The Culture of Consumption

News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Wed Nov 19, 2008 12:21 PM EST

Article Source: Beliefnet

politics, faith, god, capitalism, conservatism, consumerism, rod-dreher, crunchy-cons

You don't have to believe in God to understand social psychology, and how important it is for people who don't have much of anything to live by a code that encourages thrift, modesty and self-restraint -- because they have so very much to lose if they don't. We have created a society in which it's hard for people to develop the habits of the heart that help them achieve -- well, if you don't like the word goodness, how about health, or sustainability? Put another way, the way we're living, and the culture of consumption we've created, both are unsustainable, because they depend on a distortion of human nature.

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E.D.Kain's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: Conservative Coalition Forces, Cultural Understanding, Free Market, Open Minded, Political Analysis, rightwingers, The Conservative Coalition, Two Hands, Worldviews
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8.3

{"commentId":4125057,"authorDomain":"neoconstant"}

E.D.Kain

Dreher (and Freddie) are spot on in this assessment. I like Dreher a lot. He's into the Sam's Club Republican movement; he's environmentally conscious; and he's smart, kind, and not part of the Malkin/Limbaugh/Fox scream-fest. Quiet conservatism. He is the champion of the "crunchy con" movement which I am getting more and more turned on to...

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4 votes

#1 - Wed Nov 19, 2008 12:39 PM EST

{"commentId":4125193,"authorDomain":"neoconstant"}

E.D.Kain

See also <a href="http://neoconstant.newsvine.com/_news/2008/11/19/2128536-economic-conservatism-and-the-american-dream">this seed</a> for the article Dreher was commenting on.

{"commentId":4125193,"threadId":"423300","contentId":"2128439","authorDomain":"neoconstant"}

4 votes

#2 - Wed Nov 19, 2008 12:47 PM EST

{"commentId":4141093,"authorDomain":"rncostarica"}

Richard-594237

Great article E.D. I'll just say I concur and leave it at that. For now.

{"commentId":4141093,"threadId":"423300","contentId":"2128439","authorDomain":"rncostarica"}

5 votes

#3 - Thu Nov 20, 2008 1:50 PM EST

{"commentId":4142149,"authorDomain":"inghar2004"}

gladbutterfly

That is a very good article, E.D. When the highest good is conceived as conspicuous consumption, then we can't do other than devour the entire planet.

{"commentId":4142149,"threadId":"423300","contentId":"2128439","authorDomain":"inghar2004"}

2 votes

#4 - Thu Nov 20, 2008 2:45 PM EST

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	Economic Conservatism and the American Dream	L'Hote	Wed Nov 19	4
	Consumerism and Community in America	E.D.Kain	Thu Nov 20	32

E.D.KAIN

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The Culture of Consumption

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