.
    It could be days of weeks later when you’re shopping for groceries when you see that product that’s been installed into your subconscious and you’re compelled to buy it. It’s parasitic and far greater controls should be put in place to protect us from [it].

  7. Yep. NZ’ders really care strongly about environmental issues, Climate Change, Pollution, the Rape & Pillaging of poor nations natural resources which are been depleted even more, with child slavery and some of the worst ever living conditions.
    We’ll just put the thought of all that on hold for a couple of weeks.
    Go shopping! Buy more shit you dont need and have a great time for a short while! Then the bills come in, so the Environmental issues can go on hold a little bit longer because I can’t afford the time, and its summer anyway!

    Oh the Woke Middle Class!

    • Don’t worry about the woke middle class, it’s the woke business class you have to worry about, you know the ones that say business confidence is down, the ones that make “boxing day” sales last for 4 days.

  8. “But Walker admitted it remained a balancing act for the council which is trying to maintain a net-debt-to- revenue ratio of less than 265%, while supporting a growing city”.

  9. Never mind the diabolical and farcical Boxing Day Sales…what about the real news story of 2019 sweeping the country at the moment that has so many of us riveted and gasping for the next scintillating update? I’m obviously referring to the incessant news flash updates of attention seeking desperado Jay-Jay Feeney and her Algerian boyfriend.

    Is it possible to give less fucks about a “story” ? Please pass that bucket urgently. Feeney, clearly unable to function without any kind of spotlight being on her. Just sad. What happens when it all goes tits up as it surely will?

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/118247592/jayjay-feeney-asks-her-friends-what-they-think-of-her-new-boyfriend

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2019/12/jay-jay-feeney-and-new-boyfriend-do-the-tiki-explore-taup.html

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2019/12/jay-jay-feeney-grills-friends-about-new-boyfriend-minou-at-introductory-drinks.html

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/118457148/jayjay-feeney-introduces-new-boyfriend-minou-to-exhusband-dom-harvey

    https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/lifestyle/sex-relationships/jay-jay-feeney-new-boyfriend-minou-44074

    https://www.msn.com/en-nz/lifestyle/lifestyle/jay-jay-feeneys-hot-new-romance-meet-my-toyboy-lover/ar-AAK9kHT

    https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/womans-day-nz/20191209/281586652471967

    etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc FFS.

  10. ” Boxing Day sales are massively overhyped ”

    Consume , consume , and entice with slogans like ” UP TO ” 50 % off !!! try finding the item that will save you 50 %
    Just get em in and dazzle with the fluorescent signs and promises of massive savings for products produced by slave labour in NZ , India and China.

  11. Consumerism at its worst!

    Personally I can’t be bothered standing in queues, being jostled, waiting in more queues etc etc and then being relieved of money for rubbish goods I really neither need, nor want. Much rather stay home and enjoy some me time, preferably outside in the fresh mountain air, appreciating and enjoying what mother nature is offering instead.

    • Now your talkin !

      I dont got me a TV , so I’m spared some of the bombastic horrors of capitalism. Matter of fact , all I’ve got is a laptop. Usually we used to have big family get together’s at my sisters, but Dads sick and so is my sister. So no present exchange this Chrissy. I reckon presents need to be small and inexpensive, unless, its a special and much needed item.But not once have I ever taken anything back , it seems a little weird to me I guess.

      And I don’t like crowds , never have, being jostled and standing in the heat and waiting in queues. Rock concerts used to be hell – especially indoor ones. I’d always work my way to the back. Closer to the toilets. And the bar. And when I played before crowds, – I still didn’t like em.

      Peace and quiet is good. Like the kind you have outdoors in the bush and the mountains. With no crowds.

  12. For those of us that were around to see the end of the Viet Nam War and how it came about when it did, we seem to have forgotten where the Neoliberalist Achilles Heel is located. Congress cut the funding for the incursion… If we had half an ounce of sense we would unite in our own people’s congress and stop funding this Mad Monster in Motion. Let consumerism die on the vine in a general strike that would only need to last about a month of “Not buying shit”. Ideally that would have started the 1st of December and we would most likely be raising our glasses in a New Years Toast to the end of Capitalism because Christmas is the time of year that retailers and the Mall Developers make up for their losses during the previous year.
    If 30% of us went on a No-Buy spree for the Christmas period you would see these bloodsuckers hanging out the going out of business sale signs and putting up the shutters, which would be followed by every other blood sucker in the Domino chain of indenture to the Bankers that are the ones that keep the whole juggling act in motion. Then, at the end of December – that same 30% clipped their VISA Cards into tiny pieces and sent that in as their payment it would add the perfect catalyst for immediate change. If that same 30% decided to withhold their Mortgage payments for December it would make the perfect in your face prezzie to the Banker’s who operate on a fragile monthly balance sheet. One fell swoop could make the “Power of the Purse” a force to be reckoned with. It’s the one opportunity we have to make Christmas the most Wonderful Time of the Year! It would certainly shake some sense into these ferking Ijiots and get their undivided attention in a hurry…

  14. The revolution is just beginning in Chile and some other places in Latin America, it will affect Africa and last not least Europe and Asia.

Comments are closed.