I'm a channel flipper. As soon as a commercial comes on I'm gone to the next channel. I guess it shows my lack of patience. But sometimes I feel quite justified because I know the effect commercials can have on me. Ads make me feel like I'm missing out on something. I've gotten hyped over countless movies only to be disappointed that they weren't as life-changing as the trailer made it seem. I am completely convinced that advertisements provoke a sense of dissatisfaction within me.
Advertising was originally aimed (in the early 1800's) at making people feel uncivilized, unhygienic, and unsophisticated. As commercialism evolved so did the advertisements. While advertisements at first were meant to convince people that they needed to be clean and proper, they soon were clearly selling the abundant life itself. The quality of one's relationships could even be defined by what you bought: parents were bad if they did not provide everything they could for their children.
As a result we are left with a sense of self that is no longer rooted in tradition, family, character, or religion. We have entrusted our lives into the care of companies concerned about profit earnings.
I hate depressing messages. They don't motivate me to change or even be self-reflective. And so far that's what this has been. But it doesn't have to end that way. You can reappraise your life right now and better determine what is important to you. We all live in a world where we simply cannot avoid some materialism. And that certainly has not been all bad - with improved standards of living and financial security. But while we live in such a world we do not necessarily have to embrace it with open arms.
What areas in your life might you consider living without luxury?
What are the costs of doing so?
What are the benefits?
Final thought:
"The things you own, end up owning you."
Brad Pitt in Fight Club
Most of this has been provoked by my reading of Philip Cushman's Constructing the Self, Constructing America: A Cultural History of Psychotherapy. You have him to blame (or thank) for the guilt trip.
1 comment:
i'm doing a daniel fast at the moment - just fruit veg and pulses. great way to start the year. awesome fruit salads too ;-)
i agree about 'practising simplicity'. i believe God wants us on balance to have abundance, but this is primarily rooted in him and 'prosperity' starts on the inside. so to make sure we get this right, we should pursue simplicity as a discipline.
most of my work colleagues can't believe that the two christian consultants in the office drive a diesel estate and a nissan micra respectively! some of the others have such flash cars.
Post a Comment