By: CHICKMELIONfreelanceThe definition of "individualism" in the western culture is factory made and market driven. It is where profits become the primary motivator and dictate a need for mass production in order to provide for a profitable bottom line. Our homes, clothes and vehicles that we purchase as an expression of our own unique individuality are all mass produced. That unique shade of paint you are going to splash on your wall... will also be on the walls of literally thousands of people’s homes as a representation of their own uniqueness as well. And in a prospective home buyer ‘s mind, the home will be devalued if not considered up to date with all the right colors.
All these mind sets are constructed and pitched in carefully polished spins in order to convince us “their product will make us stand out and still be accepted in vogue as a statement of our success...” The name of the game is to creating a desire that begs for immediate action. It is not unlike creating an itch to sell a stick to scratch with. Individuals now are defined more by what they outwardly represent as opposed to inwardly. And if you don’t believe me... I have two words for you: “first impressions“.
What saddens me is that “profits” driven motives define individualism and not necessarily humanity based, and this is a very costly mistake for a society to accept. Because if you buy into it you are indeed accepting it.
Take for example any individual who does not fit into our idea of the “norm.” They are shunned by society, abandoned, abused and humiliated. I am not only referring to the bag lady on the downtown streets... I am taking into account our own youth who are being bullied in schools, on the streets and on the playgrounds for not keeping up with trends . For not holding mass beliefs, wearing mass marketed products, or living society defined lifestyles. It is a shame that we who statistically claim to be a predominantly “faith” based society, allow this to happen considering that God Himself saw it befitting to fashion each and everyone of us individually. As the Bible says "...and God saw everything that He made, and behold, it was very good.”
What is dangerous about a market driven identity is the entire nature of merchandising itself. There is a need to refresh, renew and mix it up on a regular basis in order to generate a continuous flow of capital; because it can not survive if everything stayed “good” forever. Creating new demands and new ideals to chase after means survival. The whole concept of what is the “norm" now days switches back and forth like a nervous cat’s tail. And it is getting increasingly harder for the average person to catch up with it. Trends switching from one widely held opinion to another at such a rapid pace, compiled with a society that defines one’s success on how well the individual can keep up, is what creating the “credit crunch” we are all currently struggling with... as well as leaving much waste in it’s wake.
The environmental impact is devastating, our landfills spilling over. Yet if you can not keep up with trends you are considered a deviant and classified on a lower rung of the ladder of success. But think of this; the faster that tail switches, the more and more society will find it financially, emotionally and physically harder to keep up. Somewhere along the line there will be more people standing outside of the box than within and the giant marketing machine will be forced to grind to a halt. At no small cost either... look at the unemployment rates currently.
So how do we deal with this issue? Simply put- we address the demon with an even larger demon. We medicate! In recent history we find ourselves more and more medicated for “social” diseases and stress related melt downs than ever before. And another mass marketing mogul rears up... the pharmaceutical industry. What has suffered in this chase to be in vogue is the very thing we need to conquer these demons- our faith!
On average it seems that we need two incomes to satisfy our consumerism. Little time is left to sit in quiet and contemplate where we are going, let alone spend any quality time with our loved ones. Even worse, when we can find the time to spend much needed quality time with out Heavenly Father. Now how is He going to guide us out of the pickle we create if we can’t even find time to listen? Indeed it is true when said, “separation from God is hell .” The emotional impact, the stress and the lack of adequate sleep is wearing this society thin and frail. Our economy it’s self is one of many things to stand up and testify. Our turmoil in the health care system another.
Fear not though, there is a light at the end of this tunnel. Indeed we do have to thank an ever loving God for never failing foresight and intimate patient knowledge of our endless follies. And for creating a universe that is never slack in seeking balance. If we are not willing to slow down in our lusts for material “things“, then we will be forced by the nature of those very desires to do so any way. It is likened to eating too much cake... at some point our desires will come back to haunt us. The global state of our economy it’s self is one of many things to stand up and testify that this is already happening. Our loving Father as any parent may allow us to try and choke ourselves with our ill choices, but in His infinite wisdom also thought to create living and breathing as a reflex action; so that though we may be allowed to suffer from our own foolish actions, we may not necessarily need to lose our souls over them.
As we are forced to cut back, slow down and spend in terms of quality as opposed to quantity; let us maintain this leanness even when everything gears back up again. As we all know it will somewhere down the line. Let us make a conscious choice to value the people we love who carried us and our spirit through our difficult times. Specially grateful our loving Father. Spend more quality time in His presence and learn from this experience; or indeed we will face the cycle again until we do learn.
