Many of us have tried to call a halt to our spending at one time or another. But what if we decided not to buy anything for a whole year? Obviously, we would need necessities like food and soap, but how would we manage without new clothes, treats, entertainment?
Funny, smart and self-deprecating, 'Not Buying It' is a close look at our society's obsession with shopping and the cold turkey confession of a woman we can all identify with -- someone who can't live without French toast and coffee and expensive wool socks, but who has had enough spending money for the sake of it. Without consumer goods and experiences, Levine and her partner Paul pursue their careers, nurture family relationships and try to keep their sanity and humour intact. Tracking their progress and lapses, she contemplates the meanings of needs and desire, scarcity and security, consumerism and citizenship. She asks the big question -- can the economy survive without shopping? Are Q-tips a necessity?
A thought-provoking account of the pleasures and perils of the purchase-driven life, 'Not Buying It' will get readers talking about their reliance on the act of buying and the possibility of getting off the merry-go-round.
