The Great Big Illustrious Consumerism, Entitlement and Elitism Thread.

[Ambrose_Bierce]

Is Entitlement or False Need the current problem?

 

After considering words said to me regarding people who have a sense of Entitlement.

As well as a specific situation on the forum.

It is my question that these feelings most likely need to be processed.

 

One of the more interesting pages I found was:

 

Why do we want things we don't need? - Yahoo Answers

 

Alyssa - Why do we want things we don't need?

Last night, me and my sister were watching TV. Suddenly, she said "I wish I were rich. Then I could have five cars." I asked her what she needed five cars for. She gave me a weird look, and then said, "Yea, you're right, you can only drive one at a time." She then came up with something about how she could drive a different car every day, but she didn't sound very convincing.

And, I mean, things like that happen every day. You're like "Omg I want this so bad!", then you're like "Why?", and then you have no answer to that.

Why are we like this?

 

 

stevemxusa stevemxu...

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

"The philosopher Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king. Said Aristippus, "If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils."

 

Said Diogenes, "Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king."

 

So, as I have done quite a bit of research on this subject many people say:

 

"Oh, that is SO WRONG! They feel ENTITLED to things!"

 

After doing research on Entitlement this is what I found:

 

Entitlement was caused by the baby boomer generation of liberals who wanted more and better for their kids.

and..

 

What our parents did tell us was how lucky we were.

and...

 

Entitlement means wanting things one has not earned.

and...

 

This didn't really explain the entire thing. There are rich people who like me came into money... Yes we did not earn it yet unlike myself wanted more.

So to say that it is a liberal concept is ELITIST. Now I am not defending liberals, this is plain common sense:

 

Elitism is the belief or attitude that some individuals, who form an elite — a select group of people with intellect, wealth, specialized training or experience, or other distinctive attributes — are those whose views on a matter are to be taken the most seriously or carry the most weight; whose views and/or actions are most likely to be constructive to society as a whole; or whose extraordinary skills, abilities or wisdom render them especially fit to govern.[1]

 

Elitism is sometimes used by a group in order to grant themselves a smug unwarranted superiority.

 

Alternatively, the term elitism may be used to describe a situation in which power is concentrated in the hands of a limited number of people. Those opposed to elitism are considered supporters of anti-elitism, egalitarianism, populism or the political theory of pluralism. Elite theory is the sociological or political science analysis of elite influence in society - elite theorists regard pluralism as a utopian ideal.

 

Elitism may also refer to situations in which an individual assumes special privileges and responsibilities in the hope that this arrangement will benefit humanity or themselves. At times, elitism is closely related to social class and what sociologists call social stratification. Members of the upper classes are sometimes known as the social elite. The term elitism is also sometimes used to denote situations in which a group of people claiming to possess high abilities or simply an in-group or cadre grant themselves extra privileges at the expense of others. This form of elitism may be described as discrimination.

 

So Elitism tended to explain more of the situation. We seem to have strung up society quite nicely it seems.

 

So, maybe the problem is not really specific things like False Need, Entitlement or Greed. Maybe the problem is people themselves and their ability to get along amicably?

 

So are the liberal baby boomers to blame? I say no.

Is it general elitism? I say no to that as well.

What about mass marketing things we dont need? maybe not.

 

Is it companies that are causing economic problems due to entitlement?

Here is a snippet from my report on understanding current business finance:

 

Though it may be said that Multi-Government legistlation may be the cause of economic problems, this is only a mere scapegoat for lobbying and rationalizing deregulation of business industries and taxes in America.

 

Many multibillion dollar corporations have negotiated with companies like Rubbermaid to produce their products overseas at fractions of domestic costs. This crippled Rubbermaid due to the high overhead, but significantly brought high revenue to a major retailer.

 

Principles of Goodness it seems need not apply.

 

In general all of these things are actually current factors in the problem. Until it is solved it wont just "Go away".

 

Perhaps the underlying problem itself is truely Greed? Maybe it is a Spiritual problem?

 

There is no greater mistake than following desire;

There is no greater disaster than forgetting contentment;

There is no greater sickness than seeking attainment

 

- Daodejing, Chapter 46, Merel Translation

Edited September 10, 2011 by Ambrose_Bierce

[Jetsun]

I think it's all down to advertising, the basic message of advertising is that you cant be happy until you buy my product, which then gets translated into that to be happy you have to buy things and consume every day, so people start to feel that they need to consume or they are worthless. I think the London riots showed that it's not a very workable system because not everyone can afford the products they feel they need to be happy so in the end they will just take it.

[Ambrose_Bierce]

I think it's all down to advertising, the basic message of advertising is that you cant be happy until you buy my product, which then gets translated into that to be happy you have to buy things and consume every day, so people start to feel that they need to consume or they are worthless. I think the London riots showed that it's not a very workable system because not everyone can afford the products they feel they need to be happy so in the end they will just take it.

 

Makes me wonder if this is the future result.

Edited September 10, 2011 by Ambrose_Bierce