Comparison Consumerism and Christianity - 2171 Words

This holiday season will you be standing in line for Black Friday deals? Black Friday is often viewed as the epitome of consumerism, but it is actually an example of an extreme, not the typical every day sort of consumerism. In all actuality there are many aspects of consumerism, some beneficial and some harmful to the populace. As humans were created to consume, consumerism and Christianity are compatible, but only in so far as consumerism does not become a fully materialistic pursuit. This is clearly demonstrated largely by biblical standards as will be discussed further on. However, in order to understand how the ideologies of consumerism and Christianity are compatible, one must first understand consumerism. Consumerism†¦show more content†¦This is to the advantage of the consumer or buyer as the competition between businesses will, in time and as time progresses even beyond that, provide better products at lower prices (Wilkens 53). Unfortunately, not every facet of consumerism can be viewed in such a positive light. There are three major negatives tied into consumerism: materialism, lack of contentment, and reductionism. Of the three negatives listed above, materialism is generally the first to manifest itself in daily life. Materialism places greater emphasis on the material, the physical, above all else. Once a person enters into this ideology, he or she will typically begin seeking out items deemed to be greater or suggest higher status (Wilkens 45). This attitude can quickly lead to an inability to be content. If a person is not satisfied with his or her possessions or status, consumerism would suggest that the individual seek out material objects that would further him or her in life. This produces a lifestyle of purchasing goods with the intent of feeling better about one’s self and ultimately trying to be the best (Wilkens 45, 46). When a person postures his or her heart in this way, it does not take much to move from a mentality of greed to one of all out reductionism. Reductionism in any field -consumerism,Show MoreRelatedGovernment Censorship and Control in Brave New World1747 Words   |  7 PagesWorld State’s citizens gradually transition from a society similar to modern civilizations, in the respect to morals, to arguably an exact opposite civilization. This change is accredited to the World State utilizing moral conditioning, eugenics, consumerism, and a new form of religion called â€Å"Fordism† to protect the citizens from chaos of war. Barr raises a question that applies directly to Huxley’s theme when he states, â€Å" ..to what lengths is society willing to go to ensure safety and stability?†Read MoreTexts in Time Frankenstein and Bladerunner : )1400 Words   |  6 Pagesonly crossed generic borders, but raised concerns not dissimilar to those raised by Shelley one hundred and fifty years before. 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