Fortunately, there are many at work at reversing this crisis. One notable folk hero is Rev. Billy, who has just enough flim in his flam to mesmerize me. One of my regrets in life is that I have yet to see him and his choir in person, in action....and I missed them on tour in 2005 as close as Lawrence.
He is the leader of the Church of Stop Shopping. They hold rallies nationwide to protest consumerism, gluttony, etc. They have a good time modelling after the fire and brimstone charismatic church, all-the-while delivering what I consider to be a potent message.
Likewise, there are campaigns to stop shopping that I admire and participate in (whenever my wife does not undermine it) like Buy Nothing Day, celebrated of course on black Friday. I encourage everyone to get involved by doing absolutely nothing. :)
All the campaigning in the world seems to be moot, for I have the feeling we're on an irreversible downward spiral. So much of our identity, our culture, even our politics--all about the Benjamins.
*sigh*
I struggle with my family, hoping to reverse this awful urge so that they might not end up the same way. Unfortunately, even my boys are barraged with TV commercials and other ads, with people buying them worthless things, with happy meal toys, with their beloved cartoon characters on product boxes and labels...What hope do they have?
1 comment:
Instead of always looking for ways to make more money you should be looking for ways to conserve money. You are living above your means. You could live frugally, if you would try. You seem to like to complain about the commercialism and consumerism of life, while being anything but but frugal. Simplify, simplify... I am sure you know the rest. If you want to save your farm, if you want to give your children the best gift of all, if you want to be happy then you need to learn to make do with much much less. You can't keep blaming your wife, you are an individual. You can make a difference.
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