CONSUMPTIONITIS

I LIKE EVEN NUMBERS, BUT NOT 32. 32 IS THE NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL INSERTS IN MY METROPOLITIAN, THANKSGIVING NEWSPAPER. I KID YOU NOT. IF I ADDED A DIGIT FOR THE SPORTS SECTION IT WOULD HAVE BEEN 33. THIS ENTIRE HEFT I IMMEDIATELY AND CEREMONIOUSLY DROPPED INTO MY TRASH BOX. MY DISTASTE FOR SUCH WASTE OF RECYCLED WASTE OR CELLULOSE JUST CONFIRMS THE FACT THAT DNA IS DESTINY. I SPURN THE MENTALITY OF CRAZED SPENDING; I EMBRACE THE EPITHET OF CHEAP.

PUBLIC AWARENESS IN THE NEWS MEDIA FOCUSES ON HUNGER FOR THANKSGIVING; ON HOMELESSNESS FOR CHRISTMAS. FIRST, THIS DYNAMIC DUO MISSES THE MEANING OF AMERICA'S 2 FEASTS. SECOND, THIS CONTRADICTS THE MEDIA'S CONTINUAL EMPHASIS ON BUYING AND SPENDING. THERE IS NO WAY TO COVER-UP THIS NATION'S EPIDEMIC OF CONSUMPTIONITIS.

THE EXTREMES OF CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION MANIFEST THEMSELVES IN THE HOLIDAY CIRCULARS SEDUCING SALES. THEY ALSO MANIFESTS THEMSELVES IN THE ABUNDANCE OF MOVIE THEATERS AND WHAT THEY OFFER BESIDES FILMS. I REVIEWED THE DATA. HENRY DAVID THOREAU WOULD BE PERMANTLY DISTRACTED FROM HIS AUSTERE PURSUITS IF HE WERE ASKED TO SIMPLIFY THE NUMBER AND REDUCE THE COST OF THE THEATRE-GOING OFFERINGS IN JUST ONE CITY. FOR EXAMPLE, I COUNTED 16 METRO THEATERS. I TABULATED 218 SCREENS. BESIDES MOVIES, SEVERAL THEATRES ANNEXED GAME ROOMS. THE COST OF POPCORN ( $.33 IF PURCHASED IN A 6-PACK ECONOMY BOX) TOPPED OUT AT $6.00. THE COST OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE TICKET WAS $8.50 ( WHEN FREE MOVIES SIT SHELVED AT LOCAL LIBRARIES ). I WAS NOW HEARING A SILENT CHORUS TO A TUNE INSIDE MY HEAD: "NOTHING IS WORTH SEEING, IT'S BETTER TO BE READING, HOLLYWOOD IS FEEDING US, C---, C---,C---." PERHAPS IT IS THE FOOD COURT RATHER THAN THE MILLION DOLLAR SPECTACLES THAT ATTRACTS CUSTOMERS. IN ADDITION TO POPCORN, I READ THAT PIZZA, CHICKEN, CHEESE, BURGERS, WRAPS, PICKLES (!) , CHEESECAKE, ICE CREAM, COOKIES, TEA, SODA, SMOOTHIES, BEER AND LIQUEUR COULD ROB PEOPLE OF THEIR HARD-EARNED BUCKS AT THE CINEMA.

WHERE ARE THE NUTS?