How much does American Business make in the Christmas season?
“According to Forbes, retailers in America can expect to make $1trillion from [JUST] Christmas sales, accounting for one quarter of their yearly profits.”
Consumer Culture is anti Buddhist and counter to the dhamma because commercial consumer culure is designed to create wants and desires…*
… and he path to Buddhist liberation is a path of reducing wants and desires and cutting attachments, hinderances and fetters.
I do not think most people are really ignorant but choose consciously for a lifestyle that comes with great debts and great costs. A lifestyle that is very demanding.
I also see this in my self. These are clearly two seperate things: One can know that something is not wholesome, fruitful, skillful, not meritorious, even unwholesome, and still choice for it. I feel this really describes a human being. Knowing that something is unwholesome, it has an sich no power. It is has not the power to end choosing for it. In some way, we just do not care. The power of knowledge seems limited.
It is like typing on the forum an article about the detrimental effects of chasing sense-pleasure, and after finishing walking to the fridge and take a snack
This is so humane: This schizotypical world of knowning but meanwhile making choices as if one does not know anything. It is so humane to be not consequent, not living up to the standards you think you have. Always failing, always pretending, often weak, often without backbone.
Is it only some lack of wisdom that we keep choosing for unwholesome activities?
Only a matter of more awareness? I do not think so. See smoking. It is known to be unwholesome but still that does not really make a difference.
So what can help us to make better choices if it is not awareness and knowledge?
On the other hand, if a well-run capitalist society makes food and basic necessities easily available for everyone and provides basic security, these seem to be good conditions to be able to start the Buddhist path. After all, greed, hatred and delusion will not go away under any system.
Still, one wonders what the founder of the Christian religion would think of a society spending this kind of money on Christmas presents while at the same time being hostile towards immigrants, opposing general healthcare and cutting on welfare.
(Resisting from posting a meme that shows “Blessed are the meek” above President Trump’s face.)
