Occupy Wall Street: Stop Corporate Greed Close Loopholes: Boycott Commercial Holidays
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Did you every wonder why we buy Greeting Cards, Candy and go Christmas Shopping for Holidays?
Why is it that no matter what the television commercials tell us what we and our children need, we go out and buy the product? Is there a psychology behind this? What is really going on?
The major holidays call for celebration...and consumption. Did Jesus and Saint Valentine walk around telling people that they need to purchase things to celebrate the holidays? If they had, what do you think would have happened?
Valentine's Day, Halloween, Christmas and other holidays have become more about buying and selling than the actual ideals and customs behind them. On Valentine's Day, people spend millions of dollars in America on Cards, Candy and Flowers. In fact, the total sales during a short period of time for holidays make up about 40% of annual sales for companies. They are preying on consumers using holidays, sales, and advertising to make a huge profit. Even when the economy is bad, sales stay steady or rise. (Walmart now has layaway again since most shoppers can't afford to pay the full amount of purchase at the point of sale.)
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It's All About Making Changes
During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950's and 1960's in the United States there was an African-American woman named Rosa Parks who forever changed the way America's Public Transportation System operated. This little woman, tired from work, refused to sit in the back of the bus which was designated for people of color. What happened next changed the course of American History. This happened on December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama.
A boycott was ordered of all buses. During the Montgomery Bus Boycott, African Americans refused to ride the bus and some would often walk several miles to work and home. Many people got together and helped each other by giving rides to people who needed them to get to work. Many whites supported this boycott and often were harassed by other whites for helping out the blacks; it didn't matter. This protest lasted for over a year, for 381 days. The bus companies lost so much money due to the lack of passengers that they were forced to change their policy; anyone can sit any where on any bus. Congress made it illegal to force patrons to a particular area on a bus because it found the segregation on buses to be unconstitutional. Now that was change!
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What Changes Can We Make Today?
What are the types of things we can do to fight off Corporate Greed? It's not just about making and holding a sign in front of Wall Street. There are subtle things we can do that will put a dent into the Corporate Purses.
Using the boycott idea from the 1960's, if we stop making certain purchases during holiday seasons, large corporations will have to drastically reduce their product pricing to lure in buyers. We would just have to hold out.
For example, on Valentine's Day and other holidays including birthdays, Mother's Day, etc. make a home made card instead of a purchased one. Not only will the sentiment be greater, you will also save money by making your own. There are some very good Card-Making Software programs that allow you to design and print your own cards from home.
Instead of giving a box of candy, why not try making your own candy or something like cookies and brownies? Why not grow your own rose plant or flowers and give that as a gift instead of the marked-up store flowers that die in a few days.
On holidays such as Halloween why not make your own costume? There are many do it yourself projects you can make and you get to enjoy the time with your family while making them. Or, you could run out to the store and buy a cheap costume that will be used once for a couple hours...
Christmas is more difficult because many people feel the need to buy Christmas Gifts for a lot of people on their list. However, if we consider who we are buying gifts for and why, we may be able to eliminate over-spending quite a bit. Now I don't mean to sound like a scrooge but do we really need to have a "Secret Santa" program at work?
Why doesn't the employer spend money on all their employees instead of having the employees spend their hard earned money to buy pointless gifts, often for people we don't really know or care too much for. We can still have fun at the party without giving old Fred a gag gift that he will either never open or will just re-gift.
Some other great gift ideas could be making a difference in your community by donating money to a worthy cause in someone else's name. Maybe that person on your shopping list was effected by cancer and would be honored if you made a donation to a charity of their choosing? These are all just ideas and suggestions.
My main goal and point here is not that we should stop celebrating but rather cut back on things we really don't need to buy. Our wallets get emptied and many people pay off their credit card debts while the companies that we purchase the products from are getting richer. When they fail, the get a bail-out. When we fail, we get foreclosure. It's time we start taking control over what we buy. Try buying locally made goods as apposed to over-seas low quality (and often dangerous) goods that are designed to fail.
