Another interesting WP Article - GIMMMMEEEE

[beawr]

Hi,

My wife is Jewish and I am a Protestant. People used to ask "In what religion will you raise the children?" I half-jokingly would reply: "American Materialism, like just about everyone else." Well, here's an article on some of materialism's more rabid acolytes. Maybe this can give us some insight, although the three subjects are far above average earners, into why people are so damn eager to protect wealth they will never earn, achieve, win, whatever......


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53732-2003Dec10.html

[rfranklin]

1. This is the freedom we're fighting for...

George Bu$h told me so.

[yankeedem]

2. Someday

when her kid has grown up, and she is living in a small (rental) apartment, and has to work to survive (instead of retired at 50), maybe she'll get comfort from all of those now out-of-style shoes in the closet.

I don't know what she's missing in life, but the personal attention from the salespeople seems to be what she's buying.

The Pakistani-Indian fellow seems to hate his culture- one which has community and thrift. I feel sorry for him, 7500$ couch or not.

[wabeewoman]

3. Funny how perception differs

What I see in the article are shallow people with low self-esteen buying hugely overpriced bobbles that will have no future value. Sad, sad....

[benfranklin1776]

4. Very sad.

Particularly sad for civic democracy and the health of community. This quote from the article is revealingly true:

"Pray for the soul of a nation wandering lost in the malls, more likely to shop than to vote, volunteer, join a civic organization or place a weekly donation in the collection plate of a local house of worship."

Amen I say to that.

Also:

"Liberty in this market democracy has, for many, come to mean freedom to buy as much as you can of whatever you wish, endlessly
reinventing and telegraphing your sense of self with each new purchase."

Quite sad when your definition of freedom and your sense of self worth becomes inextricably entwined with how much "stuff" you have. There is no direct correlation between the number of things one acquires and one's actualization of their true human potential. However this is the bill of goods Madison Avenue has been ramming down people throats repeatedly and, thanks to the prevasive influence of saturation advertising this is the net result.

[The Zanti Regent]

5. Hmm looks like Supply Side Jesus and Ayn Rand at work!

I wonder what the subject will do in 20 years when her looks are gone?