It’s that time of year again. Time to save big by spending big. Time to buy piles of stuff to show how much you care for your loved ones. After rolling out of bed having stuffed yourself all Thursday, you can stand in lines awaiting the latest gadgets. Or maybe you’re not a people person and prefer instead the privacy and convenience of online shopping. Either way, it’s time to consume. Or not. We at M&T would like to remind you that you could choose to gift something else. You could finally try your hand at spoon carving this year. Or make a stack of live-edge cutting boards for your in-laws. Shrink pots also make great gifts. This is the...
It would be no shocker to tell you that this year has been rough for all of us. We’ve been carrying around the emotional weight of looming biological threat, social unrest, and political division for so long that many of us are wearing thin. To be perfectly honest, I don’t know a single person who isn’t struggling with anxiety in the face of so many worldly uncertainties. There are many possible responses to this trauma. One common response is anger and finger-pointing. Another is fear and despair. And a third is to distract ourselves with the consumption of commodities. For those who find themselves in the latter category, this Friday has its sights set on you. After a day...
It’s that time of year again. In a little over a week, most Americans will be gathering with loved ones to feast and celebrate over all their blessings. It is a time for rejoicing and a time for love. And consumerism. Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, hordes of people will get up early to spend gobs of money to buy Christmas gifts. I know you know it well. At its best, it’s cash, cash, cash for lots of cheap merchandise. At its worst, it’s violence and riots. I don’t know any other way to say it: this modern tradition is absurd, and we want nothing to do with it. So we encourage you to opt out with us. On November...