A Materialistic Society?

[Lena]

totally tott

 

[softgrey]

don't worry lena...
i started writing a long response-which said much of what ocean and pointup both expressed so well-and then deleted it..

i think we all agree that materialism and consumerism has gotten pretty out of control...

the thing that really bugs me...
is how UNREALISTIC it all is...
it is not possibel for EVERYONE to achieve a level of financial success to live as luxurious a lifestyle as so many of the people prtrayed in the media...

so most of the public is left feeling 'deprived' or inadequate because they don't have the latest 'whatever'....

i am surrounded by it constantly...there are not a few people in nyc who live this way...these are the 'trendy' people...the people who jump on the latest thing and have to have the latest cell phone every 5 seconds...or now it's the phone/blackberry combo...

i really see these people as victims...
(even though they seee themselves as 'fabulous')..
they aren't thinking for themselves...
but you see...thinking requires energy and effort...
*defining oneself is not an easy task...

some people just don't want to deal with it...
it's just easier to follow along than it is to lead...leading is hard work...
i think most people don't want to work that hard....

very good article kit...thanks for posting...
the thing that bugs me about all these articles and books on the subject...
is that they only shine a light on the issue...
they never seem to propose a solution or alternative...

what's the answer?...
how to bring about social change....
that's a book i want to read...

 

[tott]

the thing that bugs me about all these articles and books on the subject...
is that they only shine a light on the issue...
they never seem to propose a solution or alternative...

what's the answer?...
how to bring about social change....
that's a book i want to read...

Excellently put!

 

[ultramarine]

Any change starts at home ... if you want to make a social change, you must undergo personal changes ... if we're speaking on materialism, on personal level, buddhism has helped me (and some other stuff) but every person shud find it's own calling and whatever it "fits" -to put it on fashionable terms-

 

[tott]

Totally, ultra! On a personal level, given the fact that I've moved from country to country for a while under uncertain terms, I've gotten rid of clothes and belongings I realized I didn't need or really wanted. I've become accustomed to not owning a lot of stuff, sort of, and it's actually a great relief! I've become so much more practical and focused.

I find buddhism fascinating, along with a lot of eastern philosophies. There's a Japanese concept of "nothingness" (I think it's called wa or something similar?) which is very appealing.

 

[Mr-Dale]

Exactly softgrey, you put it there very nicely.
This whole massconsumerism of labels and lets not forget starworshipping, 'cause that is something that leads to adoration, consumption, idolising and imitation of a person - which leads to materialism aswell - is something that somehow reflects our society. It can very well mean a nasty thing, but it indeed is something that has to do with acquiring a social status, I think now too. But what exactly do you think is the reason for 'mankind' getting so darn materialistic over the past few decades? I strongly think that Hollywood and stardom have extremely strong influences to it. We see them having so much and livin' the good life and with that we think, I want that too! And tadaa, materialism...

 

[ultramarine]

I think people are materialistic because of the fact that they feel empty inside and try to fill that void with whatever (food, clothes, fame ...)

All you shud strive for is happiness .. and believe it or not, you find it GIVING instead of TAKING

 

[softgrey]

i know how to make changes in my personal life...
and frankly...
i'm not one of those people...
so i don't even need to make the changes on a personal level...
i'm perfectly happy not to have a fancy house and the latest electronics...
i don't own a car...i don't eat at the most fabulous restaurants or go out just to 'be seen'...
i don't 'dress to impress' (only to amuse myself)...

what i am asking is what can we do on a larger scale to affect a change in society...
becuase that is the question that needs answering...
how do we 'un'-brainwash the members of the cult of fashionality...

 

[Mr-Dale]

I thank God, am not one of those people aswell. I find my luck in looking at the clouds or going to the museum or whatever. And I think that question you are posing there softgrey, is very difficult to answer...I'll need to think on a proper response to it...

 

[As You Like It]

Most of the stuff I want is stuff related to hobbies or work that I do, and none of it is intended to impress anyone.