Only we, the people, can stop the corporate greed. We can do this buy taking control over our own money. We can boycott banks and put our money in local Credit Unions where we actually are a member and own a small amount of the institution. Banks just take your money to make more money and then they charge you a fee when you want to borrow it. This has to stop! We can also be more frugal and realistic when spending during the holidays. If we make more of our own gifts we can save money and spend time with our families. There are many things we can do and these are just a few ideas. What do you suggest? Let us know in the comments below!
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Thanks D4v319! I appreciate you stopping by and leaving a comment! I am now following you!
JSMatthew~
Hi JS...
Not only have you identified the changing characteristic of holidays (now long completed I fear) but have provided concrete steps to address them!
Great thoughts and timely delivered!
Thomas
Why thank you ThoughtSandwiches! We have to make a change now! Things are already out of hand. I appreciate your comment!
JSMatthew~
Well said JS
The things that we are supposed to be celebrating are lost in a sea of garbage.
No wonder obesity is at epidemic proportions.
Every time we turn around another candy bar is being shoved at us.
I'm with you on the boycott idea.
Voted up and interesting
Hello malometer! It has really gone from the original celebration to a corporate circus! Just look at "Black Friday". Isn't that the dumbest thing? I appreciate your insightful comment and also for your vote!
JSMatthew~
excellent HUB. I totally agree.
On January 21, 2010, with its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations are persons, entitled by the U.S. Constitution to buy elections and run our government. Human beings are people; corporations are legal fictions.
We, the People of the United States of America, reject the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United, and move to amend our Constitution to:
* Firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights.
* Guarantee the right to vote and to participate, and to have our vote and participation count.
* Protect local communities, their economies, and democracies against illegitimate "preemption" actions by global, national, and state governments.
The Supreme Court is misguided in principle, and wrong on the law. In a democracy, the people rule.
Help by signing the petition!
Hi JS,
Looks like the economy, bad policies in DC and corporate America willing to hire the cheapest labor is going to kill the Holidays long before OWS.
As a capitalistic country we like to share the wealth but without any wealth there is really nothing to share. I wouldn't mind spending money on the Holidays if in fact I had any. America has become more like a communist state.
We can't take control of our money when in fact we have none.
JT
@picklesandrufus: Thanks! I appreciate your comment.
JSMatthew~
@Horse Feathers: Thanks for sharing the information and the link. I went over to the site, read the info and signed the petition. I appreciate your comment!
JSMatthew~
@JT Walters: I wish I had some money to spend too! It is ridiculous, the state of our economy. No jobs, no money and everyone wants to blame the president. This has been going down hill for many years. It is scary to think that we may never come out of this. I appreciate your insightful comment!
JSMatthew~
Greed is the root of all evil. The problem is so large, we can't just blame one group. The banks and insurance companies have a big stake.I think it would take more than a public protest to wake up Wall street...I think you would have to protest all big banks and insurance companies too. It would have to become almost like Tianman sq. where the grassroots of the people get physical, or people just stop using their credit cards and debit cards and placing their money under a mattress. We are all beholden to those larger corporations whose CEO's are mentally removed from people they view as below them. They can't relate to anyone in middle class or poverty because they view themselves as priviledged. They also don't care. So unless you can affect the guys at the top financially they see that the problems that exist are mainly a poor person's problem. It is only a matter of time before the unemployed get sick and tire of struggling before a organized war breaks out where people just go destroying things.
When the shelters get overwhelmed, when people can't get their needed meds...etc..
Your hub really is an eye opener and a reminder of the world we live and how it will self destruct unless something good starts changing the job situation for many.
It took me 8 LONG months to find another job. I undestand the agony some are going through, worse if you are a male and head of household.
Hello alphagirl! I couldn't have said it better myself! Awesome comment! I don't think we can bounce back from this without a major revolution. The American Government has become the same government we fought against in the American Revolution, which was also started over taxes and unfair practices. These wealthy people do look down on us as if we are there to serve them; this is their world and we are merely disposable pawns in their chess game. I am so glad that American's are finally realizing what is really going on. Thanks to media and social networking people who would normally avoid political issues have no choice but to confront them. This isn't going away. One of the biggest truths is that we are always at war and a few companies make a (literal) killing at the expense of American and foreign innocent lives. If you haven't already, please check out my Hub on Why America is Addicted To War: http://jsmatthew.hubpages.com/hub/Why-America-Love
I appreciate your comment and hope that many will read this. We have to take America back and the only way to do this is through education and organization which starts at the grass roots level. Thanks for your insight!
