Americans are unhappy, or so the statistics say. Sure, we have a robust economy and the power to purchase any product we like at the click of a button. But when consumerism is the goal and individuality is the method, it is no wonder we are feeling empty and alone. Our materialism has created a false reality --- a world where wealth is created at no expense to others, happiness flows from products made in unknown places, and our comfortable lives can be protected as long as we keep the greedy and undeserving out of our territory. Perhaps our misery comes from an underlying sense that maybe, just maybe, it’s all based on a lie.
Whether we realize it or not, our lives of materialism are void of meaning. We choose to live shallow lives because under our façade of happiness we may find that ours is a culture of destruction. If the world is in fact connected- if in fact my life has meaning in the life of another- then it is likely that my life has had a destructive impact on another’s life. When our culture is ready to see the painful consequences of consumerism, then we will be finally able to restore the meaning and depth we find missing in our lives.
If you venture to look, you will find there is a link between consumerism and global conflict. Poverty, genocide, natural disaster, even terrorism- are all intricately linked to the American consumer’s power. Does this sound unreasonable? Radical? Far-fetched? Read further, and find out if, after all, your everyday choices have meaning in an interconnected world.
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