Our ultimate purpose

Think about everything you have bought within the last six months. Can you even think of everything? Can you? I don't shop a lot by normal standards and I probably can't. Did you know how much (on average) consumer goods are still in use by the consumer after a six month period? Not 50%, not 25% not even 5%. 1%!

1% of everything we buy is still in use six months later. To reiterate that means that 99% of everything we buy is garbage in 6 months or less.

The ads on tv and in the paper say "tis the season..." and follow up with a product pitch. "to treat yourself to a brand new mercedes" or "to save big at walmart".

WALMART? A man was killed at walmart by people trampling him to get to the sales the day after thanksgiving. A woman had a miscarriage for the same reason. WHAT IS WRONG WITH US? We are killing ourselves and killing others LITERALLY to get to "things" to get to "stuff" and to get the lowest prices possible for them.

What is this season all about? what is every season all about? Do we talk about people in terms of their goods and services to humanity or are we all just "consumers?" How often do you hear on the news about the teachers of America or the scientists or doctors and any new discoveries we have made or good we have done for humankind lately? All I hear about is the economy in terms of corporations and consumers. We are merely consumers.

President Eisenhowers council of economic advisor's once stated:
“The American economy's ultimate purpose is to produce more consumer goods.”

Our ultimate purpose. Ultimate purpose is something I know a lot of people spend lifetimes and legacies trying to understand. And OUR government is going to say that AMERICA (the land of the once free, consumers) has an ultimate purpose to produce more. More what? Do you need any more? I mean if you are reading this you at least have a computer and an internet connection and I am even going to go so far as to assume you are not starving and have the latest CD you wanted and clothes in fashion this season. You probably might have more than you need don't you think? I do.....
so .......really? Is that okay with you? Is producing more consumer goods that we don't need YOUR ultimate purpose. Is it okay that it's America's? It is not okay with me. Not at all. This year it is going to be my goal to consume very very little "stuff"

It will be hard because it is almost imposssible in today's world to become self sufficient but I am going to try my hardest. I am starting this goal by planning a vegetable garden at my new house with my roomates. I am going to try to grow at least 25% of all of my food source. I am going to get things fixed that don't work and I am not going to throw things away I am going to find a recycling system that works and use it. I am also going to buy from natural sources and thrift stores that are already recycling things already produced. Nothing new. I will be saving my records and keeping track of this. I am serious about this and I think you all should be to.

This is the holidays. Tis the season to be jolly. Not because we got everything we wanted. Not because we got it for a low price either. Find something deeper and more meaningful to be happy about. Really. And then really set a goal to be better. Be better at things that DO mean something. Be better at things you think SHOULD be our ultimate purpose. Things like healthcare and teaching, the environment or a new way to make things better no one has even thought of. Be better at being jolly. Cause if we are only good at consuming and producing more consumer goods. I don't think that is anything to be jolly about. We have to change. We have to.