When Did Your Buy-Nothing Group Jump the Shark?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not white nonsense. Yes I read the article.
I don’t love all the rules not that’s why some of the groups changed names. I just gave away a swim team bag and picked up a plastic kids pool for the dog.
It’s an awesome concept.

It's a deeply flawed concept, largely because of the control structures built into it (ultimately for profit) by it's creators. Like literally everything else white people make, it was built on a very white foundation. Even the creators have (half-assedly) acknowledged this, so you don't need to cape for them: https://buynothingproject.org/tpost/judjdav7e1-racial-justice-amp-the-buy-nothing-proje

"Additional Public Statement from the Co-founders of the Buy Nothing Project:
7 June, 2020

In the beginning of the Buy Nothing Project, our white fragility and privilege so clouded our understanding and judgement that we asked people not to call other group members or items being offered racist. In fact, this white fragility and privilege is so deeply rooted in us that we didn’t even remember taking this stance until after releasing our statement above about racial justice in the Buy Nothing Project in June of 2020, almost seven years into this experiment, when a past participant took the time to remind us and call us out on our gaslighting and racism. We are grateful to her for her work to hold us accountable. She made it possible for us to see more clearly just how deeply entrenched racist norms are in us, even today, after daily personal work, education, and conversations about these issues over the past two years."

If you honestly thought two white ladies built a properly anti-racist structure from the jump, perhaps you'd also like to buy a bridge?

[Anonymous]

Our group made it sound like once you hit 1k members you HAD TO “sprout,” otherwise it was against the rules of Buy Nothing Corporate or whatever. Meanwhile I know there are groups with 3k+ members that are “official” BN groups. Then they split the group into 3 or 4 smaller groups such that the poorer area was off on its own. The upside of that was the most annoying people ended up not in my group anymore which is nice.

I like it for giving away and getting kids stuff. I have never given or received used underpants or a swimming suit though. But people definitely sell used swim suits and workout gear on some of my clothes resale groups. And people pay for it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is one lady in ours that’s hustles to grab baby formula. Any brand, unopened or opened, doesn’t matter.

She probably selling it somewhere.

Or owns a daycare center or volunteers with kids in a church or a baby pantry or other help center ???

Why do we always go to the negative? It must be sad to first assume the worst in others. Why not just give the “benefit of the doubt”!

[Anonymous]

I see no issue with a used bathing suit.

However, I was considering giving away a pair of new with tags, never worn, Victoria's Secret panties (too small for my current size), but thought better of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is one lady in ours that’s hustles to grab baby formula. Any brand, unopened or opened, doesn’t matter.

She probably selling it somewhere.

Or owns a daycare center or volunteers with kids in a church or a baby pantry or other help center ???

Why do we always go to the negative? It must be sad to first assume the worst in others. Why not just give the “benefit of the doubt”!

In our group, most tell you that what they are doing if they take lots of stuff. We have people who collect for animal and women's shelters all the time, but they tell you and not hoarding.

Many have been caught selling and kicked out.

[Anonymous]

I have met a few people virtually through BN that I communicate with directly now when I have something to give away. Especially food or used kids items. They always come by and get it, and I don't have to go through the process of picking someone, waiting for pickup, etc. Also I have given away lots of my grandmother's china and silver that no one in the family wants, and usually a recent immigrant family will want it. I love the whole concept.

[Anonymous]

Mine was fine until a few people started frequently begging for food/formula/diapers “just to make it to the 15th of the month”, etc. Once or twice if they were caught off guard by an unexpected expense, fine, but this was constant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole concept of Buy Nothing groups is white nonsense: https://www.wired.com/story/the-battle-for-buy-nothing/

As opposed to black nonsense?
Racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think 75% of the people who take things, especially the ones who comment again and again they want it, don’t live in the area. They have fake profiles and make a living off it.

I am fine with this. They come to my house and pick things up, if they want to turn around and sell it somewhere else, by all means GO AHEAD!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve seen people post sofas from a dog friendly home that are stained and thread bare. They claim it still has plenty of life and cover it with a throw blanket. Disgusting! Take it to the dump!

Maybe someone wants a sofa for their dog?

I got a free ottoman for mine, who isn't allowed on any of the other furniture but likes to look out the window.

He has no eye for design.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think 75% of the people who take things, especially the ones who comment again and again they want it, don’t live in the area. They have fake profiles and make a living off it.

I am fine with this. They come to my house and pick things up, if they want to turn around and sell it somewhere else, by all means GO AHEAD!

Then you can put those things on the Facebook Marketplace for free. This is supposed to be a group for neighbors helping neighbors.

[Anonymous]

A lady who works at my child's school came to pick something up and took an additional item that wasn't for her. I messaged her about it (since it was promised to someone else) and 3 days later she responded "oh I guess I did take that too". No apology. Took her a week to bring it back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not white nonsense. Yes I read the article.
I don’t love all the rules not that’s why some of the groups changed names. I just gave away a swim team bag and picked up a plastic kids pool for the dog.
It’s an awesome concept.

It's a deeply flawed concept, largely because of the control structures built into it (ultimately for profit) by it's creators. Like literally everything else white people make, it was built on a very white foundation. Even the creators have (half-assedly) acknowledged this, so you don't need to cape for them: https://buynothingproject.org/tpost/judjdav7e1-racial-justice-amp-the-buy-nothing-proje

"Additional Public Statement from the Co-founders of the Buy Nothing Project:
7 June, 2020

In the beginning of the Buy Nothing Project, our white fragility and privilege so clouded our understanding and judgement that we asked people not to call other group members or items being offered racist. In fact, this white fragility and privilege is so deeply rooted in us that we didn’t even remember taking this stance until after releasing our statement above about racial justice in the Buy Nothing Project in June of 2020, almost seven years into this experiment, when a past participant took the time to remind us and call us out on our gaslighting and racism. We are grateful to her for her work to hold us accountable. She made it possible for us to see more clearly just how deeply entrenched racist norms are in us, even today, after daily personal work, education, and conversations about these issues over the past two years."

If you honestly thought two white ladies built a properly anti-racist structure from the jump, perhaps you'd also like to buy a bridge?

This is all so irrelevant. Who cares? I just got a sugar container from someone who lives seven blocks from me. My kids broke the old one. I’ve given away tons of kids books to people who live relatively close because it’s convenient for all.

The town I live in is divided up into about four different sections based on the compass. That’s it.

You all need to work more hours or something. This is stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is one lady in ours that’s hustles to grab baby formula. Any brand, unopened or opened, doesn’t matter.

She probably selling it somewhere.

Or owns a daycare center or volunteers with kids in a church or a baby pantry or other help center ???

Why do we always go to the negative? It must be sad to first assume the worst in others. Why not just give the “benefit of the doubt”!

In our group, most tell you that what they are doing if they take lots of stuff. We have people who collect for animal and women's shelters all the time, but they tell you and not hoarding.

Many have been caught selling and kicked out.

"Caught selling?" How???!

[Anonymous]

Our group is too big. I wish it would create a more localized group. It covers a huge radius.

That said, I've found some real gems among the weird offers of open food and trashy clothes.

I didn't have to pay for moving boxes or packing paper when we moved last year. I found two people who had been professionally moved (one military, one state department) who gave me everything. One of them even dropped everything off in his pickup truck!

I also got a free $100 keyboard for my iPad and tons and tons of arts and craft supplies for my kids.

I just ignore all the weird stuff and I'm sure I've missed a ton of nice things because people post so much.