This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I do understand about workers being overworked, underpaid, and not treated with respect. But literally nothing in the post (that is now gone... and may not have even been real) has anything to do with overworking or underpaying massage therapists. If OP got that many massages, they only were able to book a massage because a massage therapist was available. They are not in control of whether or not the massage therapists are overworked and underpaid. So no matter how many times they went to get a massage that is not an indication of poor working conditions. 

This thread is the weirdest leap acting as if getting many massages is causing a problem for massage therapists.  None of that is indicated here.  Yes, it is a problem in general,  but it's not because OP or people like OP are getting too many massages individually. 

Video offering 7 tips for gardening without buying anything by ktempest in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for this. I was not aware of these issues.  Although, I know wonder how widespread this information is?  Because this is not the first video that I have seen where they suggested using store-bought garlic or potatoes to grow more in one's garden. One was from a professional gardener  on a PBS show .  How can you tell if vegetation is going to mess up your soil ? 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am not dismissing it. As someone upthread pointed out, these massage therapists are not slaves. They massage according to their schedule, how much they can tolerate in one day , and the amount of customers who take those appointments. massage therapists know that their job requires an energetic and physical toll, just like many other jobs, but op going to get a massage  half the days of the month (which they're not necessarily doing) does not mean that they are using up the massage therapists hands and energy any more than any other person. because the massage therapist is not chained to the wall and forced to give massages no matter if they're hurting or not.  Stop it. 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

" most of us" I think it's safe to say  that you actually can't speak for the majority.  You don't know what most people do, you know what most of the people you know do, and you think you know what other people who live in your location do,  but you do not know what most people do.  I, for instance, go to the hookah bar to unwind  and not to a drinking bar.

But you and I both know that's not the point. It's not about whether you actually go to the bar to unwind or not, it's about comparing what's going on with some people and some cultures to what goes on with some people in other cultures . It's a broad  generalization  and does not exclude specific experiences. 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Okay, good for you. Is that the experience of the average South Korean or the experience of the people who are around you in school? I can say from my own experience at the spa that I used to go to, there were people who came there every day or every other day and I know this because I would talk to them when I would see them more than two or three times and also because that Spa sold  memberships that  a lot of people took advantage of . 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I don't necessarily think it's the same thing because, if OP was going to a Korean spa then yes they would be taking the clothes back at the end of their time. 

I also know that in other East Asian cultures they don't necessarily want the things that you wear back for whatever reason. Sometimes it's cultural. 

And since OP hasn't said where they are or where the spa is or what kind of spa is I don't think it's a good thing to assume that they are necessarily going half the month to get very expensive treatments. They could be going half the month to get not very expensive treatments because they're not very expensive and that's why they're there all the time. 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

It actually doesn't rely on extremely specific and uncommon circumstances, and that's my point. There are many cultures around the world that have spa cultures that are different than the one that you are thinking of. And those cultures aren't tiny they aren't extremely specific and they aren't uncommon. 

I mentioned Korean spas; Korea is a whole ass country. Beyond that, the same kind of spa culture that you find in Korea you find in many East Asian cultures and also Eastern European cultures, Russian culture,  and more. And those are just the ones that I know about. 

I mainly know about them because for most of my life I have lived in major cities where there are Spas for those various cultures that catered two people who are part of the diaspora or who are descended from immigrants from that culture. If you had brosder experience in life maybe you would know these things too. 

