Modern Society - The Saga Of Limitless Consumerism

What is the basis of our culture and essentially the entire economy?

Listen carefully: We are BRAINWASHED DAY AND NIGHT that what we don't need and might not even want - we NEED. THAT is the entire trick. Every advertisement plays with our minds convincing us to purchase items which are unnecessary, go on vacations we don't need to go on, eat food we can be perfectly happy without etc. etc.

If you go to any website, there will be advertisements JUMPING OUT AT YOU, in full color, sometimes not even allowing you to get to the page you want to reach until you read the advertisement. An interesting process then transpires in our brains. We think - do we want that or not? You have the advertisement telling you BUY THIS BUY THIS vs. your personal situation until this moment i.e. that you don't need it. But you start thinking "hmmmmmm, maybe I really DO need it?". 

Look at how HAPPY the person in the ad is!! Look at how GORGEOUS the woman in the ad is and this product is associated with HER! Hey, if so many other people are buying it - how can I be left out?? I will look so cool and feel great if I buy it! [This is all happening in your subconscious. Advertising works on our subconscious. They spend MILLIONS researching the best ways to play with your mind and thereby reach your wallet]. 

THAT is the sheker. You were JUST FINE without this product, but now you are not sure. Then you will see the ad again and again and again. Eventually, it penetrates and we buy it. 

IF the entire world would decide that they are going to stop reading ads and ONLY BUY what they NEED  - the entire economy would collapse in weeks. 

How? People would stop going to restaurants [for the most part] because you can eat well for much less money without them. All of the hotels would go out of business. Only homeless people need hotels [ditto]. The rest of us have homes that are MUCH LARGER and more comfortable than hotel rooms. [Occasionally people need a change of scenery but not at the rate the world pursues this]. People would stop buying the latest smartphones and other contraptions because we would realize that we can be perfectly happy without them - or actually happier:-). 

Clothing. How much do we NEED and how much do we HAVE? First, look at your wife's wardrobe [or your if you are a woman - your own]. THOUSANDS of outfits. DOZENS of pairs of shoes. And yet she NEVER HAS ANYTHING TO WEAR!!! The styles change and many women are convinced that they need a new wardrobe every new season. But even men - we have faaar more clothing then we actually need. One or two outfits for the week and one for Shabbos and our nicest for Yuntiv. What else?? All of the clothing companies would go out of business. 

Vacations - people don't really NEED to fly but the airports are ALWAYS packed. People have been convinced that where they are is not good enough so they have to go elsewhere. 

So basically - all of the restaurants, hotels, high tech companies, clothing companies, airlines etc, would go out of business. And all of the unemployed would barely have money to buy what they really need which would send the rest of the economy into the ground. 

MASKANA: It won't happen. The brainwashing is too strong. 

But WE can change our purchasing habits. The more spiritual we are - the less we need and the happier we are with what we have. Then we can give all of our extra money to tzedaka....

Another TREMENDOUS benefit - we will no longer be slaves to consumerism.

FREEEEEEEEE AT LAAAASSSSTTTT!!!!