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Monday, April 12, 2010

Consumerism

I recently took a visit to Las Vegas also known as sin city. This was my first experience of a massive market for consumerism. As I arrived, all I could do was watch in awe at the unnecessary size and spectacular of the city. I now know why there is no other place like it. You literally cannot walk more than a block without passing a liquor store, a stripper advertisement and casino. Now I am not going to be like many before me and criticize the city due to its crudeness and lack of class because I would be a hypocrite if I did. I had my own slice of the gamble and drink pairing while I was there and this leads me to a critical point. This western thinking of consumerism and status is...well addicting. I can easily see how people will throw their lives away for the obsession of thrill. Vegas is an example of American consumerism blown out of proportion, however, this is the mindset that we need to break out of. When there are people that design buildings to entice you to stay, gamble, get lost and drunk you know there is a problem. One can relate the USA to Las Vegas in many ways, for example:


1. There is no such thing as a limit on consumption

2. There is little conception of waste

3. There are unnecessary amounts of exploitation without the people who benefit knowing

4. There is a feeling of superiority

5. When you are in the city, you lose track of the real world and anything/anyone else in it

The world we live in blinds us from alternate ways of life which is to be expected, however few seem to attempt to open their eyes to certain truths of the world. What we may believe as normal is extremely crude, hypocritical and unsophisticated to another given culture. Our cultural norms such as exploitation of blue collar workers, adultery and lack of concern for others over ourselves have only individualistic motivations. These incentives lack in spiritual meaning which is what many cultures are built upon and are affected when we attempt to influence them because we believe our way would better their lives.

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