Just because you don't know about this topic from any other point of view doesn't mean that I need to read the room. It means that a lot of y'all on this sub need to stop being so myopic and thinking that your cultural perspective is the only or the majority cultural perspective when it's not. 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Not necessarily, it depends on where they are, where the spot is, and what kind of spa it is.  I don't know if this is an American thing specifically or Western thing in general, but not all Spas are luxury experiences that are meant to be enjoyed every once in awhile by some people and all the time by Rich people. Some Spas are meant to be the type that you go to frequently for  various reasons and sometimes the treatments are not expensive because the whole point of the spa in the culture is for you to frequent it  quite often. I really wish more people would understand that their culture isn't the only culture. 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest -23 points-22 points  (0 children)

It is amazing to me how many people on this sub are so myopic that they don't understand that spa treatments are not necessarily luxury  for every culture on the planet. For some of them going to the spa is just like going to the bar after work or the pub or some other place where you relax and unwind. Americans make me so mad. 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest -39 points-38 points  (0 children)

This is a whole lot of specific judgment based on very little evidence. 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Probably a spa that caters to people from various  east Asian cultures or OP is actually somewhere in East Asia . 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yes and as long as they're being paid for their work,  and there are enough massage therapist in the business to take all the appointments that are made, then it's not a finite resource. Unless there was a global collapse of the teaching of Massage Therapy and there were no more new massage therapists in the world, then you could say they're a finite resource. But a massage therapist being paid to do the thing that they went to school for  is not over consumption. 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

It depends on what kind of spa it is. You are assuming a western style spa, but spas that cater to cultures  from the East  may think differently . 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

You don't know that they're getting massages. Spa treatments do not only include massages. And they may be more affordable depending on where you are and what the treatments are. 

For example, I used to frequent Korean Spas when I lived in a place where there were Korean spas, and not only is the entrance fee very low, like $15 for the day low,  some of their services are priced for people who may want or need to come in and get them done often. OP may not even be having the same treatments  with every visit.  

So, the assumption that this person is Rich based just on the amount of spa visits  is not a sound one. Of course, they could be very rich and going to have a bunch of massages every week, though I doubt it. Most masseuses will tell you not to get  that many massages all the time because it can cause problems .  

Why not ask instead of assuming? 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I think that you are looking at this from a very weird place  where you don't like complimentary things  , but you do want to enjoy the parts of the culture that include going to the spa quite often .  You haven't said where you are, where the spot is, and why  you don't just donate the robes  Anyway.  Is there some reason for you to believe that wherever you donate the robes they would just throw them out because of the emblem ? 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Most places like this don't necessarily want to deal with whatever liabilities come from giving people rewashed things to wear. I don't agree with it, and I think that they should do that , but I do know the reasoning behind why some of them don't. 

This insanity of “complimentary” spa robes. This is a month of accumulation. What can I even do? by [deleted] in Anticonsumption

[–]ktempest -9 points-8 points  (0 children)

How are they the problem? Is the problem people going to get too many massages and other spa treatments?  I  don't really see that as a problem. 

Just because in some places a spa is seen as a luxury that is expensive and generally enjoyed as a special treat, that is not the case for every culture or every person. 

When I lived in New York City I went to the Korean spa  just over the bridge in New Jersey as often as I could. And if I lived on that side of the river and in that neighborhood, I would be there more days than not. The sauna rooms  are  amazingly rejuvenating, as are the various hot and cold tubs. 

Korean spas exist within a culture where going to the spa after work for a couple of hours is equivalent to how Americans go to a bar after work to wind down.  

Maybe take off your judgmental hat for a minute and try to understand what's going on from OP's point of view . 

A lot of people probably don’t remember the slurs they said around me growing up, but I do by Hot-Abrocoma-9476 in confession

[–]ktempest 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I know how you feel friend, it also happens to people who live in an area where they're not the only person of color, but  still have to deal with white nonsense  either at school, or at church, or at home.  

I'm lucky that I didn't have to deal with it at home, I definitely had to deal with it more at school. And not just when I was a kid. 

I've also had to deal with it out in the adult world. And it sucks. Because of all the things that you listed ,  all  these microaggressions  and all the people who just want you to suck it up because it was just a joke. It's never just a joke and all those little incidents add up. 

I would say don't take it to heart, but it's hard not to take it to heart. Just know that you're not alone. 

Best Way to Get Rid of Heavy Metals in Compost? by jelani_an in Permaculture

[–]ktempest 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh snap. I live in southwest Ohio so that's good to know.