"Un-American, anti-capitalist, eco-freak poseurs"

A group of San Francisco neo-hippies is about to complete its quest to buy nothing new for an entire year. They call themselves the "Compactors," and with the exception of the "bare essentials," they have not bought anything new for the past 360 days. The Washington Post reports that, "Some [opponents] have called the Compactors un-American, anti-capitalist, eco-freak poseurs whose defiant act of not-consuming, if it caught on, would destroy the economy and our way of life."

Eco-freak poseurs - sounds kind of like Built to Spill. I admire the Compactors for the principle they're upholding, and I think it's absolutely HILARIOUS that detractors would call them "un-American."

To be American is to consume, I suppose.

Despite my admiration for their principles, I think the Compactors take it too far. What about new toys for the kids? The Post says, "Toys? The easiest. [John] Perry and his partner, Rob Picciotto, a high school language teacher, have two adopted children. 'I take Ben to Target sometimes and we'll play with the toys and then leave,' Picciotto says."

In some states, this qualifies as child cruelty. "Oh, you like that new racecar, Tommy? Well, don't you go falling in love with it. It's staying here when we leave. You can play with your glued together used popsicle sticks when we get home."