THE VANITY OF WEALTH
February 21, 2007
by: jovial_cynic
by: jovial_cynic
It has recently occured to me that non-grocery retail shopping centers, malls in particular, which cover acres of ground, provide nothing anyone actually needs.
In fact, I think shopping centers are actually ongoing social events, and the goods sold by retail stores are actually admission tickets; by buying retail goods, a person is really buying a ticket into a social club -- the designer clothes, the latest MP3 player... these are tickets, and more you spend, the higher on the VIP list you sit. It's all about status, and like so many peacocks, mall shoppers strut from store to store adorned with their clearly-marked bags of recent purchases.
I'm not opposed to unnecessary things. Most enjoyable things in life are unnecessary; they make life entertaining, and our predisposition towards particular meaningless activities is what makes us unique. I enjoy tinkering on my old car. I like taking my daughter to gymnastics class. I enjoy welding little metal figurines. And while none of that is necessary, none of it is associated with a desire for an gain in social status either, nor is it connected to mindless consumerism... and I think that's where the problem lies.
The consumers, driven by their needs to fit into a particular social class, feel like they are climbing the social ladder with their purchases. They shun those below their status and envy those above them, but in reality, the consumers aren't climbing anything. There is no ladder. It's the corporatations that are coming out ahead. The notion of fashion and status symbols and image are all constructed reality - a marketing ploy to get people to buy useless crap. None of it is real, and all the while, corporate executives are getting rich off the delusions of the consumers.
I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.
But... I figure it's probably best to let the mindless consumers do their thing. It's not my job to convince people that they're living in a false reality, and if people are comfortable shopping and contributing nothing to society, that's their choice. As for me, I think I'm going to stop buying new clothes.
No, really.
Everybody draws their lines where it seems appropriate to do so, and for me, I think that new clothes symbolize a willingness to live under the oppressive rule of the corporations. With the exception of the necessities (underwear, socks, t-shirts), it makes no sense to rail against consumerism and vanity as evidenced in the retail market, and at the same time buy the same new clothes that everyone else is buying. Why not shop at the Goodwill, or other used clothing stores? Why not support second economy -- the one where the consumers themselves are the sellers, and where the goods aren't coming from the corporations, and where style and design aren't dictated by a handful of minds? And as for professionalism, can I purchase a used business suit and still sit in on a formal meeting with my coworkers? Why not?
So that's my line. I've drawn it.
In fact, I think shopping centers are actually ongoing social events, and the goods sold by retail stores are actually admission tickets; by buying retail goods, a person is really buying a ticket into a social club -- the designer clothes, the latest MP3 player... these are tickets, and more you spend, the higher on the VIP list you sit. It's all about status, and like so many peacocks, mall shoppers strut from store to store adorned with their clearly-marked bags of recent purchases.
I'm not opposed to unnecessary things. Most enjoyable things in life are unnecessary; they make life entertaining, and our predisposition towards particular meaningless activities is what makes us unique. I enjoy tinkering on my old car. I like taking my daughter to gymnastics class. I enjoy welding little metal figurines. And while none of that is necessary, none of it is associated with a desire for an gain in social status either, nor is it connected to mindless consumerism... and I think that's where the problem lies.
The consumers, driven by their needs to fit into a particular social class, feel like they are climbing the social ladder with their purchases. They shun those below their status and envy those above them, but in reality, the consumers aren't climbing anything. There is no ladder. It's the corporatations that are coming out ahead. The notion of fashion and status symbols and image are all constructed reality - a marketing ploy to get people to buy useless crap. None of it is real, and all the while, corporate executives are getting rich off the delusions of the consumers.
I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.
But... I figure it's probably best to let the mindless consumers do their thing. It's not my job to convince people that they're living in a false reality, and if people are comfortable shopping and contributing nothing to society, that's their choice. As for me, I think I'm going to stop buying new clothes.
No, really.
Everybody draws their lines where it seems appropriate to do so, and for me, I think that new clothes symbolize a willingness to live under the oppressive rule of the corporations. With the exception of the necessities (underwear, socks, t-shirts), it makes no sense to rail against consumerism and vanity as evidenced in the retail market, and at the same time buy the same new clothes that everyone else is buying. Why not shop at the Goodwill, or other used clothing stores? Why not support second economy -- the one where the consumers themselves are the sellers, and where the goods aren't coming from the corporations, and where style and design aren't dictated by a handful of minds? And as for professionalism, can I purchase a used business suit and still sit in on a formal meeting with my coworkers? Why not?
So that's my line. I've drawn it.