Consumer Culture

[mistergreen77]

A couple of lines from a song by Insurge got me thinking about this.

I DON'T THINK THEREFORE I'M A REAL MAN, I DON'T BREAK WITH MY MEDIA CUES, I GOT RELIGION AND IT SAYS BUY NOW, IN THIS THE PAPER CHURCH WITH THE PLASTIC PEWS. BEST NOT THINK I FEEL, I GOT TO BUY WHAT I FEEL I THINK...

Do you think that consumerism is our new religion? If it is a problem how can it be addressed?

My view is that since the death of religion consumerism is what we are left with. I would almost say that the human race disposed of religion before we had matured enough to get on without it. I think the situation will eventually produce a crisis that will lead to new paradigms for living and organising societies - but is there a less painful way to make the transition?

[Chroelle]

I think that it is too early to speak of a disposement of religion, as you still see lots of religious acts going on in Spain, France, Italy, Greece and other catholic countries. The dedication to religion has changed, and the following of "the books" (Testaments, bible so forth) has become more loose.
I just finished reading The Da Vinci Code on my vacation, and there are some very interesting views on this in it. Is religion just something we consume these days. We use it as we see best.
I would say that the avarage european and american has stepped back from traditional religion, and fitted it into their daily life as they see fit. Like grocery shopping, and such.
I don't think that man as such is ready for a complete disposement of religion, as the majority (my own view) still use it as a handy thing that steps in when we need to get christened, married, buried and such.
If we dispose of religion, there are a lot of very pleasant things that becomes obsolete. It is always nice going to weddings, and it is a good way of saying goodbye to someone and deal with the fact that they are dead, when we attend burials.
Are we really ready to give up on these things. Are we ready to live in a world were commitment is something you just tell eachother that you want in the living room on a lazy sunday afternoon...?
I know that I for one am not ready living without some sort of religion in my life. I think Christmas is a nice way of gathering the family, my wedding is something I look forward to and hope to be one of the best days of my life, and I for one need the ritual of a burial to say my last goodbye when someone I care for has died.
I also have the tendency to use religion when I am nervous about a test or something, and I send a thought to my departed loved ones, when I miss them a lot.
I don't use the church other than a few times a year, but I have never really believed that you need the church to be in contact with whoever it is you miss.
The thought of an omnipotent god needing a specific building as a microphone where people can step up and say what they think, has always struck me as odd.
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