So living in this place and working in a very wealthy part of Southern California has me thinking about these things more lately. I see so much affluence and wealth and flaunt and it's such a part of the lifestyle here it's hard sometimes not to get caught up in it just a little bit. I feel like I'll always be grounded and have my head on straight, but I'm certainly guilty of wanting more than I need or even deserve. I'm a girl, and whether it makes sense or not, I love to shop, love to buy new things, am queer for beauty products, make-up, and jewelry. I'd take a new car if one was given to me, and of course would love a sweet pad to live in. I don't know if this is sick or not, but buying anything new makes me feel good. Even if I just get a new moisturizer at CVS, I'm slightly excited and feel in some small incremental way better. Now, I know that new things are exciting and that's part of it, but the over-abundance of un-necessary possessions doesn't make me or anybody else a better human being. So why do we do it? Why are most of us so guilty of the same consumption driven lifestyle?
Well, I think that our society has been manipulated and carved into the consumers that we are today. The past hundred years has seen the development of expert marketing that's sole purpose is to make us believe that luxury items are necessities for happiness. I can't say that it is purely the fault of advertisers and marketers, I mean, we all have brains in our heads, morals, and the ability to choose, or free will. That's what separates us from animals. However, I feel that the more consumer-driven we become, the more animalistic and id-driven we de-evolve to. The more importance placed on things and possessions to create a sense of happiness, the more depressed and shallow we become. And that is how it effects us internally as humans. What's also concerning is the negative environmental effect that all of this mindless excess has...where is that going to take us, and how fast?
Is there a way to be a responsible consumer? Is that an oxy-moron? Any thoughts, suggestions, opinions on how one deals with their own consumerist guilt?
Here is a clip from one of George Carlin's stand-up shows that I feel really quantifies the pointlessness of all of these possessions. Of course he says it much funnier than I ever could. I guess that's why he was the comedian.
