The Liberation of Consumerism
last modified: Monday, August 03, 2009 (11:16:46 AM)
All of us have been on the purchasing end of a transaction. You saw something you thought you just couldn't live without and immediately figured out the quickest route to ownership, be it forking over cash to a sale's person for keen new shoes or electronically wiring dough around the world to score that cel of your dreams. There's a certain level of empowering euphoria to that kind of "seek and destroy, command and conquer" behavior. It certainly feels good to see something, want it and buy it. It gives you a certain level of control over something in your life when all else may be out of your control.
But on the flip side of the consumerism coin is vending and salesmanship. I've rediscovered this all too familiar art of being the genie who grants the wishes of eager customers. When something in my possession no longer gives me that deeply satisfying feeling of ownership, when it's simply an ornament or shiny bauble lacking true sentiment for me, then it's time to fess up. It's time to relocate this gem to more deserving hands.
Among the collectibles I've sold lately, I've turned to my cel books. The image of myself in the past holding these cel books was one of tight, white-knuckled fists and a near fetal position. Desperately clinging and swearing never to let any of them go. But I up and sold something. Then another something. Not sure how, but several cels made their way into packages and out my door. And.... it felt good! Actually, it felt great! Those numbers climbing upwards in my paypal and bank account didn't hurt matters either. There was that all too familiar sense of euphoria but for a completely different reason.
So, as I watch auctions count down to an end as a seller, I find myself rooting for the exact opposite outcome I hoped for when I was a buyer. Climb, numbers, climb! Go up, up, up!