RETURN TO LOCAL SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY
Somehow, in our frantic life here in the West we have lost the plot in the story of life. We have devolved from the status of healthy happy human being to that of 'consumer'. To be sure, there are many people, with ample resources, that will object and tell us that the things that money can buy certainly contribute to their happiness and well-being, and there is no doubt that having the money opens up life's possibilities dramatically! But can money buy everything? What are the hidden costs of our modern purchasing bonanza. For an increasing number of people there is a feeling that life is a treadmill, with the tension between time and money leading to stress, anxiety and 'comfort buying'.
At what point does buying become a substitute for living, and can the latest consumer thrills and throw-away's ever be an adequate substitute for genuine quality of life? Then there is the question to what extent do all the hidden costs hiding behind the purchase price of the items we buy contribute to the undermining of our overall quality of life?
It seems that the more we buy the less happy we become, and the more frantic for the next consumer Subjecting our senses to an accelerating stream of novelty and sensation is no substitute for a full inner life. soul nourishment comes just as much from the inner nourishment of spirit as it does from the outer world of the natural physical world.
Increasing numbers of people are waking up to the paradoxical fact that less can mean more. In becoming more discriminating in our response to commercial advertising and more sensitive to the inner needs of our soul-life, we can do ourselves and the environment a favour at the same time!
The content below is divided into two parts, information and links to help restore and cultivate quality and inner-meaning in our lives, and links and information which seeks to expose and debunk the attempts by the worlds advertising companies to keep us buying at any cost.
BOOKS ON QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES
BOOKS ON BUILDING UP RESISTANCE TO THE PRESSURE OF ADVERTISING