Tag: consumption
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Is Consumerism the Real Quesiton?
Consumerism. Everywhere I turn, I confront articles, blog posts, and books reflecting on the evils of consumerism. There is concern that consumerism has overtaken the church. A cottage industry now exists to address these issues, offering resources and seminars for your … well … consumption. So what, exactly, is consumerism? Wikipedia says, “Consumerism is the…
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Consumption vs. Consumerism (Final Part)
The following quote comes from David Cowan in Economic Parables: The Monetary Teaching of Jesus Christ. I almost jumped from my chair and shouted "YES!" when I came to this passage; it expresses my sentiments so well. Economic life, in part, is about aspirations. How are we to balance our economic goals with our aspiration…
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Consumption vs. Consumerism (Part 2)
Scot McKnight completed a great series on Adam Hamilton's new book Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White: Thoughts on Religion, Morality, and Politics. I have the book but haven't read it yet. I have a lot of respect for Hamilton, and I'm looking forward to reading it. However, in the course of…
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Consumption vs. Consumerism (Part 1)
Activism against consumerism is all the rage these days. But what is meant by consumerism? I've been reading Economic Parables by David Cowan. He makes these observations: "… Critics of the free market system believe that materialism is an essential element of the system. They argue that the drive toward materialism is a necessary, and…
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You Are What You Spend
New York Times: You Are What You Spend (HT: Greg Mankiw) This is an outstanding article by two Federal Reserve Economists about standards of living at various quintiles. The bottom fifth earned just $9,974, but spent nearly twice that — an average of $18,153 a year. How is that possible? A look at the far…
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Consumption
I can't say that I often agree with Anna Qunidlen, columnist at Newsweek. But she had a great quote in the latest edition. The article is Don't Mess with Mother. "In the aftermath of Katrina, one displaced person after another told TV reporters that at least they were alive, their family was safe, the stuff…