A Spending Culture

I was struck by this story in yesterday's NYTs:

Low Spending Is Taking Toll on Economy

By PETER S. GOODMAN
Published: May 1, 2008

For months, beleaguered American consumers have defied expert forecasts that they would soon succumb to the pressures of falling home prices, fewer jobs and shrinking paychecks. Now, they appear to have given in.

On Wednesday, the Commerce Department reported that the economy continued to stagnate during the first three months of the year, with a sharp pullback in consumer spending the primary factor at play.

You can read the rest here

Trust me, I understand economics... as much as any of us actually understand economics, that is. This kind of information is not new to me; it used to be my daily bread. But these days I'm learning to see differently, and what I see here is yet another example of how this consumer-driven culture keeps us in its clutches, and resists any attempt to think differently - to think "kingdomly", as it were.

The sad truth is if we don't keep buying more and more stuff the economy suffers. This is partly because we are addicted to growth as a measure of "progress."

And here's what we end up with. I'll pick on the United States because it's such a blatant example. We have the world's most indebted country, populated by highly indebted citizens with some of the worst savings rates in the world. We have the government of the world's most indebted country printing rebate cheques and sending them out to those indebted citizens. We have the leader of the world's most indebted country going on TV and begging those indebted citizens to go out and buy more stuff. Not to save the money. Not to pay down a little of the average citizen's $8,500 credit card balance. No, to go out and buy shit.

This way we can (hopefully) keep the system running. I couldn't see this back in my Armani suit days, but if it takes this kind of rigging to keep the thing afloat, I've got news for you: There's something wrong with the system.

Here's a thought: Take part of your rebate cheque check and give it away.

Carry on.

Comments

[Carl Holmes]

dude... that is what I have been preaching over here on our side of the pond.

We have some good things brewing. Giving it away is so much better in God's economy anyway. Why do it any other way? When I buy a big screen I do not get that groovy feeling... I get a pit at the bottom of my stomach.

Buying coats for the homeless, much more satisfying. Sending $$ to my sponsored Children, much more exiting.

We will get the lesson, but the fall is going to be a hard one.

[Jeff Goins]

Thanks, Mike. Always enjoy your rants!

[Wes Roberts]

...we are addicted to growth as a measure of "progress."

...THAT is a powerful statement, Mr. Todd

...thank you!

...and I like the Bangkok clock

...right now I'm stuck in "wonderful Wichita" because of wild weather

...I did see Dorothy and Toto go flying by a bit ago!

[lynne]

I'm with Wes, I like the Bangkok clock too...reminds me to pray for the team more often.

[sonja]

No, to go out and buy shit.

That's exactly what I said when I heard about those damn things ... no matter how you spell it, it's a worthless piece of paper.

[Tom Davis]

Yeah man, with you 100%

I can't believe you said shit in your blog! That's why I love you.

[Maria]

"...yet another example of how this consumer-driven culture keeps us in its clutches, and resists any attempt to think differently..." It seems to me that when Christians talk about being in the world and not of it, they rarely think about what the God of this Age really wants them to do -- spend, get indebted, spend more, need a bigger house for all the shit, etc. All the while blind to the needs of the world (or our own souls).