Consumed By Consumption

How often do we hear people say if we want something badly enough, we would be able to achieve it? In Spain, they also say: " Quien quiere hacer una cosa, busca un medio; quien no quiere hacer nada, busca una excusa, which means 'Those who wish to do something, seek ways; those who wish to do nothing, seek excuses.' The fact is, reality is not that simple.

Wanting something is one thing, getting it is quite another. The desire is nothing more than an image we have of what might be, a picture we painted for ourselves of an ideal result. To get anywhere near that, what's required is to actually, physically go about getting it, which is not as easy as conjuring up a pretty image in our mind. Reality imposes results of all the decisions we have made and actions we have taken. It puts us on the hard ground even though our head is up in the clouds. It's important to differentiate between desire and possibility. In other words, our limitations. The desire is necessary as it acts like an indispensable motor for our life force but, we need to bear in mind that desire has no limits whereas we humans do.

The statistic says at least half of the working class people live in debt, apart from the major part being the mortgage, most owe in credit purchases, to acquire a lot of things they don't even really need, just fun or fashionable to have. The fierce marketing publicity and the easy credit contribute to making people lose sight of the long term damage, getting themselves deeper and deeper in debt, borrowing more to cover what had been borrowed. A vicious circle with no possibility of ever being free of debt.

People have lost their perception of value and priority, consumed by consuming more and more. The publicity and commerce create each day the fictitious needs of this and that products, and people become feverish in their endeavour, trying to get everything they are told they must have. Sound economy of any society should be based on organizing things, with respect to dignity, in such a way so that the everyday, indispensable and ordinary things are available and affordable to all, not just the privileged few. Dignity over frivolity.


Tags:economy,necessity,priority,consumption

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