Any so-called material thing that you want is merely a symbol: you want it not for itself, but because it will content your spirit for the moment. –Mark Twain
I wonder about the culture that we have now in that we have to have the latest fads and trends.
From the IPhone to HD televisions we are living in a time where not being able to keep up with the Jones’ can ruin your standing in society. It seems mad to me, and I am a part of this because I have bought items simply because of advertisements showing things to us that appear to be essential to our daily being, and I honestly wonder if we could survive by sitting somewhere alone without any modern convenience and find ways to fill our thoughts and minds.
Sometimes living for the minute can be a great thing because you can seize the day and not worry about the past or the future, but at the same time spending money while you have it can result in a bleak future. There has to be some sort of balance found right?
Companies have always thrown their products into constant streams of advertisements in order to get us to part with our money because we are led to believe that buying their product will make our lives easier and better. In some cases it does apply and we do find that we cannot live without it. However in other cases it simply because something that we will throw away after a short amount of time and wonder why we purchased it in the first place; only to go and be something just as meaningless at the next chance we get.
In the end I suppose it is our life to waste and thus any money earned by us is ours to be spent.. Not everyone will agree and not everyone will believe that we are moving forward in the right direction as a community and society. In all honesty though, how many of us really believe that we are in a community anymore and how many of us just believe that the place we are is the place where we live and neighbours are just mere acquaintances?
Tuesday, March 4th, 2008 and is filed under Thoughts & Questions, Views on News.
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Ann Says:
I don’t know how many of your readers are familiar with the writings of Fulton Sheen who has much to say about our discontent.
We have been created by God, and are destined to be with Him, our souls long for Him, but many go through life not recognising that desire for what it is.
And so they attempt to fill the void - which can only be filled by God - with many material things, all the while thinking that the next and the next will lead to happiness which of course does not happen.
This is not to say we are to go through life miserable, quite the contrary, since there is a joy that comes from loving God that is worth more than any material goods.
We become liberated rather than enslaved when we find in God the answer to our heart’s desire.
It would be hard to exist in the modern world without gadgets of any kind but I think it’s important to cultivate in ourselves an awareness of a distinction between that which is dispensible in God’s eyes and that which is of immeasureable and lasting value.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Valerie Says:
Material things have their place.
I recently gave up my car, seemingly unthinkable here in Los Angeles, because I am saving to buy a Harley Davidson motorcycle. It will be much more economical than a car, although riding around in a city full of drivers preoccupied on their cellphones gives me plenty of hesitation. However, since I live 1.3 miles from work, I ride my bicycle to and from, and it is wonderful in this very sunny city to have such freedom and control (no traffic!).
I am seriously considering a move up north to Ventura, a town that still embodies what California was like about 30 years ago, and riding the train to and from work. Save money, good for the ecology, so much less stress, and, best of all, commune one-on-one with fellow travelers to and from Los Angeles.
I have discovered a lot of extra money I didn’t have before, I was too busy sinking it into the car, and I have set up a Harley savings account, but I have also started giving to more charities than before.
The best thing to come out of all this is that I find myself with the extra time I thought I didn’t have before, to do volunteer work where I feel I am needed most of all: the Veterans Administration Hospital in West Los Angeles. Ever see the movie “Born on the Fourth of July” starring Tom Cruise? I did…and made it a goal in life to do volunteer work there. It took ten years, but I’m finally doing it!!!
That will leave rides on the motorcycle confined to Saturdays…on back roads, glorifying God’s beautiful countryside, giving thanks and praise for being so fortunate, and making small sacrifices that are leading to much bigger blessings.
BTW, I took a bicycle ride during my lunch hour today, and it was sunny and 85 degrees here in Los Angeles, just GLORIOUS!!!! If I’d had my car, I would have wasted that time running errands!!! Thank You, God, for slowing me down!!!
March 11th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
mary Says:
Yes its hard in this material world people have money and spend buy clothes take expensive holidays shop at the expensive food outlets
I’d be happy in my little world if the awareness of theirs was’nt thrust at me
The Lords teaching is that nature,sharing ,loving is free but sometimes we can feel surrounded by matterialism
March 13th, 2008 at 4:45 pm