We live in a society that is in love with its stuff. Material possessions define our worth. The person with the most bling wins! Our economy is based off the concept that each year will be bigger than the last. Success is defined by making a profit AND growth. As individuals we are the same. It is not enough to do as well as our parents; we must do better. Do better is code for have more stuff. We have closets, basements, garages, and mini-storage units full of stuff. It reaches a point that we don't even know what we own.
Money and stuff have a close relationship since money buys stuff. We are taught that we must do good in school so that we can have a good paying job when we grow up. Improving the world comes in second to having buying power. The community college in my hometown has an advertising campaign underscoring the focus on money. Billboards throughout the area show pictures of young people with SUVs, money, and other material goodies in the background. Somewhere education has deviated from being a quest for knowledge to a quest for money. People seek out jobs that provide material wealth over personal satisfaction.
Our environment is deeply impacted by our relationship to stuff. The production, operation, and disposal of stuff all has an environmental impact. Recycling is great, but not producing something in the first place is better for the environment. Without the pressure for material success, one can take a job that is personally rewarding instead of the most profitable.
Stay tuned folks. All of the above happens in small steps and that is what I plan on documenting it here.
Upcoming Topics:
- My Commandments of Simplification.
- Needs vs Wants; The Joneses and You
- Organization of your digital life - pictures, music, and more.
- A Trip To The Grocery Store
- White Flight Math
- Cell Contracts & Extended Warranties are for Chumps
- Car vs. Bus
- Mini-Storage Units, A Sign of Gluttony
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