JSMatthew~
Hi JS,
I want to earn my own income and I have an advance degree from the USA. I have paid to have a job and can't find one to save my life. I am so tired of hearing how much smarter the international community is then Americas. They all come to school here and in advanced degree programs we are all in those classes togther. In particular I am very good at Math so the mjoriy of my life has been spent in advanced Math classes with Asian students. Odd, that my government wants to claim the international community is smarter then myself as a justification for not employing me when in fact I have the same if not better skills then the international community.
Thanks for the thought JS. I am a hard worker as you can tell by my time on HubPages. I want my country to embrace its people before the international community which in most instances have lower skills, are less educated and aren't in this country legally.
I would really like to earn my own keep and that if my son. And in the end JS, the president will gett he blame as the buck stops with him but the alternatives aren't any good either.
All My Best,
JT
JT my hopes and prayers are with you. We need to regain the balance that has been missing for a long time. The system that is in place is not beneficial for 99% of the people that occupy/maintain it. We work, get laid off, collect, work, get laid off...it never ends.
No matter if we have a College Degree or we are a General Laborer, most Americans can't find sustainable jobs to maintain a "Livable Wage". The rest make "decent" money but await the Grand Layoff.
We need to get rid of most Standardized Tests in school and focus on the students, not the tests. It is time that America builds Leaders in Technology and Earth Science; we all can destroy the planet, but how many can Prevent its destruction and Re-build what we have? We need more Green Technology. There are many energies that we can harness from the environment, but large corporations have spent a lot of money to make sure that it remains a "Pipe-Dream". They tell us that we Need Oil and all the other amenities that come with the price. Same thing with Diamonds.
I appreciate your comment and I enjoyed your contribution to the discussion.
JSMatthew~
JSM: A good article! I think it goes deeper then this even. I think it is about disolving the "current" american dream and researching historical American Dream. There was a change in the american dream when TV happened. The mass population was now subjected to compelling advertisement. We are by nature creatures who want things... or at least we have become. This is more then just abandoning the Holidays... This goes back to a time when a parent stayed home to care for the children... this goes beyond the pile of monthly services fees for stuff we "really do not need." JT touched on another topic... immigration. While I agree and disagree with her statements, I will say that we allow so much immigration here to america and then do nothing with these people. We do not teach them English, We do not Teach them about our society, We just set them free to figure it out on there own. Many Asian cultures find the same treatment they tried to escape from here in America. They settle into like-communities and then are put to work in substandard conditions by illegal labor bosses and slum lords. Your hub mentioned a book addicted to war... Have you ever talked to the homeless people. A lot of them are veterans. I think when you send a kid of 18 to Vietnam and force him to survive by killing people, after he has be raised to understand that killing people is bad and against the church, then we owe that young man better then he is getting. The cause of change must be deeper then most Americans want to look... It goes back understanding our mistakes and dealing with them. Imagine the jobs that could be created by dealing with our nations mistakes.
Good points, thanks for sharing! Getting back to basics and focusing on relationships rather than consumership would make a grand difference in things.
Excellent hub.
A great thought provoking hub with a good message.
I think we all need to take a good hard long look at ourselves, corporate greed only exists because we as individuals feed it. We all have a collective responsibility to monitor our own actions. Perhaps if we did not expect so much, want so much and stopped thinking we were entitled to all that was on offer regardless of our ability to afford it we would be a lot happier. Just because advertisments, cheap credit and market forces encourage us to buy buy buy, does not mean we have to succumb and borrow money we can ill afford to pay back.
There are millions of people in your country and mine who are suffering because of individual greed, not just greed in the corporate world.
Great article! Matthew. I absolutely agree with you that these days festival are determined more by markets rather than traditions and emotions behind them. Consumerism has become so much dominant in our societies. You can't imagine to celebrate a festival or occasion without loosing out on a decent amount. Christmas gifts and Santa Clause have become bigger than the reason behind the festival Jesus! And that's because new generations are told that way the festival cause for celebration/party/gifts but nobody tells them what is the purpose behind the celebrating them at first place. Capitalism has brought its wrath over the US. People took amounts of loans to spend the money on non-sense stuffs and as markets fall down, banks shut down, no vacancies has put a majority of people's life on turmoil. I don't think this occupation tactics gonna work out. The US government, instead of aiding other countries, should invest that money in country itself and also it should take back all its troop around the world, so that billion's of dollars can be saved which in turn will boost economy.
