Larger Homes, More Exotic Trips, Fancier Cars - Won't Improve Quality of Life

     On CBC radio this morning, Michael Enright metioned how in the 60's we felt that we could achieve anything, we could change the world. What happened to that positive energy? To a large extent, big business skillfully redirected it towards spoiling ourselves, and perhaps especially our children, with every imaginable comfort, plus many we never saw coming eg iPhones.
     A couple of years ago, during a break in a continuing medical education course, I overheard a group of young female physicians chatting about their children. One comment stuck: "I just hope they don't grow up to be assholes."
     Isn't that our hope and fear for ourselves as well? There's good reason to worry. It's very difficult to be balanced and appropriately engaged with reality while living a self-indulgent lifestyle (Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, & many closer to home). Continuing to pamper ourselves makes as much sense as continuing to over-eat when morbidly obese. Just because we can (with the bank's blessing), does NOT mean it's good for us. Our current level of self-indulgence has become toxic for ourselves and the environment.

       “The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.”      Joseph Campbell 

Photo: minniev   www.dpreview.com