In the past three decades, our society has become an abuser of consuming material objects. We forgot that love, is the most precious commodity we posses and instead, we began competing with our neighbors. We love shopping so much, that we have a saying in our culture, “shop, until you drop.” What has been a society content with being with their friends and loved ones has become a society full of zombies, who believe, that a discount of 10% of off, $5,000 is a great buy. The speed we consume; food, clothes, friends, cars, computers and other, unnecessary objects, is atrocious. For instance, instead of making coffee at home, we go to a coffee shop. We don’t realize that the lines at those coffee shops are astonishingly out the door and the time spent, arguing and yelling at a barista, can be ignored by preparing your pot of coffee at home, while reconnecting with your family.
The speed of our consumption is obnoxiously scary. We usually get tired of one thing we recently bought and move onto the next. It seems to be somewhat of a plague, which continues spreading widely. Who is to blame for our ways? I believe the answer lies, in us. We are mind controlled to believe that we must buy; because we believe it is the last computer, car or other material object of its kind. We lack the logical skills, our families had, decades ago.
Our society revolves around consumption. What a scary way of looking at our culture. We feel so patriotic and so full of heart, that we ignore the symptoms, which continue bleeding onto the oceans, rivers, mountains and other parts of our planet earth. Ignoring these symptoms produces an effect of misery, begging and poverty. Do we not desire love and happiness for the people on this planet? Why must we continue destroying and ignoring our children, who will continue living here, after we pass on? Do we not want to take care of the beauty so precious, so pure and so full of light? I’m sure you are thinking, of course we do! Then what the hell are you doing about it? How are you assisting Mother Nature? I’m sure these questions are hard questions to answer, but they are the questions, I ask myself when I fall a sleep at night.
As human species we cannot continue growing, if we do not heal or help our “weakest links”. Asking for help should not have to be “pulling teeth.” Focusing on an individual group can be one way that could help. One way to do this is to start focus groups, or an online magazine that would offer helpful advice for people who struggle with consumption. We must unite and guide the ones who are having trouble. We all struggle in someway or another.
32 comments:
Consumption of all of our natural resources will undoubtedly bring an end to civilization as we know it unless we the people figure out how to stop the madness. :)
Yup! Thank you for that wonderful input. You are right on the money. ;)
I fear for the next generation ... to which I chose not to contribute because I realised what they would face. There will be a generation ... or generations ... that will pay an enormous sacrifice because of the selfishness of this generation and consumerism. It is a madness ... the ones of the future will look back at us and scratch their heads and say, "what the hell were they thinking?"
But until the world tackles the problems collectively and united with one another ... I don't hold out much hope.
I don't think I've been out shopping (apart from groceries) the whole 6 weeks I've been on holiday.
The past 60 years since the end of WWII them that would lead have taken us into the valley of the "consumerist society."
The only way out for the individual is to stop consuming goods and services not needed. I am not talking about say a $40 dollar hair and nail appointment because that contributes to the economy of the one delivering the services.
But why do I need a thirty thousand dollar truck when I live in a very urban environment. If I need personal transportation, isn't a smaller more fuel efficient car going to get me wherever too?
I was in a megastore yesterday...you know the kind that sells consumer goods and groceries, as I was leaving I saw something I have still not comprehended the entire impact of. There was this grocery cart for rent. Put your $1 in the slot then your kid in the stylized car body and waa laa the TV comes on.
Be it sufficient to say I was appalled at the implications of not even having to interact with the kids at the grocery store eh? Turn the TV on and let whoever bombard them with commercials at the place where those desires can be met. don't use the opportunity to teach them appropriate behavior or how to shop wisely but put them away in a little plastic box of brain melt.
Man will always consume, there is no avoiding it but man has the ability to replace and restore the environment in which that consumption takes place...that we are not is what leads us deeper into the dark valley.
Aggie - Great points here! Thank you
The walking man - Thank you for your input.
There are plenty of webpages on the topic of frugal living already, the problem is of course to find one that's good and useful for the situation that you are in. Such pages are a good start when looking at you consumption and where you can save resources.
