Consumerism and Buddhist Thoughts
Consumerism and Buddhist Thoughts There is a joke about a guy who drove a car and crashed with the electric pole. Fortunately, he was alive and trying to get out of that wreckage car. When he got out and saw the ruins of his car, he kept shouting “Oh no! That’s my Mercedes Benz! That’s my Mercedes Benz!” A person who saw the accident told him with worries that “Young man, stop worrying about your car. You better worry about your arm. It is over there on the road!” That young man looked at the way that person was pointing at and shouted “Oh no! That’s my Rolex watch! That’s my Rolex watch” (Visalo, 2010). This story is really suit to the society in present which most people believe in getting everything they want by buying them, or in other words, it is the age of consumerism society. The joke which was stated in the beginning is a great example of consumerism which could lead to many issues in society; especially worse of people’s minds. However, if people adapt some of the Buddhist thoughts, such as the concept of three characteristics, contentment and the threefold training, with the way they live their lives, they would know that consumerism is just a fake happiness and not last long.
Consumerism is the value in spending money to buy or consume goods or services in exchange of the spiritual and ego satisfaction (Lebow, 1955). In other words, consumerists would like to play a buyer role than a producer role, which means they prefer to buy “happiness,” rather than making it by themselves. For instance, if they want to be healthy, instead of exercising and having hygienic food, they would prefer to use the medicine or supplementary food and be confident that if there is a health problem, the doctors can help them because they have a lot of money. Also, if the consumerists want to have good shape, they would favor surgery or diet pills, because it is easy for them to just spend money to get what they want.
The happiness from consuming is not only satisfying
Consumerism is the value in spending money to buy or consume goods or services in exchange of the spiritual and ego satisfaction (Lebow, 1955). In other words, consumerists would like to play a buyer role than a producer role, which means they prefer to buy “happiness,” rather than making it by themselves. For instance, if they want to be healthy, instead of exercising and having hygienic food, they would prefer to use the medicine or supplementary food and be confident that if there is a health problem, the doctors can help them because they have a lot of money. Also, if the consumerists want to have good shape, they would favor surgery or diet pills, because it is easy for them to just spend money to get what they want.
The happiness from consuming is not only satisfying
References: Anonymous. (2000). The history, philosophy and practice of buddhism. The three characteristics of existence, Retrieved from http://www.buddha101.com/p_existence.htm Chodron, T. (2007). Guided meditations on the stages of the path. Working with distractions, Retrieved from http://www.snowlionpub.com/samples/GUMEST_SamplePgs.pdf Crime News Team. (2012, May 01). A 19 years old teen was arrested after shot a merchant dead, due to the madness when he was being cut in while he was driving. Manager Online, Crime News. Retrieved from http://www.manager.co.th/crime/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9550000053895 Lebow, V. (1955). Journal of retailing. Price competition in 1955, Retrieved from http://hundredgoals.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/journal-of-retailing.pdf Panyothee, S. (2003). The three characteristics. Retrieved from http://www.suwalaiporn.com/index.php?lay=show&ac=article&Ntype=2&Id=369175 Payutto, P. (2007). Dahmma groups. Retrieved from http://www.dhammathai.org/dhamma/dhammagroup.php Vilathuan. (2010). The club of thought, truth, and beauty of life. The Three Characteristics, Retrieved from http://www.oknation.net/blog/preeeecha/2010/02/17/entry-12 Visalo, P. (2010). Buddhist way of living in the age of consumerism, Retrieved from http://www.visalo.org/article/budYooYang.htm