the cult of buying stuff
Posted on October 15, 2007 by Geoff Matheson
Filed Under Emerging Questions
This post centres around an idea I heard Mark Sayers put forward, and Jason Clark is apparently investigating for his PhD (which means that if this triggers any interest in you, you would be well advised to check out his blog regularly). The central idea is that the strongest threat to Christianity in the western world comes not from any New Age mysticism, or other organised religions, but from the beast that is consumerism.
Jason’s “dinner-party test” was enough for me to have a very-non-thorough thought around the ways that “consumerism functions as a religion.”
So here are some hallmarks of “consumerism as religion”, as I see them.
1. Promise of Fulfillment
It doesn’t take a lot of sociological analysis of consumer-level marketing (aka - watching TV ads), to recognise that we aren’t sold stuff because it will “do the job” - we’re being sold stuff because of how it will make us feel, or who we will become. We’re being sold the line that we are what we own, and while it would be discounted out of hand if it were put that bluntly, our decision making indicates the truth of that statement amongst our culture.
2. Religious Festivals
OK - so if my first one was self-evident, this is perhaps a bit more of a stretch. But bear with me: hopefully it’s worth it. I’m starting to believe that consumerism has its own religious festivals. Whether it’s the gadget geeks who will camp outside a store to be the first person to own an iPhone, or the stampedes of rabid shoppers in post-christmas sales, or even the vast majority of Christmas itself - are ultimately shrines to the religion of buying. They are ceremonies out of which people find meaning.
It Is In Direct Opposition To The Message Of The Gospel
This is an ugly, hard one to hear. But God doesn’t want me to buy more stuff. In fact, the gospel of “buying things will make me feel better” is incompatible with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It seems to me that it is as simple, and yet as difficult as that. The consumer culture is an idolatrous ideology. I know that the comments are coming now: “what about your iPod Geoff? Your Wii?” The answer is frighteningly difficult to swallow. Yes. You’re right. I’m in this. I’m living for two masters, and it’s not always the good guy that’s winning.
I’ve got lots more I’d like to say, but I want to hear what you think. Is this an over-statement? Or do you see other ways in which consumerism has taken a religious form? Anyone got a solution? I’m certainly interested.
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About Geoff Matheson
Geoff is a 23 year old database administrator who has birthed amateurtheology.org from some crazy thoughts he had early one Monday morning. Geoff does his best to sound lots smarter than he actually is. He also runs some youth stuff at Yarra Valley Vineyard, and he is married to the very lovely Rebecca.
Geoff's site: http://www.geoffreport.com/wp/
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5 Responses to “the cult of buying stuff”
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a quick thought on the festivals thing,
to me a festival is something that repeats (yearly/monthly) and not a once off hit/delight/craze over a product, it is very intentional and celebratory of something - that to me is more like hype and that within the church context is something that is more like consumerism than the church.
A festival within consumerism is something more along the lines of Hitchhiker of the Galaxy fans celebrating ‘Towel day’ (http://www.towelday.kojv.net/) - a tribute.
What do we tribute in consumerism?
The exception I think is the whole Santa Claus thing… that’s almost festival like.
But maybe you’re right - that one might be a little bit more of a stretch.
Interesting post thank you…
I think consumerism taps into something more than just fulfillment which is that the market has in effect become our own personal agency - it’s all about me and my kingdom and the market exists to meet that need - after all we’re worth it, i can have it my way etc etc…
On the festival front i think you are right that there are niche celebrations but in more general we seem to be on a secular liturgy that takes us from christmas [presents/food] to easter [chocolate] via valentines [more chocs] to summer holidays to ordinary time and back on to christmas. repeat…
I would suggest looking deeper than this Geoff. It’s easy to just say it’s wrong. Ask, why still do it?
This is very good. Culturally, we champion the worship of Mammon - “More.” And, many do go and shop for personal fulfillment, filling their homes and closets with stuff without any connection to relationship or need.