Comments on: The Emotional Emptiness of Consumer Culture http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/ On a Quest for Personal Freedom Sun, 11 May 2008 22:33:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: Andy Norris http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-85193 Andy Norris Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:03:09 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-85193 Interesting thoughts, but I found your approval of the Apple Store jarring. To me, it seems like they're selling lifestyle and aspirations just as much as any store at the mall. If there's a difference besides the fact that you fit more easily in their target group, it's not obvious to me. Also, if you want to see the other side of the coin to people shopping for lifestyles at the mall, go watch people shop fo cut-rate meat and store-brand ketchup at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is the store for people who shop for subsistence, not lifestyle. Interesting thoughts, but I found your approval of the Apple Store jarring. To me, it seems like they’re selling lifestyle and aspirations just as much as any store at the mall. If there’s a difference besides the fact that you fit more easily in their target group, it’s not obvious to me.

Also, if you want to see the other side of the coin to people shopping for lifestyles at the mall, go watch people shop fo cut-rate meat and store-brand ketchup at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is the store for people who shop for subsistence, not lifestyle.

]]> By: Things I Learned Living on a Budget - Part 2 | My Super-Charged Life http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-82970 Things I Learned Living on a Budget - Part 2 | My Super-Charged Life Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:24:56 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-82970 [...] us the lifestyles we think we want.  However, after the buzz wears off, we are usually left with a feeling of emptiness and buyers remorse from our latest spending spree.  My budget has taught me to avoid going to the [...] […] us the lifestyles we think we want.  However, after the buzz wears off, we are usually left with a feeling of emptiness and buyers remorse from our latest spending spree.  My budget has taught me to avoid going to the […]

]]> By: Anne Keckler, Personal Trainer http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-82776 Anne Keckler, Personal Trainer Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:43:46 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-82776 Don't go dissing VS! What their bras do for my breasts is nothing short of <i>amazing</i>. :-P Don’t go dissing VS! What their bras do for my breasts is nothing short of amazing. :-P

]]> By: Steve http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-82471 Steve Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:38:50 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-82471 MGR, Did I romanticize the past? And how much traveling have you done down here in the states? Have you read John Taylor Gatto? He has statistics showing that the US literacy rate has been dropping for 75+ years. While romanticizing the past isn't useful, the past can teach us about the future. I agree... we are doing just fine...the culture I describe is over 50 years old and seems to be fading. But we need to get over the idea of entitlements. Entitlement permeates every part of American culture and is reflected in places like the MOA. People think they are entitled to everything. Transportation, healthcare, donughts, softdrinks, pizza, Nike sneakers, McMansions, sub-prime loans, get out of debt free cards... I don't have any problem if a person earns the money to buy any of these things. That is his right. But when he fails to educate himself and buries himself in debt and then asks for a government handout and gets it, we all have a problem. A huge number of Americans believe they are entitled to stuff just because they exist. And they feel they are entitled to it because it is the only way they can feel good about themselves. Strip the average American of his stuff and he wouldn't even know who he was anymore because he has defined himself as his stuff and not who he really is. I'm not against owning stuff, but it's just stuff, it isn't you. Certain segments of our culture are higher-brow than ever, but others... well... MGR,

Did I romanticize the past? And how much traveling have you done down here in the states?

Have you read John Taylor Gatto? He has statistics showing that the US literacy rate has been dropping for 75+ years.

While romanticizing the past isn’t useful, the past can teach us about the future.

I agree… we are doing just fine…the culture I describe is over 50 years old and seems to be fading.

But we need to get over the idea of entitlements. Entitlement permeates every part of American culture and is reflected in places like the MOA. People think they are entitled to everything. Transportation, healthcare, donughts, softdrinks, pizza, Nike sneakers, McMansions, sub-prime loans, get out of debt free cards…

I don’t have any problem if a person earns the money to buy any of these things. That is his right. But when he fails to educate himself and buries himself in debt and then asks for a government handout and gets it, we all have a problem.

A huge number of Americans believe they are entitled to stuff just because they exist. And they feel they are entitled to it because it is the only way they can feel good about themselves. Strip the average American of his stuff and he wouldn’t even know who he was anymore because he has defined himself as his stuff and not who he really is.

