MetaFilter posts tagged with Consumerism

Makeup and mutinies

divabat — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:55:23 -0800

The Mineral Makeup Mutiny was founded to encourage consumers to buy indie self-made mineral cosmetics, instead of overpriced makeup that were repackaging wholesale micas from companies such as TKB Trading, or publishing contradicting ingredients lists and sending Cease-and-Desist Letters to unfavourable reviews. Miss K of Aromaleigh, founder of the Mutiny (and former seller of repackaged wholesale hues, which she's discontinuing in favour of original colours), demonstrates how mineral eyeshadows are made. Bonus link: How to make vegan lipsticks.

Santa's Shopping (Epi)Center

DarlingBri — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:10:36 -0800

34 industries, 62,000 stalls, 320,000 commodities for sale, 4 million square meters of selling space: welcome to the world-famous Yiwu Wholesale Market in the Zhejiang Province of China, "where Santa Claus comes to shop." As the factory outlet for the planet’s manufacturing epicentre, it's the perfect place to stock up on Christmas stockings since the city also known as "Sock Town" produces over three billion pairs of socks for Wal-Mart, Pringles and Disney each year. (Licensed exporting to 212 countries probably helps with Santa's distribution logistics.) All is not entirely kosher in Sock Town, however, with reports that "100,000 counterfeit products are openly traded and 2,000 metric tons of fakes change hands daily."

The Self Storage Society

backseatpilot — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:21:48 -0800

The Self-Storage Self (NYT) Single page link.

We are all Madoffs

mareli — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 07:12:22 -0800

David P. Barash argues that our addiction to economic growth is a Madoff/Ponzi scheme.

The Immaculate Consumption

jtron — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:59:04 -0800

The amazing products and lifestyles that would be at your fingertips if you lived 50 years ago and had a magazine subscription .

Most Expensive

Joe Beese — Sat, 02 May 2009 15:38:14 -0800

The Most Expensive Journal blogs about $4,200 computer keyboards, $2.7 million guitars, and $11 million watches.

He fills his head with culture. He gives himself an ulcer.

patricio — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 08:05:27 -0800

Are we living in an age of "Mass Intelligence" or "Commodified Intelligence"? The Economist's Intelligent Life spin-off debates whether the masses are "wising up" rather than "dumbing down" or if, in fact, we have ended up consuming rather than appreciating culture.

This is indeed the time to panic

WPW — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:36:32 -0800

Product Panic - Bruce Sterling on industrial design in the slump.

"So I lost the baby, but I totally got the last Wii."

resurrexit — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 07:45:52 -0800

SighFilter: In light of other Black Friday tales of horror or posts urging a more sober consumerism, now comes this story of a worker trampled to death at Wal-Mart and a woman who miscarried in a stampede. They ought to have read FEMA's Black Friday Advisory.

Retail therapy

infini — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 04:27:53 -0800

Apropos on Black Friday, Charles, Prince of Wales addresses the Foreign Press Association with a comprehensive lecture on the dangers of unchecked consumerism and the need for an increasingly holistic worldview in light of the global social, economic and environmental challenges. The credit crisis is a side effect of a throwaway society and consumerism is no cure for depression, he says, and we need to question the concepts of "Modernity" and "Economic Growth" we take for granted.

Mall, or nothing?

Afroblanco — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:10:18 -0800

We've discussed dead malls before. But did you know that the world's biggest mall is also its deadest?

Mark Bittman talks to TED about what's wrong with what we eat.

blatant gizmo — Sat, 31 May 2008 20:07:46 -0800

Perhaps more widely known as the New York Times' "The Minimalist", Mark Bittman implores us to change the way we think about and consume food during his December 2007 talk at TED. The related NYTimes article. His NYTimes blog, "Bitten".

Mental Privacy

homunculus — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 10:15:07 -0800

The Government Is Trying to Wrap Its Mind Around Yours. Why the Next Civil Rights Battle Will Be Over the Mind.

Irritated and Indifferent

tkolar — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:27:08 -0800

Irritated and indifferent -- consumers in the Expectation Economy. [warning -- article is way too enthusiastic and engages in capslock abuse] The proliferation of online product review sites is making Consumer Reports look positively antiquated. This is particularly true for high-end products, where discovering "best of class" items is now just a few mouse-clicks (or one AskMe) away. How do you stay ahead of the curve when consumers regularly know more about your market than you do?

The art of Laurie Hogin

homunculus — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 22:11:04 -0800

Monkey Portraits: Allegories of Brand Loyalty, by Laurie Hogin. [Via Right Some Good.] Hogin was previously mentioned here and here.

Tis the season for stuff.

allkindsoftime — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:19:31 -0800

...you cannot run a linear system on a finite planet indefinitely. The story of stuff.

Black Friday Youtubery

Foci for Analysis — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 15:17:18 -0800

Time for Black Friday again and people just losing it and going fucking insane.

Buy Handmade

divabat — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 15:53:46 -0800

I pledge to buy handmade this holiday season, and request that others do the same for me. Why? Better gifting experience, better ethics, better for the environment.

You're worth it.

four panels — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 12:33:40 -0800

Debtor Nation. The rising risks of the American Dream, on a borrowed dime.

Why Your Vote Does Count

five fresh fish — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 20:47:38 -0800

John Doerr: Seeking salvation and profit in greentech. This is a grim talk from a man who is well-connected with the tech industries best and brightest. He spent a year talking with scientists, experts, and politicians the world 'round about industry and the atmosphere. And as a result he has put a few hundred million dollars toward disruptive technologies... because he is scared -- scared shitless -- about what lies ahead. He also calls us to action.

I'm not organic or fair trade either, mate

parmanparman — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 13:21:05 -0800

Exposed: I'm not a plastic bag! Queues this week have gone around the block for a designer cotton bag designed by Anya Hindmarch available at Sainsbury's, the British grocer. The bag, which was designed to raise awareness of fair trade and ethical issues, was actually mass produced by sweatshop labor in China and is neither fair trade nor organic. Bags are selling for as much at $200 on Ebay. Anya Hindmarch herself has not apologized for the bag, saying: "We will be launching I’m Not A Plastic Bag in the US in June (in a limited edition navy blue) and in Japan in July (in a limited edition bottle green)."

The Smell of Virtue

SansPoint — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 06:05:30 -0800

Scents from the Bible The world's first spiritual perfume, "Virtue® was conceived out of our desire to provide a perfume that would allow a person to be reminded of their Spiritual Self, by a simple whiff of it's fragrant essence." Smell the holy! (Post not inspired by previous )

You need a Thneed

homunculus — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:18:34 -0800

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. [25 min Google Video.]

1970s Dept Store Catalogs

jonson — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:31:45 -0800

Since April of this year, the blogger over at PlaidStallions has been dutifully scanning the most interesting/unique pages from 1970's department store catalogs (among other things) and posting the images online with commentary.

The 12-step chocoholics program: Never be more than 12 steps away from chocolate!

Blazecock Pileon — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 00:49:47 -0800

Some folks really like it sweet. Some will start a six-year campaign to get it. Some blame Canada and France for not getting it, when it was perhaps better to blame the Swiss. Some want it healthy while others want the romance back. Some make it part of higher education, while others just want to get higher. Even vegans want in on the gooey action.