tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124539381685751273.post2322117194961165597..comments2023-06-19T04:35:06.263-07:00Comments on Skeptic's Play: Christians vs Consumerismmillerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990852054891771988noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124539381685751273.post-23859445694903745832015-04-05T13:32:52.206-07:002015-04-05T13:32:52.206-07:00I agree.
Status goods have the problem that they...I agree.<br /><br /><br />Status goods have the problem that they're a zero sum game. What I gain in status, someone else loses.<br /><br /><br />There's also the problem of people not knowing what they want or what they'd enjoy.millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05990852054891771988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124539381685751273.post-23033421598094436032015-04-05T11:46:43.831-07:002015-04-05T11:46:43.831-07:00As far as capitalism goes, Marx's critique inc...As far as capitalism goes, Marx's critique includes the idea that capitalism reduces all value, all social relations, to the "cash nexus": under capitalism, all social values and virtues become subsumed into the desire for infinite cash. Aristotle wrote on this vice as well.millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05990852054891771988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124539381685751273.post-50523720494735000382015-04-05T11:45:00.527-07:002015-04-05T11:45:00.527-07:00Although I think you're far less wrong than Ch...Although I think you're far less wrong than Christians, I don't think you're entirely correct about consumerism.<br /><br /><br />I've known a lot of people who are continually disappointed seeking happiness in more and more material possessions. "Consumerism" may be an Aristotelian virtue: a virtuous mean between real poverty and out-of-control consumerism. It really sucks hard to not have enough to eat, not have warm clothes, not have a convenient way of connecting to society, but there are people who are continually unhappy because they do not have the next new gadget. And the conspicuous consumption of some of the ultra-rich seems particularly loathsome.<br /><br /><br />Some Christians, I think, are just wrapping the Aristotelian virtue in Christian language, and that's ok, I think. Some, however, (Mother Teresa comes to mind) seem to find incredible "virtue" in the most abject poverty (well, others' abject poverty; MT herself lived quite the material good life); this kind of fetishization of poverty can serve just as an excuse not to concretely overcome the material conditions of poverty.millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05990852054891771988noreply@blogger.com