Talk about timely: Netflix just released Buy Now! A Shopping Conspiracy – right in the midst of the peak sales period ahead of the holiday season and through into Christmas and New Year's sales. Talk about putting a cat among the pigeons – and not exactly the Netflix discount code you might've been hoping for, eh?
Except, really and truly, does this documentary reveal much more than many of us already know? Here at T3 we put considerable time into covering the best Black Friday sales. Not because we want you to go and buy a load of pointless stuff – because we want to connect you with the best premium products that will genuinely make your lives better.
Buy Now! certainly has its point to make, I get that. Rampant consumerism is rife – and big corporations want to encourage your purchase behaviour to consume to excess. That doesn't mean you have to, mind. Everything is a choice – we have the power to change our behaviours.
The documentary has already climbed the Netflix chart to the no.2 position in both the UK and the US – almost breaking the fairly non-stop run of feel-good Christmas movies that have taken hold (M3GAN, the sci-fi thriller broke through for a day or so). The current no.1, however, is basically 'Magic Mike at Christmas' – quite the stark contrast, but an easier pill to swallow than the (frankly condescending) AI-narrated voice of the documentary.
Anyway, topless men put aside for a minute. As a longstanding voice in the world of tech I've seen a significant investment from companies moving towards more sustainable practices and user-repairable products. Just look at Bang & Olufsen, for example, whose drive towards circular sustainability now releases modular products so that relevant parts can be upgraded in the future.
Buy Now!'s message also highlights what a catch-22 we're all in. Producing the documentary will have created a footprint of its own (as will any movie or show to significant effect – that being Netflix's business, ultimately). Indeed, your streaming of the doc for its full 84-minutes will be equivalent to boiling a kettle four times or so (citing Sustainability Magazine).
You shouldn't have to feel eternally guilty for that, I hasten to add. Everything has an impact. And hell, you should be able to enjoy your best Netflix shows and movies this November. Or those on Amazon Prime, to be fair. Or whichever of your favourite streaming services you're watching. Among those you should certainly watch Buy Now! to further educate yourself though.
But if you are looking over the best Black Friday deals – whether a games console upgrade or one of Amazon's best deals – then think about it the T3 way. Buy the best, buy products that you're informed about, buy things that will improve your lives and make you happier – whilst considering how to offset that cost to other people and environments.
