by Rev. Amari Magdalena
There was a time when there was writing about efforts to grow consumers of young children. We’ve only to look about us to see the success of that effort. And children were not the only target. Clever advertising, in store placements, and the lure of sales have converted most of us into great consumers. Guilt adds to that during Christmas, Easter and other consumer holidays. Our entire economy depends on our purchasing.
Yesteryear this was blamed on television, mostly. Today we are hit from all over the place. I find sales and seduction popping up on my smartphone by the hour. My emails are mostly solicitations. The paid streaming sites and GD Jeff Bezos charging for some movies, mean another avenue for sales calls. Consumerism is part and parcel of the free market and our revered capitalism.
Yet this attitude even seeps into our treatment in other ways. Dating sites lure people to basing decisions on looks. Often, they are loaded with untruths like age, current appearance, and other important details. There is a tendency to be drawn to physically pleasing folk first rather than reading a sincere written description and pleasant smile. It is the same for bodies. I told my sons long ago: “Great bodies change over years. Choose a pleasant face and other good qualities.”
We often make advanced school selections by ranking among other institutions. Politics, now that’s a world almost entirely hyped by a lot of false information and good-looking people over substance. When is the last time that you looked at voting record to see true leanings over the false promises being bandied around. And look at the tendency to vote for millionaires and billionaires who frankly do not give a damn about the common people while promising with forked tongue.
At what point do we say NO! Do we hold robber barons accountable? At what point do we turn off our invasive smart phones, computers, and other ‘noise’ that interfere with access to our own inner knowing? When do we stop watching seductive ads? How do we quit keeping up with the Joneses’ tendencies. ‘ When do we sit quietly and extricate ourselves from this vain and uncaring world and begin to envision another possibility for humanity?
Folks, we are on the brink of a new world. Right now. We need to assess our consumer addictions, our ignoring real people’s issues, our wailing about the state of the world and doing nothing? Are we ready?
The Universe loves a vacuum. All that is needed is for us to stop engaging in the old dysfunctional world and start creating a new one. Years ago, a very spiritual friend of mine got into meditating. This was grand until meditation led to this personal and financial demise as everything was dismissed except meditation. He ended up in a ‘fly by night’ motel. He called me and said “I don’t know what to do. Can you help me?”
I went to his motel. He was looking totally downtrodden and depressed. He said he prayed, meditated, and asked repeatedly how to get out of his current situation. I said to him: “Here is the solution. Stand up, put one foot in front of the other, start walking. The Universe wants to help you though you need to indicate some direction you want to head.”
It is my belief that this is our current problem too. We need to envision the coming 5th dimension and then start moving towards it rather than cogitating on how to fix the current (old) one. The Universe is waiting for us to stand up and put one foot in front of the other!
“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” –Arundhati Roy
“Something amazing happens when we surrender and just love. We melt into another world, a realm of power already within us. The world changes when we change. The world softens when we soften. The world loves us when we choose to love the world.” –Marianne Williamson
“I found that the solemn recognition that our world is very fragile is universal. And yet attentive ears can hear the ancient whisper reminding us that another world is possible.” – Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical
“We’re not short of movements proclaiming that a different world is possible, but unless we can coordinate them into an international movement, capitalism just laughs at all these little organizations.” –Jose Saramago