I've never been interested in owning "stuff" or having material wealth, and I feel absolutely no shame for being "out of fashion" or not having the "in things". I look to what I need and not what I want and I have raised our children the same way. Unfortunately I haven't been able to fully tame my husband and he sometimes annoys me by wasting resources on things that he doesn't need.
i've got it! and it's getting worse and worse. and where to start??? you decide to start living differently and your kids look at you strangely because not buying, not having the latest, newest of whatever, is an unknown concept to them. but hell! we have to start somewhere right!?!?!?!
I agree that we are all guilty of over consumption. And it will have to come to an end, except for books. You can never have too many books!
Seperating the wants from the needs is difficult.
It seems the way of life that has evolved has turned many wants into needs.
With the busy hectic life there is no time for cleaning the house so engaging a housekeep became a need. Likewise to eating in resturants.
Then because you work you now need work clothes, then casual clothes, spring clothes, winter clothes, and with these comes the need for matching shoes.
As well with everybody working everybody needs a car. and of course lets not forget daycare for the kids...and then of course afterschool activities so they have fitness and skills to help them in life that there is no time to get from mom or dad or the neighbourhood kids...just playing.
maybe this economic calamity is the best thing that ever happened to us.
The good thing about this one is it is affecting us all whether we are old or young, work in the technology sector, the service sector, the manufacturing sector.
We are all feeling the pain and therefor we might come together and have empathy for eachother as we know what it feels like to lose a job, or investments, feel the stress caused by this calamity and how it might cause us to become depressed, maybe drink too much or maybe even have to have the help of drugs whether they are prescribed by a doctor or by the street.
Maybe now we will realize that everybody has hard times and instead of judging the only thing that might help is understanding and supporting eachother through the turmoil. Maybe our wants of friendship will now be seen as a need...and we will come together as one.
True we once were a nation that produced goods for export but over decades became a country of consumers thanks to easy credit, loans and very bad spending habits. Much the same thing can be said for our government. The solution is painful but necessary, the free ride is over. We as a people and nation must realize that many things we take for granted, we simply cannot afford any longer. That would mean ending many social programs and curtailing government spending as well as our own. WE just got too big for our own good. We need a leaner America; there truly isn't an alternative choice
bill/elliott
Kadri - Many webpages, but many people don't have the patients anymore.
Shadow - Parents have to show the kids that it's cool to be frugal... talking with them and showing them, alternatives, might help.
claire p - Oh, yea! Books better not go anywhere:) I have mine to write;)
Colette Amelia - So, true!!!
elliott610 - Absolutely right!
I grew up on a self sustaining farm and have to say I'm glad to be away from that kind of non-consumption. But-I did raise my kids to recycle, reduce, and repurpose.
So, I believe there is hope. My kids are role models for their generation. People learn from each other. So, there is hope.
By the by-you've got to buy books or at the very least have your librarian order them...or I'm out of a job! Ugh...and it will be back to the self sustaining farm...
Sometimes the "Freegan" movement doesn't sound so bad. Maybe not to such an extreme that many practice, but we can definitely learn something from them.
Money can buy alot of things, but money can not buy love. If we would ask ourselves, "Do I really NEED this to live and survive?" We might begin to realize the difference between necessity and wastefullness. I'm not just talking about the waste of money, but also the waste of our minds in cultivating relationships. We as humans were made to be realtional by God. Jesus desires a personal relationship with everyone of us. In developing relationships with others love happens. When love happens, the desire "to have things" diminishes because we realize the true importance of life...friends and family.
Nancy J. Parra - Glad to see you doing something about it.
Darrin - Thank you for following. Great points!
Shannon Jacobyansky - Love does heal all! Thank you for visiting and commenting.
Mr. Leon Basin,
Indeed, astute observations. The question is whether we can do it. If we haven't yet, why not? Is it possibly because human beings are trying to achieve the impossible? It never ceases to amaze me that there is always one fellow at the back, who raises his voice & says something like:
“Wait! I have a brilliant idea! Let us rip out all the wasteful hedgerows & trees, & plant brassica rape in the resulting thousands of acres of open fields so that we can make oil & continue to manufacture & drive yet more carriages! We cannot e'er have enough carriages! People MUST travel!”
