Those
who said that it was "very important or essential to develop a
meaningful philosophy in life" were 71% in 1967, but only 31% by
1998. Those who said that it was "very important or essential to be
very well off financially" were 30% in 1967, but up to 70% by 1998.
The two goals intersected each other in the late 1970's and have finally
reached a complete reversal. This has all happened during my lifetime
and sadly, this study only confirmed what I already suspected. As a
culture, we have become increasingly driven to make more money, own more
stuff. We have sold off our quality of life and ransomed our future, and
for what--a new SUV and a cell phone? I don't think that capitalism is
an inherently evil system. However, when I am bombarded by
advertisements for prescription drugs on TV and in magazines, and later
I hear on the news that one of the reasons for the dramatic rise in
prescription drug costs is that the drug companies are now spending so
many billions of dollars on advertising--I seriously want to pack my
bags and get the hell out.
© Salahub 2003 |