Home and Family > The Culture of Excess
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Article rating : 0.00, 0 votes. Author : Bonnie Moss
We live in a society of gadgets and gizmos,
of toys and more toys, of things that evoke
feelings of luxury, style and class.This is
available to almost everyone, not just a
privileged few. Welcome to the 21st century.
No other time of the year is it more prevalent,
conspicuous and aggressively promoted than
during the Christmas season.
Thanks to advances in technology, the airwaves,
the print and electronic media are flooded with
advertisements that appeal to society in general,
to people from all walks of life. There is something
for everyone. After all, producers of all goods and
services have YOU in mind.
Open any newspaper or magazine and indulge
yourself with endless advertisements, appealing,
titillating and surely tempting. You can’t miss it.
It’s almost in every page, it glares you in the face.
Turn on the computer and you can access more
goods and services at the click of a mouse. Add to
this endless ads and banners meant to whet your
appetite for things you don’t need and pay for with
money you don’t have.
The young generation is brought up in this era
of consumerism. They are introduced to a high
maintenance lifestyle at a very young age. Gone
are the days when shopping for children was
fun. A time when it did not take much to make
their young hearts happy. Life was simpler.
Times have surely changed. The trappings of the
good life is no longer the sole privilege of the
wealthy. Comfort, travel, wheels, homes,luxury
items, name it,it is within the reach of anyone
who is willing to go into debt.
Take a look at overstuffed closets, pantries,
shelves, garage and any space available for
storage. Take a closer look at your overfilled
refrigerator, half of the food is barely touched!
Yet, you keep buying more food that will probably
end up in the garbage.
This is just the beginning of the practice of
conspicuous consumption of our society. In the name
of convenience, there are more and more gadgets for
the home introduced faster than one can pay off
existing debt. However, going into debt is
not a deterrent.
It is no longer a matter of meeting a need, the
“want” list gets longer and longer. Each member of
a family has their own want list.
Technology is wonderful. It allows man to take
great strides in all fields of endeavor, faster
and more accurate than our forbears. Technology
makes it possible for man to explore space, the
depths of the ocean, the untrodden parts of this
earth. Through technology,man has made incredible
advances in science and the medical field. Add to
this the revolution and globalization in communication.
Technology is of great benefit to mankind.
It is very much a part of our daily lives. There is
a downside- man wants more of the convenience that
technology offers. It fuels the imagination of both
producers and consumers. It stimulates the need
for more. It encourages the desire to pamper
oneself, and loved ones with more goods.
Having more than what one needs promotes a sense
of living the good life. For every season, for every
occasion, the market offers boundless ideas and
endless flow of material goods. Beware, quality is
slipping down fast, as production and advertisement
are cranked up, some of the quality is compromised.
The convenience that technology offers is hard to
ignore. How did we manage before, when most of the
chores were done manually? Imagine the time spent
to get anything done?
Take a look around the house- push a button
to get laundry or the dishes done. Press another
button to start the car before you open the door.
Set a timer for your coffeemaker, for your lights
to come on at a desired time, your radio to wake
you up. Wouldn’t you be lost without that remote
control?
What about the other gadgets and tools for the
handyman? There are other things around the
house to make life more convenient and definitely
add to that feeling of comfort and luxury.
There’s more. Communication and entertainment
are a gold mine for the enterprising. What’s new
today will be obsolete in a short period of time.
Each member of the family has to be wired.
Watch the ads, imagine the convenience of having
extra gadgets for each family member just for so
much a month. Add to this the paraphernalia that
goes with it, some of which are good to have but
not a necessity. But does it matter?
The quest for material goods is at excessive
proportions. It hits the very core of a person.
Some can only measure success relative to their
material possessions. Some identify their self-worth
with material acquisitions. The words status and
prestige are medals they wear proudly. Does this
bring them happiness? Do they feel fulfilled?
How much of these goods are on credit? How many
sleepless nights are spent doing endless calculations?
What is the effect on family relationships?
How can happiness be enjoyed amid an atmosphere
of borrowed affluence? Does this culture of excess
pave the road to happiness and peace?
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