@Didymos Thomas,
Didymos Thomas wrote:But the problem is that the statement (we're talking about your first point, right?) is not a reason to accept consumerism. It's an anecdote about the difficulty of reversing this cultural trend.
Yes, but buying and enjoying a CD is not the same as living your life in such a way that assumes that the only way you can be happy is through consumption and material possession.
Trace the periods of technological advancement. Look at the major innovations. Radio - war. Nuclear power - war. Modern medicine - typically war. Navigation - war. Metalworking - war. Superglue - war. On and on.
And I think the point I would highlight is that consumerism has unique byproducts that are necessarily destructive. When we take as truth the notion that happiness can only come about by consumption and/or material possession we order our lives, develop a sense of self, that conforms to that notion. If that notion is incorrect then we have created a false sense of self, a misunderstanding of our basic natures.
But there's the problem: can consumerism have such a balance and still be consumerism? According to consumerism, there is no reason to be concerned for the environment because a healthy environment does not have anything to do with the individual's happiness.
But enjoying something is not the same thing as happiness.
And also, according to consumerism, consumption and material possession are the only ways to find happiness. Therefore, having a talk with friends cannot be a source of happiness, watching the clouds cannot be a source of happiness.
And one final point: if you act in accordance with consumerism you are harming others, and yourself. You harm yourself through developing a mistaken sense of self. You harm others by acting out that sense of self. You also harm others by overconsumption.
No it is certainly not a reason to accept consumerism, (the statement i made-it would be difficult for some people to adjust), i highlighted it because it is reason, a difficulty we would face if we were to address the problems created by consumerism
People whose happiness depends on material consumption i find are very shallow, yes a nice red Ferrari would put a smile on my face but if i never get one im not going to be bothered.
When man first looked up to the skies, who was it Galileo who invented the telescope? (he didnt invent it he made improvements on it), So what im saying is although tech' advances might have been driven by war not all advances were, as my examples shows, it was mans need to know, to discover as well, our need for knowledge in the past and our need to know today, is what drives a lot of tech' advances.
And yes it is false to believe happiness depends on material wealth which is why you'll find some of these people obnoxious, unhappy, (and confused at why they're not happy), and overall not very nice people!
No enjoying something does not equate happiness, i agreed with that. But if my enjoyment is not hurting anybody then why deny it from me? If im aware that my happiness does not depend on these material things than im mot harming myself but DT how am i harming others through a false sense of the self and how am i harming others through over-consumption? (which you have arrived at the point i was make,ie, over consumption does harm others that is why it should be addressed!)
Watching clouds etc may not give me or others happiness as opposed to from material things, you're right, but it does give me an innocent enjoyment where no one gets harmed through over consumption. Your point was made from a consumer's point of view? Why do these people only find enjoyment and their happiness can only be got from consuming, why can they not seek enjoyment/appreciation from the simple things in life? Can they be taught to appreciate these things. After-all we all would like to have a planet to enjoy our 'stuff' or/and the countryside, surely we all have that in common?
Of course a balance needs to be found no matter what the consumer's point of view because whether they like it or not, evidence suggests that it IS damaging the environment to a dangerous level.
And if a person cannot feel enjoyment from talking to a friend, what are they made of stone?
I say a balance is needed
because a lot of people would find it hard to change lifestyles from one extreme to the other. And i think it would work in part because surely reducing consumerism and its bad effects on the environment is a good start towards the goal of having none whatsoever and it's also a feasible way of starting this process?
I dont understand your 5th paragraph.
Shouldn't consumerism be concerned with the environment? Because it does destroy it,eg.forests. And as said before i think a balance can be reached and it's better than nothing, than what we have now, what im trying to say is it wuold at least reduce the damage to the environment.
I agree with your 4th paragraph in that it does go against mans basic nature but I believe a lot of people including myself are spiritual too. Are you talking about many people who are consumed with consumerism? (sorry no pun intended),
