Virtue of consumerism

[Mikezelot]

Consumerism is often used as a negative term by the left but could it be an ideology that benefits the world?

If the middle east cared more about Black Friday then religious holidays would there be continuos war between the different faiths?

Would Cuba remain communist if they were able to taste the delious flavor of an Arby's Melt?

Would the Russian revolution happen if they watched the World Series instead of reading the communist manifesto?

Maybe instead of starting war with North Korea maybe we can add them on x-box live and play some call of duty.

What's everyone's thoughts?

 

[Swordsmyth]

Everything in moderation. (including moderation)
Balance is essential. (including a balance between balance and imbalance)
We have too much consumerism, others might have too little.

 

[Mikezelot]

I think people would prefer a Cadillac CT6 over the sickle and cross

 

[r3volution 3.0]

Consumerism is often used as a negative term by the left but could it be an ideology that benefits the world?

If the middle east cared more about Black Friday then religious holidays would there be continuos war between the different faiths?

Would Cuba remain communist if they were able to taste the delious flavor of an Arby's Melt?

Would the Russian revolution happen if they watched the World Series instead of reading the communist manifesto?

Maybe instead of starting war with North Korea maybe we can add them on x-box live and play some call of duty.

What's everyone's thoughts?

That's exactly right, well said.

Most people want the same thing: wealth, peace, being left alone to go about their business.

The worst atrocities in human history (Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Hitler, etc) all result from ECONOMIC catastrophes.

When people become desperate, things become extremely irrational.

Throw a couple million chickens at the residents of St. Peterburg c. 1916-17, there wouldn't have been a revolution.

So, yes, God bless consumerism.

Ascetics are not to be trusted.

 

[Anti Federalist]

I hate the term "consumer" as opposed to "customer" or "buyer" or "owner", but otherwise I agree.

The only only trouble is that liberty is often clouded and lost just as easily as those other, more negative, philosophies would be.

 

[nobody's_hero]

The real problem is when people start spending money they don't have. Everyone's gotta have that new I-phone 30, complete with all the features of I-phone 29 but frivolous new feature added!

Unfortunately they can't scrounge up $50 to go see a doc when they get sick every now and then. No no, those costs are someone else's problem.

As a society we have forgotten the difference between NEEDS and WANTS. It's critical. If you cannot tell what your needs are then you become incapable of caring for yourself.

 

[otherone]

Ascetics are not to be trusted.

Asceticism is a choice. State-controlled starvation is not.

 

[otherone]

Throw a couple million chickens at the residents of St. Peterburg c. 1916-17, there wouldn't have been a revolution.

Or cake, as the case may be. The problem with autocracies is more often than not, the interests of the swineherd don't include slopping their passel of hogs.