D'vorahDavida
Yetzirah

I read your comment on Beauty Dish and that brought me here :) You make a lot of good points. I think that Americans are particularly struck with this malaise. I have no doubt it's why we're unhappy and so many of us on antidepressants. And "they" complain about sense of entitlement. I think corporate sense of entitlement has done a lot more harm than so called welfare queens.
Pandora
http://blogs.salon.com/0004051/

Does make one think about GARAGE SALES Ehhh.
Things lose magic if you have them all.
I recall when I bought your first Tape player and the Carpteners tape. a kiss for luck and you were on your cloud nine.

I agree 100 per cent. I try to ignore all that crap and just make do with what I have and save my money for something I really want (or need). My car is 12 years old, but it runs great and it's PAID FOR. I think about a new one every so often, but then I cash my reality check and spend that car payment on something else!

I hate car ads that try to con people into thinking they need a new car every year, and what about those snotty rich-people commercials now: "Oh, I think it must be time to buy that jag-you-ah." Give me a break.

Amercians are over-fed and overspent because we don't know how to say, "Enough!" >:|

--Solo (another fuming Luddite)

ah mon amie
so you call yourself a geek i noticed on the previous entry that is so cute well mon amie if that is how you feel about yourself then so be it ha
i have kind of a unique view on materialism well mon amie i have a lot of unique views so i am used to them i really dont think that materialism is good or bad if you want this $2300 tablet well i hope you get it because you deserve it mon amie and i am sure you will have a lot of fun

now on the otherhand if people cant afford certain material things and that makes them miserable then i think materialism is bad and that is a self destructing human weakness that can be overcome with a strong dose of zenbecausewe cannot live without spiritualism but we can live without most material things

when i was in college i took a few courses in philosophy and i will never forget this philosophy prof that i had oh man he looked the type he had a long beard and contemplatively smoked a pipe one day he leans across his desk and takes on this pompous wise air and he says there is nothing intrisically evil about money and he gives us a long pause to get our curiosity up and then he says the only thing that is evil about money is that there is not enough to go around ha ha hilarious wouldnt you say mon amie
i mean i should of f*cking complained to the philosophy department ha ha

The problem lies not in material things themselves, but primarily in our attitude towards them. Society today does seem to hinge upon fulfillment thru aquisition; the if I only have just the right things then I will be happy syndrom. The trouble is that just the right thing today is tomorrow's old news.

To truly find fulfillment one needs to ackowledge the One who truly provides and learn the art of gratitude. If we spent more time ackowledging what we have rather than focusing on (whining about) what we don't have, that which we have can become elevated to riches beyond compare. A simple peach becomes a feast, the sofa a throne and the car a grand carriage pulled by white horses.

just as well. its the small things that matter most and make the biggest impact

I think there's too much materiality in this world, yet I'm one of the worst packrats.

It's sad when what you have isn't good enough. That doesn't mean we shouldn't strive to better ourselves. But really, after $100K a year, 3 cars, a big house, the kids' education paid for, isn't it time to relax a bit?

I dunno. I'll never have $100K, my one car is 17 years old, I live in an apartment, and my kids educated themselves.

Good and bad memories.

And friends.

Life is good.

Shalom

Hi Y! I was speaking how I felt in that moment, and in the writing of it trying to explain all the emotions that go in to trying to grow a business, even when the business might not really be 'you' per se, and even when maybe it clashes with your memories of what's good in the world. I wish I knew all the answers to the world. I like your take on things, very sweet, girl.

Great entry. Ohhhhh for the simple life. I don't want to be like everyone else, I want my own style. The more simple, the better.

I'm eight hours away from my daughter, and soon to be eight hours away from my husband. Drivable, but not too often. I am looking forward to once again sharing my daughter's life. I miss being a 'soccer mom'. *smile*

~Anne

Pandora,
Not all who are on anti-depressants are on them because they can't keep up with the Jones'. There is often a true bio-chemical reason for anti-depressants. Some are quite content with having their needs met (although I wish the Universe would see fit to give me a steady paycheck), we just need a little something to keep our brain chemistry in balance so we can function better with what we do have.

In Britain we have the opposite philosophy on wealth but the same goals if that makes sense. Here we are taught that there isn't much point in chasing after fabulous wealth because we won't get it. All the same though we are being encouraged to buy bigger and better and above our means.

In Britain we seem more and more to be worshipping the cult of the celebrity.

Love as always
Rach who is hopelessly addicted to Bookworm- curse you;) ! xxxx

Wow, this entry couldn't have rung truer with me today. I feel like I have been sucked into this world of greed and commercialism, it is all around me in every way. I try to bring my kids up with values but seem them sucked in too. For example today my son exhanged a birthday present for a new football shirt he wanted. When DH came home he was "wow I never in all my life got a Manchester United football shirt and I supported them since I was X" This shirt cost c.$60 but he didn't think it was anything THAT special that he had it, not that he was in the least bit ungrateful may I add. It is just that in the world that he lives and circulates in, that's what kids have, it is nothing unusual for him to have this shirt too.

All I wonder is what will his kids want?

x

p.s. I love Birdie the Avon Lady, I think her writing is fantastic, thanks for pointing me in her direction. She should chuck in the Avon and take up writing, dontch ya think?

x