You've made some good points here, JSM.
I live below the poverty level in the UK so I have no option but to ignore advertising of any kind. We no longer buy presents for our children who are grown-up any way but we still get together for celebratory meals and other fun times with only a small outlay.
It is actually how I grew up - B.C (Before Commercialism) and none of us feel as though we are missing anything ... we still enjoy ourselves.
Wow! Look at all the wonderful comments! I appreciate you all for taking the time to read and comment. It's nice to know that people are interested in this and making change. Thanks again for all your insightful comments!
JSMatthew~
I agree with you 100% JS.
I lost a friendship years ago because I told the friend let's not exchange gifts this year but just get together for dinner and celebrate. Her response was, "I already bought you a present."
Voted up and awesome.
Hello Sueswan! That is a shame that you lost a friendship over something so trivial, but you know what they say; must have not been a true friend! I appreciate your vote and comment!
JSMatthew~
I agree, JS! I prefer Thanksgiving to Christmas because the focus of Thanksgiving is sharing a great meal with people you love, not on shopping and presents and the whole commercial craziness. I'm already planning to make many of my Christmas gifts this year, instead of buying things people don't need.
Hello DeborahNeyens! I agree with you about Thanksgiving and making things for people at Christmas is awesome! For Thanksgiving we all go to my mother's house and she cooks a grand meal. Maybe this year I'll take pictures and share them! There's usually a lot of people. It really is a great celebration of family. Thanks for the wonderful comment!
JSMatthew~
Hi Matthew, I couldn't agree more with this hub. It is a sad fact of life. They are the Christmas grinches of today's world, or any other holiday for that matter. They manage to sell you the fact that bigger and more expensive is better than a small sincere thought. And the way they manage to target the younger generation is sad. If you don't have the latest gadgets you're just not cool enough. Great hub Matthew, voting up and interesting!
I appreciate the way you explain the "machine" Jangaplanet. We are expected to buy more and more each year while our wallets get smaller. The whole concept is really about us getting in debt to them. Then they own us and we end up paying more to them. Many of the products we buy are either broken or obsolete by the time we repay them (planned obsolescence).
It is a cycle that needs to be stopped. If we made more of our own things and relied less on their convenience of the moment (existentialism) we would be better off. We need to end the instant gratification syndrome and look at what we really need in life. Simplicity is the key, but we are very far from that these days. I appreciate your comment and your votes! Thanks for stopping by Jangaplanet!
JSMatthew~
Everyone keeps complaining about the materialistic excess, but every doggone year the sales are better than the year before! I wish there was a magic way to make people refuse anything that is not made in the USA this year.
I think it starts with educating the people Xenonlit. After all, what we see is what we learn. And we all see a lot of advertising and suggestions as to what we supposedly need. We have to reduce our exposure so that we can clear our minds. It's getting cloudy in here! I think the reason why most people don't vote is because they can see through much of the BS that is promoted by the candidates, and feel that they can't make a difference. It's time the people become their own voice. Stop buying ridiculously and start taking control of our own purse. Thanks for the input!
JSMatthew~
You don't have to spend money to make someone happy for the holidays. If my husband would clean the bathroom on valentines day I would appreciate him more than if he showed up with every flower in the country!!! Do something nice for the people you love. It doesn't cost anything.
imsev, that is such a great point. If we did things from the heart we can make our loved ones very happy. When I read my wife this comment she said that its true and she would be happy if I cleaned the bathroom for Valentine's Day! Great point! Thanks for adding to the Hub!
JSMatthew~
I am thinking of staying home this year for christmas because I am uncomfortable with the fact that as much as I try not to I still compare what I have (not much) to the excess that my siblings and their families have. I could let it go but since the occupy movement has started I realize just how clued out some of them are. My mother and and sister and neice think the brave souls braving the elements in my and their cities are just a bunch of dead-beats wasting their time instead of finding a job and going to work. They don't stop to think that the only reason they are doing so well is because they married well. If something happened to their husband or if their marriage broke up they probably would be in the same boat as me. Namely a single parent struggling to survive. It sickens me.
