While some are fasting today, doing without food, perhaps it is a good time to reflect upon what else we can do without.
Crass materialism is still with us, in spite of a somewhat lengthy recession. However, the admonition has always been that spending is good for our overall economy, even if it isn’t all that great personally. Common sense should tell you, though, that such an approach is not a good long term solution.
An MSNBC.com article on their Live Inc. segment challenges that admonition. In “Maybe America doesn’t need all that stuff”, we read “Maybe our economy is better off without some of it too.” In so many words, economists Chris Meyer and Julia Kirby argue that a long-term solution should not rest of the fickleness of consumers. I have come to believe that it is an economic house of cards to rely upon consumer-oriented buying habits.
In addition, other economists point to the damage to the environment in an atmosphere of high consumption. While not a direct impact, it certainly will take its tolls as our landfills are stacked up with our broken toys.
What is scary is the article’s conclusion: “The country that most closely resembles the United States? Greece, at 71 percent.”
Materialism is not the answer. Getting the economy back on a solid basis, based upon Biblical standards of honesty and integrity instead of quick gain at everyone else’s expense is the only real long term solution.