Thanks for the nice response.
One thing is certain: We will have change, either by design or by disaster.
Absolutely. And it seems the later is more likely at this point.
I'd like to feed you back with your question and ask you on a personal level: Do you include yourself as being affected by social materialism respectively is there a probability that part of you as well is practicing it but not having been discovered yet by you?
No man is an island, though I believe that I actively try to be aware by seeking wisdom and understanding to minimize being effected. This is the most important task we have as individuals.
Propagandist messages and views are not one way delivered from governments, it's a back feeding dynamic. In fact, governments and its corpses reflect to a considerable degree the will and conviction of its peoples. A politician who wants to commit political suicide just needs to claim the desire and need that the price for one liter gasoline should rise up to five Euros.
A majority in my country favors still driving cars. I am actually a minority and you might as well be also one.
Every single person who has even the least given education is aware of the fact that transportation and cars are a huge problem, to stay with my example. His rational mind is very well capable of discovering the missing logic in still maintaining, owning and driving a car while public transportation is not only better for the environment but a lot cheaper, too. People outnumber hugely the elected parliamentarians and could easily do the reckoning. So, it is something which does come more from the citizens themselves - the power of the people is there. But when I prefer to see myself as somehow brainwashed and manipulated I do not have to take responsibility for my actions and omissions.
Politicians are like flags in the wind. They align themselves from where the strongest wind blows. That is quite understandable and humane.
Yeah, exactly the underlying culture is the problem. Institutions such as governments are a reflection of people and politicians are people; so if the people are sick and disconnected, which I don't see why this can't be true, then we are going to have a corrupt and evil institutions. Focusing on reform and the economy is rather superficial and not getting to the root. There's cause for all this and economism or social materialism is an ideology brought out by whatever made people disconnected to begin with. A possibility that I have been entertaining is what many great thinkers and social philosophers have spoken about and is something we do everyday without much thinking—what we put in our body; which subsequently effects our health and collective health.
I see myself as part of an Avantgarde who reduces my lifestyle to the max. No car, no 40 hour working week, no traveling by aircraft but bartering goods and services within my local realm and striving towards a changing lifestyle. I think I may not see that my role modeling here will be copied by many people within a short amount of time and on a grand scale as the development of people never happens at the same time and in the same intensity and maturation. But still, this doesn't hold me back to maintain my lifestyle and discover also what blind spots before my eyes might be left I have to look after.
So I am leaving you with the question to encourage me (and hopefully other readers): what are your personal changes in your lifestyle? How does it effect your work, your ethics, your communal activities, your relationships? I think, you might also have some conflicts with people - because I do. But do you see that as needed and also positive?
Thanks for these questions, they are very useful and good to increase our understanding.
I am thankful for the fact that my questions were of use to you.
Problem is to stop focusing on this. We continually reaffirm these statements to each other of the sickness and mistakes but after having done so: How do you feel? For my turn I feel the same as before, and sometimes even worse. Not easy to find a sensible activity and examples of good practice, no?
We must focus on economy and dig deep into it. Economy is the thing we have to deal with. I copy you part of a reply I gave to someone else:
Other than that: Becoming an ethical person is the root you mentioned, no?
Thanks for engaging with me.