We are the JETSONS…. and we are moving on up…
I am guilty of staying too long in what is familiar. When the CD era came about, I was still trying to carry around my box of cassette tapes. I was not an “out with the old in with the new” kind of person. I was what one might call “ole school”. As advancements started to get a little more interested, I leaned in to see but just a little. From the quick fixes of the microwave, the games that you could actually control on the tv, to popping in the pod and brewing your own beverage I have watched all. The 20th century has brought about changes that we could have never imagined. As the author states “people are no longer interested in the goods it is the images”. How things look, how shining, and how it make me look. In my writing, I will attempt to share my interpretation of topics that caught my attention in the book “Consuming Religion”.
The Family
Before we became consumer oriented the family was a bit different. We were more concerned with the family as a whole. Several families would live in one home as long as everyone had shelter. The problems we face now with socialization and moral practice were minute. One day that all changed in what Borgman calls the device paradigm. The day that we turned into “The Jeffersons”(clip included with theme song which explains how individuals felt as they advanced). We begin to forget about the family and concentrated more on self. There was no longer a need to work together in task to provide comfort for the family. Technological advancements were making things easier and family interaction less. Soon emerged the single family home replacing intimacy, tradition, beliefs, and practices present within the extended family norms. Our focus became the bigger, better, newer and improved life.
Religion
With the consumer focus now taking over each culture moved to this same thinking into the church. Now in the church there is the sell of everything. Sometimes not even the gospel is free. The consumer in us has brought in several ways to make money, have larger churches, place larger screens in the church, etc. We are the new church. The church that cares more about the flashiness that we can see than the souls of christian men and women. The consumer led church is in turn losing the intimacy of the members, the interest of the believers, and changing the churches image into a negative one.
In conclusion there are some benefits to being a consumer based society. The advancements being made will lead to a more convient life. There will also be some detriment to being consumer based because we will lose some of the positive traits and characteristics that were held long ago. The presence of the new will wash away the old.
About the Author
Shonell Dillon
A daughter of the KING of kings and the LORD of lords. A lover of LIFE!One response to “We are the JETSONS…. and we are moving on up…”
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Wow! The Jeffersons! That is a throw back. Your clips illustrate good points.
The following statement (below)made me think a little. I am wondering what your experience has been? Have you lived with extended family? If I remember correctly, you live near extended family. How have you and your extended family been able to keep traditions, beliefs, intimacy?
“Soon emerged the single family home replacing intimacy, tradition, beliefs, and practices present within the extended family norms.”