I believe for now, in my humble opinion, we should not turn to alternative energy resources to exploit, since it simply relocates the problem to another area. P'haps, we could consider reducing the energy we use today, to that more modest level we used in times past & still surviv'd.
It is not such an awful prospect to consider. We will not die if we are without the many things of today & the additional benefit is that we might have the time then to think more about how we behave with each other.
I myself often use candles & confine as much of my reading to the daylight hours if possible where I sit by the kitchen window, which additionally offers me the possibility of noticing that one bird in my garden, I have been waiting now, two months for. That bird being, any bird at all!
As you so rightly say, love is the answer. For with love, one would consider the welfare of one's neighbour as well as one's own. But also, in this matter of knowing or e'er gaining all the answers, I can only repeat the words of Jeremiah 10:23 -
“It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.”
And that of Proverbs 14:12 -
“There exists a way that is upright before a man, but the ways of death are the end of it afterward.”
Unless someone knows better, of course.
I remain,
Your most humble & obedient servant.
Colonel Brandon.
Nature Diary
Colonel Brandon - Wow, what a great input. I really enjoyed your comment. Please,come back and share more of your opinions.
That's a really good point. It's like goldfish eating and eating without stopping. At some point, we can't keep eating this way.
As everything, I believe the answer to this lies within the home and what we teach our children.
Teach them do be, rather than to have and we'll all be better off.
The Blonde Duck - So true!!
Jannie Funster - That is such a great point!
Hey Leon, you've been well?
Man, your writing is amazing. Sometimes i wish it wasnt this way so that i can just do what i like doing instead of being forced into so much crud. It irritates me that we as a people of this planet have gone backwards and now rely on materials instead of love. I dont want to be here in this house eating these cookies and fretting some songs, id rather be with a friend enjoying the beauty of the natural world. It sucks that im still too young to go anywhere without my parents getting mad at me.
Right...consumption. Well, most people i know are a bunch of close-minded robots that will buy anything that sounds appealing, even if they dont need it or want it. If you look at these people then the future looks very grey and bleak but if you see the good in them then you will see that there is still hope. Everyone is different and so they each hold at least something that is good about them and thats what we need to let shine more. I know a friend that hates the world and everything in it but ive noticed that he loves children. I can see that he is in a different mindset when he is around kids and thats where i can talk to him and let him uncover more of his love towards other things. Their biggest strength is their biggest weakness so you can use this to tear apart the walls they set up on their hearts. How we do this for everyone is a challenge but as more people get awakened to the power of themselves they will join in the battle too and then we can reclaim our freedom and start fixing the real problems as a whole instead of as idiots.
So much to think about in this post...thank you.
And thanks for stopping by my blog. I really appreciate that and hope to see you again soon...
Take care...
:^) Anna
Alfredo - You are the man! Great input and thank you for your sweet comment. I suppose the only way from here is up!!
Anna Lefler - Not a problem and thank you...:) Will check your blog soon.
I don't think there's anything to worry about now, we've consumed ourselves into an economic depression
We've become addicted to consuming to ease what is wrong on our insides, our broken minds, hearts etc. Until we can address that, we are in big trouble. Just an addiction, that has become accepted. How sad.
Shea - So true! Thanks
Noelle - Wonderfully put!!
Powerful article. Thank you!
Ask Me Anything - Thank You!!
Great post. Much to think about from it. I try and do my part as best I can. It starts with individuals. You can have as many focus groups as you want, but if individuals don't change nothing will. I'm a pretty optimistic person, but I'm afraid most Americans are too caught up in me, me, me. We may be in the beginning of a forced shift in that mindset.
Funny, former President Bush had said that most Americans are simply not willing to make the sacrifices needed. I believe that if we are willing to make even small overtures that we can make things happen. Time will be the judge
elliott
we must end consumerism and begin providerism. we cannot fall victim to the same mistakes of the past. while we need to end consumerism, it must be without conflict.
we need balance. above all else, we must balance ourselves individuall, before we can balance the world as a whole.
and we must recognize that there is no good or evil, just imbalances, exposing the extremes.
consumerism is the opposite of providerism.
we must find the center.
Thank you all! Thanks for commenting.
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