I just think some people are inherently shallow and incapable of understanding. Income levels of the top 3% in this country, are out of touch because they do not have to look for their next meal. I don't think there is an answer. You can't make really wealthy people feel sorry for the poor and or unemployed. It isn't a part of their daily fabric. It doesn't affect them in any way.
good hub
Hey JS
Good one! I gave up the commercial trap a long time ago and now I donate to charity what I used to spend on gifts. Holiday cards are still an issue tho'. It is easy to insult someone by not sending a card so maybe I need to start making my own. Halloween is emblematic of the commercialism of holidays. It used to be fun and many people actually made treats for kids. Now I have actually seen Halloween trees and Halloween lights for sale. What the F--- is a Halloween tree and what kind of idiot buys one?
Thanks for the comments! I am so happy to hear that people are already doing this! Spread the word! Thanks for stopping by everyone!
JSMatthew~
As the holidays started getting to costly for my family, my sisters and I decided to stop exchanging gifts. (We still get gifts for the kids and of course our parents!) Instead, we are required to make up 4 scrapbook pages from our life over the past year. That forces us to share each others lives and capture pictures of our kids together. This year will be the third year of the scrapbook. It is getting pretty full but it is a fun christmas idea that we all treasure.
This is the way to go.Now people have the power to change things through uniting and sharing ideas online.As said in the comments above, it is time for action. Boycotting all commercial holidays is a good start and every single effort counts no matter how big or small,its the water drops that add up to an ocean-we can change things.
Thanks for a great timely write up on this.
@barbergirl28: That is such an awesome idea-scrapbooking with your family. It is worth so much more than something that requires batteries or will break in a month! You are creating memories from memories, that will last a lifetime! When you fill the book, you can always start a new one with different ideas and approach. Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
JSMatthew~
@Alladream74: I appreciate your support in my subtle movement! Now is the time. Every day I see on the news how violence (often sparked by police) is erupting at the "Occupy" sites all over the country. In Providence, RI they went in after midnight last night and physically removed the protesters and their tents. We need to take a more proactive action like the Bus Boycott. When companies suffer losses they will change. Also, it's not like people will lose jobs if we boycott; all the jobs are now overseas! Thanks for your insightful comment!
JSMatthew~
Another really good hub J.S.Matthew. Excellent point you make here. I think it isn't so much a boycott but more like a cultural shift that needs to happen so that it will drive away wanton and impractical "consumerism."
Hello moiragallaga! Nice to hear from you again! Consumerism is the key to the dilemma. Thanks for pointing that out! If we change the way we live (what do we REALLY need?) then we can cut back and the rest would fall into place. Thanks for adding to this Hub!
JSMatthew~
Just enjoying your hubs & picking up tips on putting good hubs together.
Hello fidencio1! I am happy that you are enjoying my Hubs! If you haven't already, check out the Guide I wrote for new Hubbers: http://jsmatthew.hubpages.com/hub/So-You-Want-To-B You may also want to check out the Learning Center for some ideas as well: http://hubpages.com/learningcenter/contents
Thanks for stopping by and I wish you the best of success on HubPages!
JSMatthew~
Thanks. I have been spending time at the learning center and clicking the highlighted parts of your hubs, to see where they lead. Little-by-little I'm starting to understand the linking process. Again, thank you for your “how to" hubs.
Thanks for writing this. I like the part about boycotting christmas and such. I'm glad to know I'm not alone in feeling that some holidays have gotten way out of hand.
@fidencio1: You're welcome! The Learning Center is the best place for the right information. That's why I promote it so much! I am glad that you are checking out how to put it all together. That makes a big difference.
If you like "How To" Hubs, check out my Hub on how to make Chessboards. It took me a while to put it together: http://jsmatthew.hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Make-A-Ch
Thanks for your comments! They are much appreciated!
JSMatthew~
@gkanekoa: It is good to share ideals with like-minded people! Thanks for stopping by! I am glad that we are on the same page! Things are way out of hand.
