Where do you want to go today?

Where do you want to go today? This is a famous advertising line that describes our never ending quest to get somewhere. As much as I restrict myself to judge others, I find unable to control myself to comment on the “on the move” motto of modern times. Perhaps, I am getting older. However, one thing is clear. The times have certainly changed. When I was a kid, I still remember going for relaxed walks in a park nearby with a bunch of my friends. A broken municipality pipe oozing cold water, an old temple, vendors selling roasted peanuts near the park! Ah, this picture is in stark contrast to smart-phone wielding, glib talking, fast food connoisseurs of today.

What is so different about the consumerism of modern times? In my times, the economics was about satisfying a need. In today’s world, economics is about creating a need. From bottled water to umpteen brands of clothing, the market is riddled with things you can easily do without. My wife has been an ardent worshipper of shopping malls. Every other day, she would make her pilgrimage to local stores and will work on getting the best deals in town. Some would consider need creation as a marketing innovation. Economists would make the case for more consumption. The more we consume, the more we grow the economy. After all, the desire is the fuel for modern economy.

What is wrong with this picture? In my view, rampant consumerism has totally destroyed the social and moral fabric of human society. It has created the chasm that exists in our relations today. What have we gained by creating a society with object worship? An example would be pertinent here. A friend of mine stays in a very luxurious house. Recently, he also built a fancy swimming pool with the most modern water filtration system. He works very hard and is on the road a lot. His possessions aptly tell the story of his professional achievements. However, he hardly stays in this opulent home and does not have time to learn swimming at this stage of his life. His grand achievements are just a trophy he enjoys showing around in occasional meeting with his friends in his house. The problem with objects is that they only serve to fan the ego. The utilitarian value is way smaller than the bragging rights. When bragging becomes the focus, friends depart soon and you are left prisoner to the objects you didn’t need in the first place.

There seems to be an intense race to achieve and possess external objects. From parents to executives to political leaders, everybody seems to be running to get somewhere. A parent from my son’s school sent me an SMS which read – Believe, Conceive, and Achieve. You can also find a laundry list of life coaches who will help you with this systematic achievement process. What we fail to realize is that by driving our kids to achievement, we are killing the core of their being. What is achievement to Mozart? Composing marriage of Figaro is an achievement in itself. When our achievement grows inward, the need for approval from others ceases. There is no need for any objects to bolster our self. This is the beginning of achievement.

Is capitalism bad? Although often confused with greed, capitalism is not synonymous with greed. Greed is a mental state, capitalism is not. Capitalism provides freedom, while rampant and unchecked greed locks us in the shackles of our ego. Ego is about serving self, but free markets are all about inter-dependence. The greed driven economics had a mighty fall in 2008 when stock markets crashed the world over. The philosophy focused on self is not sustainable. So then, how can we put people back to work? If people are not going to consume, how can we create jobs? These questions are important and I do not have an easy answer. However, I believe that when we start focusing on the right things such as watering the root rather than the leaves, results will follow in the long run. If you truly enjoy something and are given an opportunity to do that, whole new industries could be created. We have to believe in human potential to create and allow ourselves to be our true selves.

So, where do you want to go today? Do not rush towards the precipice everybody is running towards! Enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Smell the fresh air, prepare a simple meal and share it with friends without worrying about the brand of the china plates. Do what you truly enjoy. If you make little, do not worry about those supercilious looks mocking your existence. Just be your authentic self. It is as simple as that. Then, you really don’t need to go anywhere since you would have arrived.