Is Freedom Real?
Potter and Heath’s book, The Rebel Sell: Why the Culture Can’t Be Jammed, takes an interesting look at North American culture. The authors argue, “Decades of countercultural rebellion have failed to change anything because the theory of society on which the countercultural idea rests is false.” [1] In other words, they assert that there is no system. And, because there is no system, countercultural rebellion is not effective. Counterculture is not a threat to the system. “What people need to be liberated from is not a specific class that oppresses them or a system of exploitation that imposes poverty upon them. Society controls them by limiting the imagination and suppressing their deepest needs. To escape from this conformity, they must form a counter-culture.”[2]
I’ve often heard the statement “everyone wants to be part of something greater than themselves”. In some ways, this is what counter-culture is all about. Countercultures create the mainstream they rebel against. I’m not totally sold on Potter and Heath’s arguments, however the idea of self-actualization resonates with me and makes sense. At some point in time, almost everyone rebels against something in his or her life. A person must spread their wings to find meaning to their life. So, to do this, people join groups of like people who resonate with their own passions and beliefs. They make decisions that voice their opinions. The rebel creates a counter-culture.
Looking around my house, I see many examples of the rebel sell that Potter and Heath refer to. I have Tom’s shoes, organic food in my refrigerator, all natural cleaning products in my home, and I’m writing this while drinking fair trade coffee. I didn’t buy any of these products because they were popular or because I was making a statement. Rather, I bought them because they were, in my mind, the option that best serves my needs without exploiting others to the same extend as if I’d purchased other items. I am aware that purchasing these items is equivalent to selecting the lesser of two evils. I am aware that my purchase still contributes to consumerism and capitalism. This is the paradox of anti-consumerism.
The market does a great job at responding to consumer demands – that is just great marketing. Marketing influences us all, and we all operate as consumers. We all shop and participate in the greater system. Not only do we participate in this system, but also use the system to compete against one another. It is this same system that we argue generates harm to individuals and the environment. In our society, having more money or material goods than other people is thought to bring happiness. The question we should ask is, how can we change a broken system in a consumer society? We live in culture that enforces mass conformity. So, if we need liberation from this system, where do we go to gain freedom?
[1] Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter, The Rebel Sell: Why the Culture Can’t Be Jammed (Toronto: HarperPerennial, 2005), 8
[2] Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter, The Rebel Sell: Why the Culture Can’t Be Jammed (Toronto: HarperPerennial, 2005), 31
About the Author
Dawnel Volzke
Christ follower, wife, mom, teacher, student, professional...my passion is to serve Christ and my calling is to help organizations become great at fulfilling their mission.18 responses to “Is Freedom Real?”
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Dawnel, you said “[r]ather, I bought them because they were, in my mind, the option that best serves my needs without exploiting others to the same extend as if I’d purchased other items.” You’re describing a type of “thoughtful consumerism” that I think most of us are beginning to wake up to. I know I am beginning to be more aware of the sources of the products I consume instead of just “what’s the cheapest?” We’re not trying to change the system necessarily, just trying to be responsible Jesus-followers woven into a system that needs him badly…
Great thoughts!
Jon
Jon, Great thoughts. I don’t think that the author’s appropriately acknowledged that individuals have been able to successfully change the world in a positive way by acting and thinking in a way that counters the norms of the time. We have a choice when we buy things or follow the norms of the day. It is in the moment of choice that our faith most loudly speaks.
“We’re not trying to change the system necessarily, just trying to be responsible Jesus-followers woven into a system that needs him badly…”
Good words, Jon.
While there are things that need to be changed, we can’t wait around hoping someone else will change them. We are responsible for doing the good that we know we should do. “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” James 4:17
Brian, again we have a very simple answer… “If we know to do right, DO IT!” If we, as Jesus followers, would simply live according to his instructions there would be no need for large-scale societal interventions.
J
Dawnel, Great post. I liked your thought, “I’ve often heard the statement “everyone wants to be part of something greater than themselves”. In some ways, this is what counter-culture is all about.”
Being a part of something greater than themselves is the deep longing…And it seems to really tie into your closing question, “So, if we need liberation from this system, where do we go to gain freedom?”
No system is going to meet those needs…Jesus himself said “the world will hate you because of me.”
