Can One Day of Not Buying Change Anything?

Click to text me what you got out of this episode.

Podcast Title and Episode Number: The Power of Collective Action: How Small Choices Can Create Big Change – Ep. 4

Episode Summary

In this episode of [Podcast Name], Danny explores the power of collective action and how even small, individual choices can contribute to major societal shifts. With the backdrop of today’s economic blackout, a movement where consumers withhold their spending to protest corporate corruption and ethical concerns, Danny dives into the psychology of consumer activism and collective efficacy—the belief that together, we can create meaningful change.

Using historical examples like the Montgomery Bus Boycott, he breaks down why some movements succeed while others fade, and what psychological factors make people more likely to take action. The conversation also touches on the bystander effect, how identity shapes behavior, and why our small, daily choices matter more than we think.

The episode wraps up with a challenge for listeners: Take a moment to reflect on a recent decision you made. Did it align with your values? Sometimes, just noticing our choices is the first step toward making meaningful change.

Key Topics Covered

• The Economic Blackout & Consumer Activism – An overview of today’s consumer-led movement to pause spending at major corporations and why this kind of action can send a powerful message.
• The Montgomery Bus Boycott & Historical Context – A deep dive into how a year-long protest fundamentally changed segregation laws in the U.S. and what we can learn from its success.
• The Psychology of Collective Action – Understanding collective efficacy, the bystander effect, and why people struggle to believe their individual choices matter.
• Identity-Based Motivation – How small choices shape the way we see ourselves and influence long-term behavior.

Important Definitions & Concepts

• Collective Efficacy – The belief that when people act together, they can achieve meaningful change. It plays a major role in movements and protests.
• The Bystander Effect – A psychological phenomenon where individuals are less likely to take action when they believe someone else will step in. This can weaken movements when people assume others will take responsibility.
• Identity-Based Motivation – The concept that our behaviors reinforce our self-image. Making one conscious choice aligned with our values can shift how we see ourselves and create lasting habits.

Discussion & Reflection Questions

1. Have you ever participated in a boycott or movement? What moti

About Danny Clark
Danny Clark is a licensed clinical social worker and family therapist based in Houston, Texas. As the founder of Texas Insight Center, he specializes in helping individuals, couples, and families navigate mental health challenges with practical, evidence-based approaches.

💡 Is therapy right for you? Let’s talk. If you’re struggling with stress or emotional regulation or just want to explore healthier coping strategies, reach out for a consultation. Visit www.texasinsightcenter.com to learn more and schedule a session.

📩 Have a question or topic suggestion? Send it to [e-mail]

You can also follow me on Instagram @texasinsightcenter or visit my webpage at texasinsightcenter.com

Join the conversation! Share your key takeaways using #MentalHealthPotluck or tag me on soci

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So imagine this you wake up, grab your phone and
decide that today, just fortoday, you're not spending a
single dime at any majorretailer no Amazon, no Starbucks
, no mindless scrolling thatleads to an accidental impulse
buy, and especially no going tothe $80 store, or, like I like
to call it, target.
Now you might be thinking bigdeal one day off from spending

(00:22):
isn't going to make Jeff Bezossweat.
But here's the thing what ifmillions of people did the same
thing?
That's exactly what's happeningtoday, on February 28th 2025.
A grassroots economic blackoutwhere people are choosing to
withhold their spending to senda message about corporate power
and consumer influence.
But does that actually work?

(00:43):
Or is this just anotherinternet trend that will
disappear by tomorrow?
More importantly, what can welearn from this?
About how small actions createbig change in our own lives?
Welcome to Mental Health Potluck, where everyone brings
something to the table.
I'm Danny Clark, licensedclinical social worker and
family therapist, and thispodcast is all about serving up

(01:05):
bite-sized mental healthinsights, practical wellness
tips and real conversations thatnourish the mind and soul, and
today we're going to talk aboutthe power of collective action.
All right, so let's break thisdown.
This economic blackout is allabout consumer activism, using
the power of what we spend ordon't spend to make a statement.

(01:26):
Today, thousands, maybe evenmillions, of people are
intentionally not shopping atmajor corporations to protest
issues like corporate greed,workers' rights and ethical
business practices.
Now, let's be honest one day ofskipping your latte isn't going
to bankrupt a billion dollarcompany, but that's not really
the point.
The goal here is to remindpeople that money is power.
When consumers act together,businesses listen, and we've

(01:49):
seen this work before.
So take the Montgomery busboycott in 1955, for example.
It started with one woman, rosaParks, refusing to give up her
seat, but what really made thedifference was what happened
next.
The community in Montgomery,alabama, came together and
stopped using the busesaltogether.
Now you've got to understandthis wasn't a one-day thing.
This boycott lasted 381 days.

