"Children 'damaged' by materialism" (BBC). Probably, but what can be done about it?

[Bluebutterfly]

The problem is that in our consumerist culture it is almost impossible to get away from this problem, is it not? What do MNers think?

I disagree with you 100x. I think astrophe did a fine job of outlining the problems with a consumerist mindset.

Tbh, I think there's something unhealthy about any 'ism' that people say they feel powerless to really do anything about.

I was talking to this boy who goes to Bedales recently. He said 'Oh nobody buys designer clothes, nobody wants them, or Gap because of the sweat shop situation' and I said, 'what do you all wear then?' and he said 'It's got to be free trade clothing.'

It made me laugh.

rofl

god the pressure

Yes she did SueBaroo. But then nice Christian folk have a vested interest in seeing us all wading through Soddom and Gomorrah - otherwise let's face it, what have you got to look forward to?

Here's a cringy but rather nice thing.

DS2 has poster thing on his wall. It says 'Be the change you want to see in the world' signed Gandhi.

I like it. It's true.

Now stop wringing your hands and worrying about how awful everything is, and BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.

Goodness, I am postively motivational this morning.

Yes I oftne feel like I should be carrying a lighted torch and serenaded by music from Indiana Jones

I am going to be that change and first of all I am going to call Armani personally and ask him to change the design of my new phone as it is rubbish....

Oh yes, in leather trousers? I desperately want to do it in leather trousers and a good hat.

We will be allowed that brief style consumerist moment before we start the revolution.

But then nice Christian folk have a vested interest in seeing us all wading through Soddom and Gomorrah - otherwise let's face it, what have you got to look forward to?

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As a rarely nice Christian lass, cobblers to that. Anti-consumerism doesn't = Daily Mail hell-in-a-handcart hysteria (as if).

I'm just all for appreciating what you actually have, rather than cramming your home with more stuff than you have years to enjoy it. We're quite tight-fisted when it comes to new stuff, but the dc don't actually play with half of what they do have.

ROFL at Micheal Jackson.....

MH, I think Michael Jackson said 'And the whole world has to answer right now: Who's bad?'

Oh you are nice Sue, I think you are. I like you. [creepy]

But it does suit doesn't it, to see the world as flawed and sinful because otherwise you'd have nothing to be right about. Nothing to be guilty about. No divine future where all the wrongs are righted. No heavenly end. And what would be the point of that?

I like Jesus. I like all that church of poverty stuff, and speaking up for the oppressed and disempowered. Material wealth has little to do with happiness.

LOL at Michael Jackson.

It's the passivity that enrages me.

And the surveys.

And oh just all the 'what can we do about it? Probably nothing' in the thread title.

Grrr.

Yeah well - it stimulated some debate did it not? Grrr

The OP asked 'what can be done about it....' I dont think she said nothing. She said that the BBC's info/survey was 'probably true'....was that not it??? Tis early for me so may have misunderstood..

But, at the risk of derailing this completely - the world is flawed. That's not just a perception filter the Christians are conning you with.

Michael Jackson, he also say "You've been hit by, you've been struck by, a smooth criminal"

some kids are hideously spoilt

twas ever thus

Oh yes it did. And therefore?

Who are the gloomy people who sell The WatchTower? They're so miserable aren't they? Always in anoraks and carrying plastic bags.

They came round last week, wailing on my doorstep. 'Don't you think the world is terrible? You must worry so much for your children? What kind of a world is this they are growing up in?'

On and on they went in their terrible anoraks.

I said 'You can chose to see the world that way if you want. I don't. I think everything is fine and complicated and sometimes tragic. Life is filled with moments of sadness and love and tremendous acts of kindness. I like it.'

Then they shuffled off.

i am desperatel trying to get rid of subscribing to the telly

no-one watches it but dh is adamant that there is some kind of Value for mOney in the tv phone internet package we get.

i just want rid

i fucking hate the thing.

i think a negotiation might be in order if we move house soonish.

its my twins birthday on saturday - they are teenagersand we give them a budget - ds has spent is on a skateboard as the last one snaped and dd cant think of anything to buy - she is happy with an ipod shuffle off ebay for 7.99

i agree with 100x re: the surveys

and in reality i think thatdesi is indeed right - that it does become harder for parents not to cave to the endless tide of markein and consumerism

i understand the counter argument which says that yu can just say 'no' of course i can.

but realisty is that in certain sections of society and i think his is somewhat governed by where you live - there is a hierarchy governed by what consumer goods you have

sadly this is perpetuated (IME) by poorer sections of society - i think in my amature pychology hour - that this is some kind of posturing a kind of "i am not poor"

asset rich parents can clearly say to their darlings 'no' as they probablyhave much to spend on a mortgage - again amature sciology hour maybe posturing in itself "look how little we have becuase we send tristan t privte school and have a house worth 400k.

thats my take on it

my mother was just tight. everything was secondhand and i thought this was becuase we were poor pmsl - looking back we clearly wern't she owned her own house outright - she was just tight ( careful)

I like it too. If the come round again you could maybe point them in the direction of M&S...they have lovely anoraks in at the moment......that might cheer them up...

[swoon] @ 100x

you are my kind of woman

stop with the Michael Jackson quotes, my mascara's running

oi. I object to being lumped with an organization who wouldn't be happy to be lumped with me, thankyou very much. I don't sell the Watchtower (and to be fair, neither do they) and I don't base my faith or my evangelism on convincing people that the world is a Daily mail story.

Harumph.