We Are More Than Consumers

In the U.S., consuming (buying goods) is an incredible 70% of the economy, much of those goods purchased on credit, for many people can't afford what they are buying, except to burden themselves heavily with payments.

But we are far more than consumers. And we are far more than sports fans caught up in meaningless games that few remember and we are far more than viewers of shallow television programs. No surprise, sports events and shallow television programs carry extensive advertising meant to sell us more goods.

Instead, we are intelligent people here only briefly, each of us on journeys meant to achieve spiritual growth. We are here to love and help one another and we are meant to find greater meaning and fulfillment in our lives.

Our opinions matter and we are entitled to respect often not afforded to us by government, by some giant institutions and corporations and in some cases, by ourselves. The best way to overcome this nonsense about being only consumers and this lack of respect is through education and contemplation and through loving and helping one another. For these actions bring awareness, self-confidence and personal growth.

Education can be as basic as that of Abraham Lincoln and Sidney Poitier, each of whom only briefly attended grade school and then read extensively. They took the time to really think about what they read, and they carefully observed and contemplated their life experiences.

Loving and helping others is something else we can do each day of our lives. There is no limitation on love, nor a limitation in helping others for both are like a vast ocean, a depth endless to the human eye and endless to the human heart.

Dick
Note: Sidney Poitier, at age 85 is still very much an avid reader, and he is an avid writer and a loving husband, parent, grandparent and great-grandparent as well.