Hello Lent, goodbye Amazon

Every couple of years, I decide to join the wife in giving up something for Lent, which apparently started today. I’m not particularly religious, but I figure it doesn’t hurt to occasionally practice some self-discipline. 

So, what to give up? The most obvious thing would be wine, just because I rarely go a day without a glass or two. But it says here that Lent lasts 40 days, so … no. 

It’s a fine line.  You want to give up something that matters, but not something that life would be altogether meaningless without. So I think this year it will be Amazon. Makes sense because I’ve already gone six weeks without ordering anything from Amazon. That’s 42 days, right? Duration of Lent and then some!  Easy peasy.

Just kidding. I’m boycotting Amazon for the next 40 days too, and I hope for a long time after that. I expect a few small benefits:

• a significant reduction in shoddy merchandise around the house;
• a lot fewer boxes piling up in the garage;
• the satisfaction that derives from a moderate amount of self denial;
• less of my meager income pissed away to a soulless tycoon like Jeff Bezos.

 As it happens, the “economic blackout” being organized by Peoples Union USA starts Friday. The group wants everybody to avoid anything Amazon-related for an entire week. Sounds good to me. Not sure if the timing has anything to do with Lent, but it seems fortuitous for the heroic sacrifice planned by yours truly.

As I’ve mentioned, I doubt if any boycotts, Lenten or otherwise, will worry billionaires like Bezos. (Amazon’s sales actually grew a little during the last one-day boycott on Feb. 28.) But we can all agree that buying our junk anywhere but Amazon can’t hurt. Right? 

Now I wish I had a Tesla so I could set it on fire.