Amen Nick! The answer is that our freedom can be found in Christ. Now, following Christ may mean that we are called to join the masses in one area, or to rebel in another. But, freedom is attained when we obey and follow Him as individuals called to serve Him within this world in which we live. Sometimes He calls us to use the system, and sometimes He calls us to rebel against the system.
Dawnel, I wonder if the reality of mass-society comes from the fact/faith that we were all created by one God to worship in glorify him. I think we all hold a pretty significant picture of a massive society of likeness and oneness in eternity. I wonder to what degree does idolatry come into play. Mass society is a destiny, mass-consumerism that creates mass inequality could be the idolatry. Just some thoughts . . . great post!
Phil,
Interesting thoughts! I guess I’ve always looked at society through the lens of how unique God made each of us. My Christianity sets me apart from the world. My view of God’s community is one where our differences and unique gifts complement one another vs. having ‘likeness’ as a society. Since God created us different, I believe different is good. Christians view humanity as being created by one God, but there are large numbers of non-Christians that don’t believe this. Yet, while our beliefs are different…the sin of consumerism and idolatry impacts both groups. The sin of idolatry comes in many flavors, yet it is still sin.
In the end, Christians know that all humans won’t live in one mass society, as some will be condemned through their non-belief. In some ways, I feel as if the world is beginning the process of polarizing between the Christians and non-Christians. It is very subtle, but the distinction seems to be more and more apparent as the years go by. This can certainly be seen within our own church walls. I believe you are onto something when you indicate that our drive to achieve a wonderful “mass society” is idolatry. Humanity seems to be doing the same thing as when we tried to come together to build the Tower of Babel. God spoke very clearly that we need to be cautious of following the ideas and actions of the masses. Therefore, the author’s assumption that counter-culture movements aren’t effective would seem to be false. As individuals, we should live out our faith in the way in which we are called. For some, this means to join a counter-culture movement or to live more rebelliously. As long as our rebellion is growing our relationship with Christ and pointing us in the direction in which He is calling, then it is good. Through Him, all things are good.
Dawnel, I like your discerning model of consumerism, or choosing the lesser of two evils. And I like how that then logically moved you to ask a different question all together; “How can we change a broken system in a consumer society?” Maybe the next question we could ask or the next step we could take as Christ followers is something like; ‘how do we use the unfairness, brokenness and abuse of the ‘broken system’ as a springboard to faith for the very people for whom the system doesn’t work?’ Maybe a ‘broken system’ can be a spiritually formative system if Christians did less leverage the system and did more to offer an alternative to the lying broken system…. I think I’m just making what you said more conveluted. 🙂
When you speak of how we all rebel at some point or another, I think about our need to self-differentiate in order to become whole people (i.e. the teenager from his/her parent). I find it fascinating that, from rebellion, you speak to our alignment with those who think like us. Isn’t it interesting how the act of standing out leads to wanting to be part of something bigger (more than ourselves)? Both are needed. Yet that’s also the rub. If we immediately align without much reflection, we might miss the opportunity to speak prophetically (i.e. conscientious consumerism). But if don’t align, how do we actually affect change to a larger degree?
By the way, have your heard of Noonday jewelry? The pieces are gorgeous and fair-trade made by women all over the world.
Mary, I haven’t heard of Noonday jewelry – but I did a quick Google search when I read your post. It sounds like a wonderful organization. I’d be curious to know what percentage of their profit goes to fund the artists, employees, and to the communities.
It is funny how Mary and Brian point out that our longing for wanting to be a part of a bigger picture is tightly aligned with our desire to rebel and be a part of a counter-culture. Heath and Potter did have some very good points about this affect. It is absolutely crazy trying to separate all this stuff out. I was just reading a chapter of another book that called Christians to the need to try to separate our “Christian values” from our “American Dream Values.” That would probably be a great exercise, but truly extremely difficult with how the Church in the U.S. as evolved with capitalism. Definitely good thinking.
Phil,
I think that is a great exercise. Everyone should analyze their dreams and motives regularly, otherwise our values can become tainted when the world begins to influence. I’m sure that many of us can think of a time when we were influenced by the world, and then realized afterwards how easily it happened.
I like your take on things and how you see things. I dont have the answer to what should be done. But i have an answer to what im going to do. I am going to change the way i do business. That means church too. I am going to pray that God will give grace not to ever let that capitlist spirit motivate or dictate my decisions. I am pray for ethics to direct my every move with Christ. A tall order and its not on the menu!
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