There are various ways of being happy, and every man has the capacity to make his life what it needs to be for him to have a reasonable amount of peace in it. Why then do we persecute ourselves with illusory demands, never content until we feel we have conformed to some standard of happiness that is not good for us only, but for everyone? Why can we not be content with the secret gift of the happiness that God offers us, without consulting the rest of the world? Why do we insist, rather, on a happiness that is approved by the magazines and TV? Perhaps because we do not believe in happiness that is given to us for nothing. We do not think we can by happy with a happiness that has no price tag on it.“If we are fools enough to remain at the mercy of the people who want to sell us happiness, it will be impossible for us ever to be content with anything. How would they profit if we became content? We would no longer need their new product.
“The last thing the salesman wants is for the buyer to become content. You are of no use in our affluent society unless you are always just about to grasp what you never have.
“God gives us freedom to make our own lives within the situation which is the gift of His love to us, and by means of the power His love grants us. But we feel guilty about it. We are quite capable of being happy in this life. He has provided for us, in which we can contentedly make our own way, helped by His grace. We are ashamed to do so. For we need one thing more than happiness: we need approval. And the need for approval destroys our capacity for happiness. “How can you believe, who seek glory one from another.”
“For in the Unites States, approval has to be bought – not once, not ten times, but a thousand time over every day.”
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The following selection is found on pages 93-94 of Conjectures.
My comments:
When I was young, workmen wore overalls. These pants were the common fare for almost all workers. Some had bibs with more pockets. Gradually, workers began to wear other pants besides overalls.
Some years later I saw people wearing overalls at different social occasions. I learned they now were called jeans. I also learned that they were much more expensive. I vowed never to wear jeans because of this blatant commercial manipulation. It was my little candle in the vast world of commercial darkness.
In the last few years, I notice that the market people came up with a better idea to get more money out us by once again marketing something old as something new: make the jeans look old and torn but in a very special way with the threads all in order in the hole! The more holes, all the better and all the more expensive. Twenty years ago, people would not be seen dead in such a pair of pants. Now the marketers have declared it the height of fashion. It is all manipulation of the common mindset to make profit.
Here is one more simple example. When I was in grammar school, my two old maiden aunts wore tennis shoes. My sisters and I thought this was hilarious. Looking back, I am sure they were quite comfortable for their old, tired feet. Today, the just might be on the cutting edge.
At the same time, a new rage hit the basketball court in my second year in high school. White gym shoes replaced the black gymshoes overnight. Now black is back! Young people are wearing them for all occasions.
These few examples can be multiplied ten thousand times over in all areas of our life. We are maneuvered for profit. We willing enter into the enslavement to style that defines our clothing, cars, cellphones, haircuts, computers, food and the list runs on. Behind it are millions of dollars of advertising telling us what we need to be happy. It is called consumerism.
II
Pope Francis has countless statements on consumerism. The following from the Tablet is one good example of his insistent message. It is a summary of his message at Midnight Mass, 2015.
God is in love with us, avonid consumerism, Pope Francis Tells Faithful
In his Midnight Mass homily Pope Francis said Christians should reject consumerism and instead live in a sober and balanced way.
“In a society so often intoxicated by consumerism and hedonism, wealth and extravagance, appearances and narcissism, this Child calls us to act soberly, in other words, in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent, capable of seeing and doing what is essential,” the Pope said.
During Mass in St Peter’s this evening Francis also stressed the birth of Christ calls people out of indifference or doubt and to see that joy and gladness have come into the world.
“Amid a culture of indifference which not infrequently turns ruthless, our style of life should instead be devout, filled with empathy, compassion and mercy, drawn daily from the wellspring of prayer,” the Pope explained.
“There is no room for the indifference which reigns in the hearts of those unable to love for fear of losing something. All sadness has been banished, for the Child Jesus brings true comfort to every heart.”
III
The following is from Pope Francis’ Joy of the Gospel #60. It delves more deeply into the consumeristic structures of our society that are destructive in their consequences for the poor.:“Today’s economic mechanisms promote inordinate consumption, yet it is evident the unbridled consumerism combined with inequality prove doubly damaging to the social fabric. Inequality eventually engenders a violence which recourse to arms cannot and never will be able to resolve. This serves only to offer false hopes to those clamoring for heightened security, even though nowadays we know that weapons and violence, rather than providing solutions, create new and more serious conflicts. Some simply content themselves with blaming the poor and the poorest countries themselves for their troubles; indulging in unwarranted generalizations, they claim that the evolution is an “education” that would tranquilize them, making them tame and harmless. All this becomes even more exasperating for the marginalized in the light of the widespread and deeply rooted corruption found in many countries – in their governments, businesses and institutions – whatever the political ideology of their leaders.”
