Sorry to be depressing

After last night’s debates I was discussing American materialism with my Italian friend Andrea. We covered a variety of topics (my favorite: how materialism will lead to America’s downfall), but it wasn’t until I began reading Covey for this DB that I realized how much man’s materialism held him back.

[1] A sculpture entitled "God of Materialism" by Chinese artist Chen Wenling. A VERY fitting title I think!

(This is a drawn-out argument, but when you get to the end everything will make sense!)

First consider this:

In the “Turn of the Tide”, Arthur Gordon feels that everything in his life is “stale and flat” [1], so he takes a doctor’s advice and “spend(s) the…day in the place he was happiest as a child” [2]. And then, after a day at the beach, “the answer came to him” [3].

His static, unfulfilling life was a product of misplaced intentions: “success, recognition, security” [4]. When he only lived for these things, there was no definition or purpose- in other words, the “motives weren’t good enough” [5].

One of the most important lessons in this story is that only when Gordon was able to rediscover life and happiness as a child did everything appear right, and he “really (knew) what (was) deeply important to (him)” [6].

In other words, when we are children we have no concept of the concerns most of us have today.

We were free.

Life was simply about laughing, chocolate, roly-polies, and imagination.

[2] As a child life is simple- laughter is easy. When was the last time we were free enough to laugh like this?

A grey cloud of insecurity did not follow us around, so we were able to view the world from an untarnished perspective.

[3]This picture represents perfectly the metaphorical grey cloud mentioned above, and the materialistic causes of this cloud.

Secondly, consider this:

Gordon is free.

There is no more worrying about trivial things. If there is no more worry, then there is only one thing left to do: truly experience the “spiritual dimension” [7] of the self. When we have this understanding of our soul, we are able to connect with the “sources that inspire and uplift” [8] us.

And, if sympathetic imagination is “the merging of the perceiving mind and the perceived object” [9], then isn’t it fair to suggest that ONLY when our mind is completely free are we are fully able to feel this fusion (whether it’s with nature, music, dance, religion, or people)?!

[4] One woman's connection with nature. This is the connection that I desire most.

So, in conclusion, materialism prevents man from exercising their sympathetic imagination, and, as a result, from truly connecting with our roots (nature), our passions (music, dance, etc.), and people.

So, to further reinforce your impression of my pessimistic nature—my favorite argument is no longer how materialism will lead to America’s downfall, but rather how materialism will lead to humanities downfall.

American Life, Madonna
Do I have to change my name
Will it get me far
Should I lose some weight
Am I gonna be a star


I tried to be a boy
I tried to be a girl
I tried to be a mess
I tried to be the best
I guess I did it wrong
That’s why I wrote this song


This type of modern life
Is it for me
This type of modern life
Is it for free


So, I went into a bar
Looking for sympathy
A little company
I tried to find a friend
It’s more easily said
It’s always been the same


This type of modern life
Is not for me
This type of modern life
Is not for free


American life (American life)
I live the American dream (American dream)
You are the best thing I’ve seen
You are not just a dream (American life)


I tried to stay ahead
I tried to stay on top
I tried to play the part
But somehow I forgot
Just what I did it for
And why I wanted more


This type of modern life
Is it for me
This type of modern life
Is it for free


Do I have to change my name
Will it get me far
Should I lose some weight
Am I gonna be a star


American life (American life)
I live the American dream (American dream)
You are the best thing I’ve seen
You are not just a dream (American life)


I tried to be a boy
Tried to be a girl
Tried to be a mess
Tried to be the best
Tried to find a friend
Tried to stay ahead
I tried to stay on top


Do I have to change my name
Will it get me far
Should I lose some weight
Am I gonna be a star


Oh
Oh
Oh
Oh


I’m drinkin’ a soy latte, I get a double shoté
It goes right through my body and you know I’m
satisfied
I drive my mini Cooper and I’m feeling super-duper
Yo’, they tell I’m a trooper and you know I’m
satisfied
I do yoga and Pilates and the room is full of hotties
So I’m checkin’ out the bodies and you know I’m
satisfied
I’m diggin’ on the isotopes, this metaphysics s*** is
dope
And if all this can give me hope you know I’m
satisfied
I got a lawyer and a manager, an agent and a chef
Three nannies, an assistant and a driver and a jet
A trainer and a butler and a bodyguard or five
A gardener and a stylist, do you think I’m satisfied
I’d like to express my extreme point of view
I’m not a Christian and I’m not a Jew
I’m just livin’ out the American dream
And I just realized that nothin’ is what it seems


Do I have to change my name
Am I gonna be a star



-----

READINGS
[1] Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (New York: Free Press, 2004), p. 293
[2] Covey p. 293
[3] Covey p. 293
[4] Covey p. 294
[5] Arthur Gordon, Turn of the Tide
[6] Covey p.98
[7] Covey p.292
[8] Covey p. 292
[9] Walter Jackson Bate, “The Sympathetic Imagination in Eighteenth-Century English Criticism” ELH, Vol. 12, No. 2 (Jun., 1945), pp. 144-164.
PHOTOS
[1] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
[2] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
[3] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx
[4] http://pro.corbis.com/search/searchFrame.aspx