I particularly want a fast bicycle, for commuting and for fun, a reel lawnmower, because they are quiet and environentally friendly, and a miniature rototiller for my garden. I'd LOVE to have a few different exchangeable lenses for my camera. I dream of someday having a laptop computer. Each of these items is a luxury inasmuch as anyone can live quite handily without them, but each is desireable to me as it would make my life more pleasant or easy. However, most people don't look at your bike and go, "ah, she's riding an '05 Cannondale Sport-Road 50...whatta showoff." They don't look in your garage and covet your gardening implements. When it comes down to things that are purely functional, people are less likely to make judgements about you based on these items, because they are bought for their own merit, not to look cool or project an image. Nobody thinks you're an awful poseur if you get a front-loading washing machine or a high-efficiency fridge. They might think you're really into being eco-friendly, but it doesn't carry the impression of being defined by one's posessions that that a huge-*** diamond ring or a shiny Cadillac might.

I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that I don't actually like fashion that much at all. There are never any clothes out that I would actually want to buy, and I generally feel like home-made sh*t after looking at fashion magazines. The shoes hurt, and the accessories make my head explode. I like clothes, especially things which are stylishly or cleverly made of attractive materials, but "fashion" and wearing whatever the mode of the day is leaves me dead cold. I hate trends, I hate being told to feel inadequate if I am wearing the wrong brand, the wrong length skirt, the wrong haircut, etc. The whole marketing side of the culture makes me puke.

The constant quest for novelty and change in fashion is probably its greatest advantage as well as its worst fault. It does promote some admirable creativity, but it also promotes a very ugly side of competition to shove something new out every six months, and it encourages people to live wastefully in order to keep up with the planned obsolescence of novelty-driven fashion.

The cults of personality get on my nerves too. The insanity over the Olson girls, for example, just chaps my hide. Who cares what they wear? They rarely look any good, yet half the population between the ages of 14 and 24 want to look like that. I don't get most fashion icons in general. I maintain that the only reasons that Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, and Grace Kelley are considered such marvelous fashion influences is because they were drop-dead, stone-cold foxes. All three women were marvelously beautiful and could have looked like a million bucks if they wrapped a burlap sack over themselves toga fashion and tied it with a rope. None of the lot wore anything that outstanding--fairly standard fashions of the day (which, frankly, I do think clothes back then were more attractive than what we have now), but still, they didn't really wear anything that out of the ordinary. Most of today's fashion icons are much the same way. They are good looking, so no matter what outrageous crap they festoon themselves with, of course they'll look good.

 

[tott]

what i am asking is what can we do on a larger scale to affect a change in society...
becuase that is the question that needs answering...
how do we 'un'-brainwash the members of the cult of fashionality...

Maybe it would be beneficial to have some media/fashion "training" in schools so that we teach kids to be more aware of the forces and practices behind the imagery? Marketing has become more and more sophisticated, I think people need x-ray goggles to look through all the bull****.

I don't know, it's such a huge question...

 

[ultramarine]

i know how to make changes in my personal life...
and frankly...
i'm not one of those people...
so i don't even need to make the changes on a personal level...
i'm perfectly happy not to have a fancy house and the latest electronics...
i don't own a car...i don't eat at the most fabulous restaurants or go out just to 'be seen'...
i don't 'dress to impress' (only to amuse myself)...

what i am asking is what can we do on a larger scale to affect a change in society...
becuase that is the question that needs answering...
how do we 'un'-brainwash the members of the cult of fashionality...

Divide and conquer!!!!

First, you must join forces with other people who think just like you (or us?) lol ... then, once you've got a group ..brainstorm! guerrilla! you can do it, softie if you're softie & co! I'll gladly join !

 

[Mr-Dale]

I absolutely agree with the points AYLI is making there, they definetly are causes of it all. Hype, is a word that comes to mind. But still somehow, all this stuff like style-icons and fashionshows every six months don't come to me as a bad thing. I think there is nothing wrong with it at all. So I am kind of pulles between to sides.... Sometimes, though, it goes to extremes and makes even me don't get it. Which is the case with AYLI's great example...the Olsen twins...I don't even think they are that beautiful

 

[Lena]

... if you want to make a social change, you must undergo personal changes ... if we're speaking on materialism, on personal level, buddhism has helped me (and some other stuff) but every person shud find it's own calling and whatever it "fits" -to put it on fashionable terms-

I think people are materialistic because of the fact that they feel empty inside and try to fill that void with whatever (food, clothes, fame ...)

you must join forces with other people who think just like you (or us?) lol ... then, once you've got a group ..brainstorm! guerrilla! you can do it, softie if you're softie & co! I'll gladly join !

count me in as well softie

ahhh ultra, i've so missed your posts

 

[Venusia]

what i am asking is what can we do on a larger scale to affect a change in society...
becuase that is the question that needs answering...
how do we 'un'-brainwash the members of the cult of fashionality...