(02:11):
People walked to work,carpooled, did whatever they had
to to avoid giving their moneyto a system that refused to
respect them, and it worked.
The transit system took a hugefinancial hit and the Supreme
Court eventually ruled thesegregation on public buses was
unconstitutional.
That was in 1955.
This is 2025.
The methods may have changed,but the core idea is the same

(02:32):
when people work together, theiractions have power.
So why do some movements takeoff while others fizzle out?
Let's say you're at a stadiumand someone decides it's time to
start the wave.
You know the one where anentire section of fans stand up
with their arms in the air andif it catches on, it spreads

(02:52):
across the entire stadium.
Well, here's what usuallyhappens One guy usually way too
enthusiastic jumps up and throwshis arms in the air, and then
nothing.
No one follows.
He tries again, still nothing.
The reason why is because noone wants to be that second guy.
But then finally a brave souljumps in.
Now, suddenly people in thesurrounding sections think okay,

(03:13):
maybe this is happening, andmore people stand.
The momentum builds and beforeyou know it, the whole stadium
is doing it and the original guydoesn't look so weird.
After all, that's what we callcollective efficacy, the belief
that if we all contribute,something big will happen.
The problem Most of us don'tbelieve our individual actions
matter, and that's why so manymovements die before they even
start, because we don't want tobe the first person standing up

(03:37):
waving our arms and lookingridiculous.
So how do you make somethinglike this stick?
Well, first people have toactually believe that what
they're doing has an impact.
If it feels pointless, they'renot going to do it.
Then the movement needsmomentum, it has to catch on
with a few people before itreally spreads and maybe the
most important part it needs tobe easy to participate.
No one wants to do somethingthat feels like an impossible

(03:59):
task.
The good news this economicblackout checks all the boxes.
It's easy to participate.
Just don't buy anything for oneday.
And if enough people do it, themessage gets even louder.
All right.
So let's get real.
Does skipping Amazon for oneday actually do anything?
It might not bring down acorporation, but it does

(04:19):
something just as important.
It changes how you see yourself.
Psychologists call thisidentity-based motivation, the
idea that the things we do shapehow we see ourselves.
You recycle.
Once you start thinking ofyourself as someone who cares
about the environment, you runone 5k I don't know why, but you
do.
Suddenly you're a runner.
It's not about the actionitself.

(04:40):
It's about how it reinforceswho you are.
The same thing applies here.
If you take part in somethinglike this, even for a day, it
shifts the way you think aboutyour power as a consumer and
that mindset.
That's what leads to realchange, even for a day.
It shifts the way you thinkabout your power as a consumer.
In that mindset, that's whatleads to real change.

(05:02):
Look, I'm not saying you needto boycott every major company
forever, unless that's yourthing, in which case more power
to you.
But this blackout is reallyabout being more intentional
with your choices.
It's about stopping for asecond and asking where's my
money going?
Who am I supporting, and doesthis align with my values?
Maybe that means shopping smallwhenever possible.
Maybe it means cutting back onimpulse buys from companies that

(05:24):
don't reflect what you standfor.
Maybe it just means paying moreattention, because once you
start thinking about this stuff,you start making different
choices.
Maybe, just maybe, it meanssharing this episode with
somebody might carry themomentum needed for consumer
change and yes, that is ashameless plug, because the more
people who have theconversations, the more we will

(05:45):
all start to think differently,and thinking differently about
our power as consumers andcitizens of this country can be
a real shift in fosteringpositive change in the world.
So here's something to thinkabout.
What's one small action you'vetaken recently that actually
meant something to you?

(06:06):
Not necessarily somethinglife-changing, just a moment
where you paused and made achoice that felt aligned with
who you want to be.
Maybe you chose to shop localinstead of clicking buy now.
Maybe you set your phone downand had an uninterrupted
conversation with somebody.
Maybe you just took a second tonotice that your choices, no
matter how small, actually shapethe world around you.

(06:27):
That's really what today is allabout.
The things we do, the decisionswe make, they all add up, even
if we don't see the resultsright away.
They create momentum not justout in the world, but even
within us.
And if this episode got youthinking, keep the conversation
going.
Leave a comment, let me knowwhat you think, or share it with
somebody, talk about it, orjust let it sit with you for a

(06:48):
while, because sometimes thebiggest changes start with just
noticing what we've been doingall along.
Thanks for listening to MentalHealth Potluck.
Until next time, stay mindful,stay intentional and stay
engaged.