JSMatthew~
The irony of closing loop holes is that it makes taxes flatter and more fair, so that special interests cannot seek exemptions for themselves. Unfortunately, Obama doesn't seem to agree with this concept, since GE paid zero taxes and Immelt is Obama's "jobs" guy.
Hello tamarawilhite! Although I am an Obama supporter, I think all sides need to come to the same conclusion and close the Corporate Tax Loopholes. I read the report about GE: 14 Billion in profit in 1 quarter, zero paid in taxes. The tax papers were so ridiculous the article I read said that stacked up it would be about 19 feet tall! I think it was something like 57,000 pages of loop holes that are legal to avoid taxes. I don't understand why more middle and lower class people (like myself!) aren't doing anything about it. This has been going on for a very long time and only seems to get worse. GE is not the only corporation doing this; there are hundreds!
Education is the Key and Action is the Doorway! We need to stand up and force the people we elect to take action in our interests. We can do this by voting and calling our representatives and telling them what we think. Only when the Majority (99%) stands up for itself can we see change. What we lack in money we have in numbers. Thanks for stopping by!
JSMatthew~
Thanks JSMatthew for what you put together here. Now the problem we are facing is that we have people representing us as elected officials that have no clue what the common man is going through. They spend their time arguing back and forth over there in DC accomplishing little or nothing,and at the end of the day they still get paid for just arguing. I find it hard to believe that in 2011 we have not all realized that the 99% need to stand up. A man who hasn't experienced poverty can't be fighting for those in poverty, as he has no clue what it means to be poor. I still find it hard to digest the fact that we are so blind that we can't see that we've been played all along. I'm with you JSMatthew and I share your thoughts 100%
Silverlight,
I couldn't agree more! We vote for the people who have enough money to get noticed because we really don't have a choice. You can't choose what you can't see. Politics all boils down to who can spend the most to secure a seat in front of the open window.
The use of Media can do more harm than good when it comes to picking a candidate. Candidates who have a lot of money often have an Agenda. With that agenda, comes deception and campaigns that destroy good candidates and families.
I think many of the 99% are scared that they are uninformed on the issues, that their vote has no impact and they are generally sick of the whole political front. If you think about it, we have only begun to raise the awareness of about 7% of the 99%. We have a long road ahead to really organize and make changes.
If we could get Real Representation in office, instead of the Lobbyist Puppets that try to exploit us from every direction, only then can we experience True Democracy. We have been playing their game by their rules for too long. They OWE Taxes and we deserve Jobs and a Decent Quality of Life. This is still the USA, right?
In closing, I want to say that I really like what you said:
"A man who hasn't experienced poverty can't be fighting for those in poverty, as he has no clue what it means to be poor."
Well Said! Thanks for the comment!
JSMatthew~
Great article, and I found this to be so true with just not the U.S. but the whole world. I have lived in different parts of the world and the more I see of the world, the more I realize that corporate greed is serious issue almost everywhere around the globe. Your solutions for stopping the corporate greed could really pertain to individuals around the globe seeking reform.
Thanks for your input danq91! This is going on all over the world as people are sick of the greed and lies. I watched an awesome documentary the other day on Vanguard, a show on Current TV. It highlighted recent protests and organized gatherings all over the world. This is occurring virtually everywhere. At least the masses are finally waking up and doing something about it. The key is to never quit. You don't loose when you keep fighting. Thanks for stopping by!
JSMatthew~
@JS
I agree with all that you said in this post. And, I've taken some of the steps you mentioned in my own life, and encouraged family to do the same. I've moved my $ to a credit union, do not shop at the big box stores, and we're giving to a charity instead of buying gifts for each other.
And, yes, I was not aware that WalMart has layaway now. You learn something new every day.
All the best,
James
That's awesome jhaggenmiller! We all have to do a little to stick it to the big guy. If everyone boycotted more major holidays and did things like switching to Credit Unions, things would have to change. Giving to a charity is an awesome thing. There are so many people who benefit from charity and there are even more who are still in need. Walmart did have a layaway for the season but I think it ended on the 17th. I suppose it does help some people but most likely just helps people put off what they can't afford! Thanks for your comment!
JSMatthew~
D4v319 6 months ago
I agree with everything in this article. Never really thought about it myself, but its all true. Everyone should take something good out of this. nice work!