This week’s letter of the week offers another view on the current financial crisis and finds an interesting culprit behind the collapse – you and me. We’re not sure if we totally agree with the premise. (I can think of a few items I’ve sold for less than market value.) But hey, we like the take. Mike, you can collect your awesome prize by stopping by our office, 704 NW Georgia or emailing us at info@tsweekly.com.
Bread & Circuses for All
In our rush to assign blame and villainy for our economic woes to the assorted gray suits on Wall Street and the cabal in Washington, perhaps a little reflection on the real culprits is in order. As we find ourselves in disgust over the actions of our leaders, it is pertinent to ask some questions, namely, who put these people in charge, and why? Well, we did, and for the express purposes of giving us peace abroad and prosperity (read, a growing economy) at home, immediately.
In a consumerist, democratic society based upon, no, demanding, an unbroken supply of ever increasing bread and circuses, the public routinely elects rulers who are in reality nothing more than servants to the public’s appetites. It’s fashionable to be disgusted with Washington and Wall Street, but we ought to be wise enough to not believe our own propaganda, e.g. “those greedy bankers”. Accordingly, in our reflective moments we should remember that it was we the people, freely and openly, who put these people in charge (it’s a democracy after all), and they went about doing exactly what we asked, that is, satiating our demands. Note, for instance, that the two current aspirants for the job of chief baker and ring leader are expected to prove above all else that they can cook well and tame lions with the sole purpose of filling the gullets of the salivating mob. And now we protest that things have started to fishtail? Weren’t we the ones pushing the accelerator?
Which of us has ever sold a house or car below market value just to avoid “greed,” who switched to a mutual fund offering lower returns so as not to take too big of a profit, who pays extra at the corner store to make sure the fellow stays in business, who… who… who…??? The answer: precious few, if any. Indeed, profit is not only the name of the game, it is the game, and we all play it gladly and repeatedly. In addition, we who live in this ocean of consumerism find it hard to imagine another worldview, or even that there could be another worldview. But in fact there is.
Consider for instance that most cultures, most of the time, during most of human history, have not been wildly consumerist in orientation. In fact, history tells us that humanity has generally been spiritually wired in its approach to life, with a higher purpose other than heavy consumption generally serving as the guiding principle of culture. While greed has been with us since time immemorial, the heightened abilities we have now developed through industrialization etal to actually fill and greatly exceed our legitimate creaturely requirements is dangerous, if not potentially catastrophic, when not rightly moderated. This is especially true when fuel is added to the fire by a culture gone ape to have it all, now.
What then? Perhaps the key at a deep level to the economic crisis we now find ourselves in, both individually and corporately, is not specifically economic, but spiritual. Consider for instance the words to the following hymn. Speaking of God it says:
He gives and takes away
He gives and takes away
But my heart has learned to say
Lord blessed be your name.
What is this? Are we actually seeing a satisfied soul expressing in song its own happiness when the luxuries of life have been taken away? Indeed we are! Certainly this is rank heresy in the temple of consumerism, but a solid foundation, and a point of reference, for a culture with full bellies but empty souls. As the great Augustine once said: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until we rest in You.” Perhaps the biggest problem with modern humans is that they do not know who they really are, or where to find rest.
Mike Caba
This article appears in Oct 16-22, 2008.
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Of course people in Bend and the Bend mentality are a big part of the national economic problems caused by the housing boom. Isn’t the Bend lifestyle about “having it all”? Money, health, free time, recreation, double-digit annual home appreciation, freedom from the problems of the urbanized world (but with all the amenities)? Faking it before making it? Getting in debt up to the eyeballs to buy homes, recreational toys, cars and vacations?
And don’t forget the desire to be envied – it seems like every other person who moved to Bend in the last 5 years immediately started a webpage with photos of fun outdoor activities and triumphalist commentary about how much their property has gone up in value and how you can’t walk 10 feet without someone handing you a cappuccino or a microbrew.
“Having it all” was and is unrealistic for most people, who’ll have to work more than they play if they want material things. But wanting and expecting it all is another form of greed.
Mike Caba’s letter is right on. People need to ponder its contents and consider the possibility that their decision to be consumers instead of citizens is both a personal and a national problem.
When people touted the mantras of “Greed is good” and “Too much is never enough” that should have been clear evidence this nation was in trouble.
Consumerism is wasted time…
The goal of life is enlightenment.
Erich Fromm: “Man’s main task in life is to give birth to himself.”
Hesse: “The true profession of the man is to find the way to himself.”
Panchadasi says: “How shall I grasp it? Do not grasp it. That which remains when there is no more grasping is the self.”
No compass needle of enlightenment points towards a God. The answer to self lies within. As Meister Eckhart so brilliantly put it, “The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me.”
Dogen: “If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where do you expect to find it?”
The problem is; we have allowed only politicians on the ballot and no statesmen. This is attributed to the political parties which our forefathers warned us not to have. Our current method only gives us a choice between to two losers who are more interested in satisfying their financial backers and not the common man.
“Perhaps the key at a deep level to the economic crisis we now find ourselves in, both individually and corporately, is not specifically economic, but spiritual.”
Not economic but spiritual? Are you saying that Satan is making the economy go bad, or that God is punishing us? It couldn’t just be the banks, money, the economy, spending, etc. It must be ghosts, fairies, spirits and magic that are also making for bad economic times?
The letter was well written and made sense until the end. The current economic troubles we are experiencing are due to our own actions. You got that part right. As for the additional ‘spirits’ and fairies factor; I’d be interested to see your evidence that spirits are affecting the economy… or that they even exist.
spiritual doesn’t necessarily mean ghosts and shit. The author was refering to spiritual in the sense of personal morals, and the manifestations of a paricular mindset that people allow to consume themselves.
I would refer you to definition 3 and 9 below.
spir·it·u·al Pronunciation Key – Show Spelled Pronunciation[spir-i-choo-uhl] Pronunciation Key – Show IPA Pronunciation
â “adjective 1. of, pertaining to, or consisting of spirit; incorporeal.
2. of or pertaining to the spirit or soul, as distinguished from the physical nature: a spiritual approach to life.
3. closely akin in interests, attitude, outlook, etc.: the professor’s spiritual heir in linguistics.
4. of or pertaining to spirits or to spiritualists; supernatural or spiritualistic.
5. characterized by or suggesting predominance of the spirit; ethereal or delicately refined: She is more of a spiritual type than her rowdy brother.
6. of or pertaining to the spirit as the seat of the moral or religious nature.
7. of or pertaining to sacred things or matters; religious; devotional; sacred.
8. of or belonging to the church; ecclesiastical: lords spiritual and temporal.
9. of or relating to the mind or intellect.
Hey Mike;
Excellent piece until the end. I’m not so sure about the spiritual aspects of the whole rant against consumerism. If you study the history of the Church enough, you will come to the conclusion that this hymn and others were written to make the people happy in their “place”… subservient to the power of the Church and King. By keeping the people happy with their station in life, the bishops, priests and royalty were able to live extravagant lifestyles on the collected tariffs and taxes. So I believe my argument is that you included a hymn which was written solely to satisfy the status quo at the time. In other words, Be happy little children, your reward will come in heaven… don’t forget to pay your Church and Royalty taxes.
I’ve got to say… I loved the piece up till the end… very well thought out points!