Wendy St. Germain posted on January 28, 2010 00:18
The economic downturn, as it is called, is in the minds, and consequently, the conversations of many Americans. We are bombarded with news stories about the economy and have been convinced on a mass scale that times are tough. For some, this is true; there have been layoffs and foreclosures. For others times are tough because they believe it to be so even though they have not experienced much change in their circumstances. The remainder of the population is experiencing life is pretty much as it has been. Then there are people like myself, going through their day with the belief that everything is happening according to plan. Yes, things have changed, but I feel it is all for the best.
It is commonly accepted in our society that participating in material consumption is moving forward. The more we buy and the better things we own the more progress we are making in life; get a bigger house, buy a newer car, buy more clothes and electronics, etc., etc. etc. Buying what you require to live your life and accomplish your goals efficiently is necessary, but buying material goods as a way to add meaning to life or make us feel more worthy is a never ending road with no end and offering very little lasting reward. Going to the mall week after week and buying whatever is on sale, so that you can feel like you got a deal, just because you really don’t have much else to do, is an anesthetic activity in which a great number of people participate regularly. I know this is true since I drive past the mall each day on the way home from work and I dare not venture near the place on Saturday or I most likely will be navigating the parking lot for an hour or so.
What should be taken into consideration is that everything we buy someday must be recycled in some form; therefore it is prudent for us to buy what is essential for our lives and leave the rest. Granted it is important for spending to continue since consumerism is the basis for our economy, having turned over most production to other countries. Yes, we complain about lack of jobs, but our desire for cheap goods has sent many of the jobs away and now we complain about foreigners doing jobs that we will not do ourselves. In order to have three or four flat screen TVs, multiple cars, an endless supply of new clothes and cupboard full of tasty instant treats, all for the cheapest price possible, we have lost the ability as a society to create and produce. Is this really going forward? I’m not sure it is.
However the good news is that the economic shift has more or less returned us back to the time before the two booms, tech and mortgage; so in reality we are returning to where we would have been had those booms not occurred. What I see happening are changes which are wholesome and rewarding. We are buying locally produced food, once again eating the fruits of the area in which we live. We engage in recreation activities nearer to home, rather than flying and driving large distances. Perhaps we cut down on buying and therefore reduce the amount of waste we are creating. In other words, we are becoming conscious of our lives and how we can create happiness not solely based on purchasing and consuming. This is going forward, improving our quality of life, developing appreciation and gratitude and strengthening personal relationships.
Yes, the tide is turning, the economy is strengthening by becoming more stable, and we are finding a healthy moderation in our relationship to material goods. My father, Martin Zellea, always said that moderation is the highest human state. I believe, as always, he was right, booms are exciting and rapid shifts of many kinds will be occurring more frequently in the coming years, but it is those who can exist in the grounding stability of moderation who will not be swept away. The human race has been having a big party, which was followed by a big hangover, but lessons are learned from such activities and growth, responsibility and maturity are sure to follow.