A few weeks ago I blogged on the question “Is there such a thing as redemptive consumerism.” If you, or anyone else, is interested in that post, you can find it here: http://1l2.us/bd5 One of the commenters reminded me of an excellent criticism of “the hypocrisy of conscious consumerism” by Philosopher Slavoj Zizek which you can find here: http://1l2.us/bd6 It helps that it the lecture has been animated by RSA Animate.

I have a friend who's house is always spotless, in large part because she's constantly getting rid of stuff. She's a poster child for the “Live Simply” movement — at least, it looks like she is when you see her place. But she's also always buying stuff. What the Cornerstone article pointed out is that even if you don't have much, if you're just buying and purging constantly then you're still probably too into your stuff.

I have the opposite problem that my friend has. Not only do I probably buy more than I need, but I also hang on to stuff, just in case I need it some day. Sometimes this works out really well and something I saved turns out to be Just the thing I needed. But other times it's all just clutter that gets in my way and takes up way too much of my time as I try to deal with it all (especially after our recent move).

All of this to say, I suppose, that it's pretty easy to be ruled by stuff, even when you think you've got the upper hand. I think what's helped me most is to constantly remind myself, “Is this stuff helping people (enabling me to show hospitality, or to meet the needs of others, etc) or is it getting in the way of that?”

“All its elements are not simply good or bad. It is pervasive in both grossly obvious and infinitely subtle ways. It is profoundly rooted in faith, culture and society as we now know them. To the degree it is toxic, it is an ivy in the garden with its tendrils wrapped around and through our most beautiful flowers and our most essential vegetables. It could not be violently or wholly extirpated without destroying much that we rightly prize and protect. But just like such a vining plant it has grown too abundant and thick, so that it is now choking the life out of precious flowers and indispensable vegetables. Christians and other people of faith are among those who must gird themselves for a long, intricate and difficult pruning.”

I like the site and sure appreciate the work you all are doing.

I have a friend who's house is always spotless, in large part because she's constantly getting rid of stuff. She's a poster child for the “Live Simply” movement — at least, it looks like she is when you see her place. But she's also always buying stuff. What the Cornerstone article pointed out is that even if you don't have much, if you're just buying and purging constantly then you're still probably too into your stuff.

I have the opposite problem that my friend has. Not only do I probably buy more than I need, but I also hang on to stuff, just in case I need it some day. Sometimes this works out really well and something I saved turns out to be Just the thing I needed. But other times it's all just clutter that gets in my way and takes up way too much of my time as I try to deal with it all (especially after our recent move).

All of this to say, I suppose, that it's pretty easy to be ruled by stuff, even when you think you've got the upper hand. I think what's helped me most is to constantly remind myself, “Is this stuff helping people (enabling me to show hospitality, or to meet the needs of others, etc) or is it getting in the way of that?”

“All its elements are not simply good or bad. It is pervasive in both grossly obvious and infinitely subtle ways. It is profoundly rooted in faith, culture and society as we now know them. To the degree it is toxic, it is an ivy in the garden with its tendrils wrapped around and through our most beautiful flowers and our most essential vegetables. It could not be violently or wholly extirpated without destroying much that we rightly prize and protect. But just like such a vining plant it has grown too abundant and thick, so that it is now choking the life out of precious flowers and indispensable vegetables. Christians and other people of faith are among those who must gird themselves for a long, intricate and difficult pruning.”

I like the site and sure appreciate the work you all are doing.