by Kyle Konetzke

Created on: March 29, 2007   Last Updated: April 30, 2007

Today I find more than ever that the world has been taken over by greed and materialism. Never before has such power and prestige been held just by flaunting what it is that you own. The more you own, the more powerful you are. It's the power of the almighty dollar. But this isn't what bothers me. What bothers me is the connection people make with owning expensive luxuries and being a good person. We see a beautiful model on television wearing a 20,000 dollar necklace and a 1,000 dollar outfit and immediately we feel the need to be like them. We're taught that being like them is the only way. We are hounded with these images everywhere we look. Constantly the static of how we should live and where we should spend our money. What's cool and what's important for you to have. Well, this is my analysis of it.

When did we lose sight of what we really want? Everything is so consumer driven in today's America that we've all lost sight of what's best and what's truly right. We celebrate our insecurities in an attempt to justify what we know is wrongful behavior and forget that it is wrong altogether. We justify consumerism and greed in an attempt to forget that Too much of anything always turns out to be too much. We Justify excess in an attempt to forget that it's really just compensation for things we've never had. When did this compensation and False justification really start to make us happy? Since it's become acceptable, that's when. A simple phrase but powerful phrase, Smile when your friends are watching you. That's right, Smile when your friends are watching you. What does it mean? It means you sell your soul to be acceptable by your peers but when they're gone, what do you have left? Nothing because you don't have yourself. This is the lifestyle we're taught to live. Sell your soul for the newest T.V. Sell your soul for the fastest car. Sell your soul for what's cool and in. But how does that make you happy? Does looking sexy to other people's standards really make you happy? Does dressing so slutty really make you feel good? Well, you look like it does in front of your friends at least. And that's what counts, right? We celebrate our insecurities in an attempt to justify what we know as wrongful behavior and forget it's wrong altogether. We celebrate one night stands that rape you of self respect and try to forget that it hurts. We justify excessive drinking because everyone does it and everyone is doing it when you know it's compensation for something else that's happened to you. Takes your mind off of the bad memories for a while or takes the edge off of the day. We justify greed in an attempt to forget that too much of anything always turns out to be too much. When was the last time that wanting more and more of something ever made anyone happy? all your left with is too much stuff and never being happy with what you have. Materialism, it's our sickness and it's rising.

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