Materialism

I have started going to an early morning Bible study with my neighbor Matt. For a while now it has been hard to get together with anyone, so, riding with the neighbor seems like a natural reason to take advantage of some good time and conversation. About two weeks ago the group leader brought up a topic that began with materialism. We never completely finished the lesson, but, got through the first few points. He took a pretty standard definition of materialism and began with that point. It made sense, though his transition to the points he really wanted to make didn't quite flow. Nonetheless, it got me thinking.

The think that stands out about materialism to me is the notion that people get wrapped up in having and getting more things. Where I part ways with most folks, when it comes to trying to understand why, is at the root cause. People tend to point out human nature, hedonism, stoicism, and a laundry list of ideologies to give a framework for this kind of behavior. I can't recall if it was something I read or a conversation I once had, but, the idea of materialism boils down to this: people need things to have the fullest set of experiences a person can have.

Typically, it starts out with kids. Give a kid a TV and they are mesmerized by it. A loud car. Bright toys. These things are over-stimulating. Because this over-stimulation gets repeated over and over and over kids begin to expect that as being normal. With this idea of "normal" it is very easy to think that certain things, and only those things, can bring happiness. Kids may witness adults devoting their whole lives to getting specific things and never understand why. Yet, they themselves will grow older and do the same exact thing because they have never had another example to follow.

In the end, people will sacrifice great portions of life to try and gain experiences and means to have these experiences. In reality, the majority of their lives is spent in the pursuit of hyper-stimulating experience and empty power, not happiness and satisfaction. Ask ten people. See how many of them can tell you they are satisfied. See how many of them even know what would bring them satisfaction. The problem is not materialism, but, the obsessive lifestyle that comes as a result of trying to be able to create a sense of transcendence at will. It seems to be a weird type of self-oblivion mixed with instant gratification that is the real goal.

Looking at the recorded definition, I see a few different strains of thought:

1 a: a theory that physical matter is the only or fundamental reality and that all being and processes and phenomena can be explained as manifestations or results of matter

This first one is borne out of the traditional philosophical arguments in the 18th century...and along with it all the implied, technical underlying themes.

b: a doctrine that the only or the highest values or objectives lie in material well-being and in the furtherance of material progress

This second one comes closer to the Roman epicurian philosophy than anything else.

c: a doctrine that economic or social change is materially caused — compare historical materialism

This is pretty clearly tied directly to the Marxist realm of politics and cultural criticism.

2: a preoccupation with or stress upon material rather than intellectual or spiritual things

This last definition comes closest to what I think the group leader was intending to discuss although he seemed to start thinking about the epicurian perspective as well. That all being said, hope was his ultimate message. Without hope, we cannot exist. He was going down the road of pointing out the fact that materialism can never provide a lasting hope. The conditions that are required to be happy, according to materialistic standards, are almost impossible for most people to meet. Beyond that, they do not meaningfully take into consideration the Christian message. In a sense, they are diametrically opposed, although materialists would try to downplay that fact.

Going back to the first point I made, spending most of one's life intentionally sacrificing time, energy and life to gain things so that you can then have the experiences those things allow you to have seems backwards. It really is the epitome of the notion that "the things you own really own you". Your whole life is devoted to a hope that after you have sacrificed yourself to possess it, it will then allow you joy. Yet, too often, people realize, only after they possess it they still do not know how to have joy. Unless you regularly experience joy the obtainment of a specific thing will not mysteriously enable you to have something you never had to begin with. It's as it the thing is has magical powers. It's as if what is pursued is more than just a thing or an experience. That deception is what I think is the underlying cause of this deadly movement.

In addition to this is the dangerous situation of technological advancement. (I keep coming back to the dangers of technology don't I?) As people struggle to gain more and more power over nature their ability to understand, interact with and find value in the spiritual realm decreases. This is not a new concept. Contrast, for a moment, the west, with all its material wealth, and the east, with its abject poverty and largely destitute conditions. It is well-known that the east is ripe with spiritual power the west longs to possess. Ironically, the west presumes the east desires its material wealth. So far, it doesn't seem to be true.

Although I am only thinking of this as I write, I imagine there is a thread worth pursuing in the arena of considering how the "status" of a culture as a first, second, third--or less--world power relates to its spiritual status. I noted that the degree to which a culture can "control" the effects of nature on it roughly correlate to its status in the ranks of world leaders. Adding the spiritual dimension to that consideration might simply highlight the dangers (and both inherent and implicit warning) that naturally come from forsaking a reverence of God and attempting to possess the authority only He deserves.

As I write, I keep sensing overtones of the Tower of Babel (with the destruction that came as a result of mankind's hubris) and the prayer we as first-world cultures who do not live lives with Agur's prayer in our hearts (Proverbs 30:8-9). The mindset I have been reflecting on is one, I suspect, that stems from having strayed from the prayer to be neither rich nor poor. The process of loss would seem to go like this:

1) receive blessing
2) feel God's restraint urge one to not trust it
3) experience conflict and confusion not knowing how to handle this blessing (riches)
4) turn to God (or to self); in this case, to self
5) hear God less and less because we ignore what He said
6) having become numb to true counsel and guidance (God's word) turn to experiences that comfort and satisfy us temporarily
7) at this point, we repeat the process over and over and this is how people become stuck in the slavish pursuit of experience

Laying down one's life for experiences and forsaking God. Choosing self (wealth, pleasure and self-satisfaction) puts you at the whim and mercy of your things. Through this you no longer can respond to God because you choose, over and over again, to see happiness only where you are over-stimulated. God speaks not in the thunder or the storm (through obvious, powerful means) but in the still, quiet voice. We often do not hear the voice because we are mistaken about what it is we expect to hear. In the end, it is what you knew to be right all along, but, pushed far, far away. I believe this is one of the reasons it is quiet...because we have forsaken Him. We have tried to bury Him in the sounds, the rush, the thrill, the wow. Hoping that the bliss will erase Him from our memory, only to come down from the sensory high, empty and aching for something real inside. Again, we hype ourselves up, create another false hope, a better one, and shoot for the moon again. Each time, the high has to be better. It's very much like a drug addict, only the drug is life itself and the high something bigger than life...only exactly what that is never really seems to be clear. Just, something. Or, I should say, some thing.