I’m not against owning stuff, but it’s just stuff, it isn’t you.

Certain segments of our culture are higher-brow than ever, but others… well…

]]> By: Michael G.R. http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-82293 Michael G.R. Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:58:34 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-82293 I think our culture is probably higher-brow than any other in the past, it's just that all the stupid empty stuff from those eras has been forgotten and all we remember are the Oscar Wildes. Just think about this: Not so long ago, almost nobody knew how to read. Almost nobody had access to books (not even talking about Google). Women weren't being educated (half the population right there). People didn't have much conversation except what they did that day at work in the fields or at the factory. We're doing just fine. The whole bell curve has been moving steadily to the right. Of course people on the right half of the curve will always think that things are not good enough for them, but that's true of all ages. Romanticizing the past is popular, but I don't find it useful. I think our culture is probably higher-brow than any other in the past, it’s just that all the stupid empty stuff from those eras has been forgotten and all we remember are the Oscar Wildes.

Just think about this: Not so long ago, almost nobody knew how to read. Almost nobody had access to books (not even talking about Google). Women weren’t being educated (half the population right there). People didn’t have much conversation except what they did that day at work in the fields or at the factory.

We’re doing just fine. The whole bell curve has been moving steadily to the right. Of course people on the right half of the curve will always think that things are not good enough for them, but that’s true of all ages.

Romanticizing the past is popular, but I don’t find it useful.

]]> By: Steve http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-82216 Steve Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:44:43 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-82216 That's the power of television advertising. It's brainwashed most of culture into thinking that "things" will solve their problems. They're not advertising products, they're advertising feelings, happiness, satisfaction....they're selling you a perception. Hopefully some of them will realize they're after the wrong thing. That’s the power of television advertising. It’s brainwashed most of culture into thinking that “things” will solve their problems. They’re not advertising products, they’re advertising feelings, happiness, satisfaction….they’re selling you a perception. Hopefully some of them will realize they’re after the wrong thing.

]]> By: Terry http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-82015 Terry Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:44:58 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-82015 Just like Television - Meaningless choices in a box... Just like Television - Meaningless choices in a box…

]]> By: Garold http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-81877 Garold Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:31:34 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-81877 Great article Steve! I have long been an advocate for living the simple life and have found it very satisfying. Some people spend so much energy pursuing the empty dreams offered by the main-stream media that they miss out on the simple pleasures of life. Do we really need so much to be happy? I have observed and experienced that we don’t. You might have an interest in reading this article that covers a related subject: <a href="http://selfmasterykeys.com/blog/2007/12/ownership-is-bondage" rel="nofollow">Ownership is Bondage</a> Great article Steve! I have long been an advocate for living the simple life and have found it very satisfying. Some people spend so much energy pursuing the empty dreams offered by the main-stream media that they miss out on the simple pleasures of life. Do we really need so much to be happy? I have observed and experienced that we don’t. You might have an interest in reading this article that covers a related subject:
Ownership is Bondage

]]> By: Joseph http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-81873 Joseph Sat, 01 Mar 2008 23:57:20 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-81873 Absolutely Steve Olson - don't stop with these insights you are learning much. You're beginning to see absolutely that something is going on. And us as human beings are following along plainly like sheeps...but now the question us what vehicle catalyzes us do that. There must ve a thing that we do everyday that pacifies us while slowly instilling control within us. We've already realized that school is one thing, but you AREn't in school anymore. Or are you? So as you have been watching this post - what has been putting an image in your mind etveryday that you enjoy maybe it's family...who knows? Absolutely Steve Olson - don’t stop with these insights you are learning much. You’re beginning to see absolutely that something is going on. And us as human beings are following along plainly like sheeps…but now the question us what vehicle catalyzes us do that. There must ve a thing that we do everyday that pacifies us while slowly instilling control within us. We’ve already realized that school is one thing, but you AREn’t in school anymore. Or are you? So as you have been watching this post - what has been putting an image in your mind etveryday that you enjoy maybe it’s family…who knows?

]]> By: Phobe Lexx http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-81738 Phobe Lexx Sat, 01 Mar 2008 09:06:26 +0000 http://www.steve-olson.com/the-emotional-emptiness-of-consumer-culture/#comment-81738 Pure Excellence! Pure Excellence!

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