Well, education is one thing. I believe anti-smoking and safe sex campaigns have generally been effective, but then again, there is a visible evil to fight. The anti-consumerism movement is really more idealistic than anything, and there is no baddy to put it up against.

Legislation is another thing, like legislating against advertising in schools, during kids TV programming, etc. But you have to be careful not to infringe on people's rights, if not you fall into paternalistic societies liek Singapore. I don't think there is much to do on a national scale, if we want to keep our democracies. The thing is, free market economies really are the best way to improve standards of living.

There is already a movement called Voluntary Simplicity, basically it's about scaling down and reducing mass consumption. But it's been a fringe movement for about 10 years. These decisions really have to come from a personal level. I was very materialistic in my early twenties, but ever since I've had children I've had no desire or time to shop as a hobby.

I don't know that we are really more consumerist than we ever were. We are more affluent, so individuals can buy things, but in the past, the rich spent huge sums of money to keep the poor entertained: the Roman games, medieval and Renaissance festivals that lasted days, and repeated every few weeks, royal pageants, etc. I think most humans are very shallow and preoccupied with themselves and that's all there is to it!

 

[Mr-Dale]

Might I add to that, a better censurship towards nudity on daytime tv. It's extremely 'there' and has immense influences on kids these days. My sister is throwing a birthday party right now (she's 13) and they're discussing sex already. When I was 13 I was dicussing how dumb my teachers are, that was only 4 years ago. I'm in awe here, listening to 12 year olds talking about sexual stuff. All these videoclips with extreme nudity and such and such have had a great influence on kids and have led to a whole new concept of massconsumption and materialism if you'd ask me....

 

[tott]

I don't know that we are really more consumerist than we ever were. We are more affluent, so individuals can buy things

Maybe we don't have more consumeristic leanings than before, but 50 years ago or so people didn't use credit cards - putting themselves into debt - to buy luxury items. You saved if you wanted something particular and bought it when you actually had the money...

Nowadays, it's all about instant gratification.

 

[ajott]

Interesting topic.

As a kid I've been in a heavy consumerist mode. I played much with lego, constantly I had to build something new, and of course also buy something new. I also built model planes, and when I'd nearly finished one, I wanted a new one.

But one day, I suddenly realized that this won't make me really happy and satisfied, I would always keep hunting after something I can't get from these things. This was my kind of "awakening", I guess and this standard behavior of our society fell completely off of me, it influenced my whole life: working, career... and what clothes I wear.

But don't get me wrong, I still like nice things, but they are not for filling this "inner void" and I don't need to have them all..

It was many years later that I discovered buddhism and found it very interesting that there's even some kind of philosophy on what I've experienced! But you don't have to call yourself "buddhist" or to meditate or whatever.. Just a moment of insight is needed. But some never have it in their whole life, I think And that's the tragedy (But who am I to judge, perhaps they are happy living the way they do?)

 

[Mr-Dale]

^ Laziness and greed?

 

[helena]

enjoyed reading this so far......agree with almost all of what has been written. Of course we live ina materialistic society - it goes hand in hand with capitalism. Personally I do much the same as softgrey - I try to stay out of the ratrace...The rat race really stresses me out and I think its more important to aspire to things like having more time to spend with loved ones, or enjoying a spring morning or learning to speak another langage fluently or learning to sew....

however fashion, unfortunately, for my sins, is my weakness and I am 'sold' into the system.....so I am hypocrite to take the moral highground as I am utterly materialistic when it comes to clothes.

AYLI - you are such a sorted person - I really enjoyed your post.