I believe there are always temptations to reduce our social consciousness both in its width of exploration and its depth of imagination. But I also think this might be a greater temptation for our larger world today. More and more, it seems our economic, political and social success is so largely dependent upon quarterly and weekly goals that any hope of being guided by life-long endeavors seems irrelevant. Consequently, the way we live and work is being radically reduced to current demands and opportunities. We are being dominated by the tyranny of the urgent.
A lot of this undoubtedly results from the rise of capitalism, which is dependent upon competition as a foundational piece for the global market. Competition forces manufacturers to beat one another to the consumer or beat one another in price. This is good for buyers … well, initially perhaps.
A great example of this trend, what I call “hyper-markets,” can be seen in one of America’s most controversial businesses: Wal-mart. Wal-mart is a direct descendant of “discount retail,” and while the Wal-mart website claims the foundational value or core idea that drives their business is customer service, I don’t think that’s what most people would say (www.walmartfacts.com). To most, Wal-mart is about the lowest price, and the vast majority of their advertisements make this their differentiator compared to other retail stores. Everybody knows what the bouncy happy face is all about.
In just over one month of being in Owensboro (which happens to have Kentucky’s largest Wal-mart store) I’ve had multiple conversations with people who shop at Wal-mart. And every single person has made it a point to mention Wal-mart’s prices as the reason they shop there. One person even quoted some supposed study, which found that the average shopper would save up to $17 or more a month if they were to shop at Wal-mart versus any other retail or grocery store. The point seems clear enough: you’ll save money today, so what harm can that do for the future?!
Well, clearly, low prices are not a bad thing. The crux of the debate comes back to this idea of competition. To be competitive, you have to be willing to change, to adapt – just ask Darwin. You have to decrease your long-term commitments and be in continual search of a more modern, efficient way to make a product for less. If you don’t, somebody else does, and your stores close down while other stocks rise.
This is where most critics of Wal-mart start in. Wal-mart seemingly has no long-term concern for manufacturers, sellers, buyers, retailers or breathing human beings. In short, they are bad neighbors who only come into town to monopolize retail or go over seas to manipulate manufacturing. They do business with you if you help them, but watch out if you don’t (or good luck getting a contract with them if you don’t meet their demands)! They are a commercial vacuum – sucking up local, less efficient retailers and distributors, engulfing quality jobs and ultimately procuring lots of revenue from people’s paychecks.
There is no doubt Wal-mart creates all sorts of activity wherever they go. People just aren’t so sure what kind of activity they produce. Either it’s healthy competition that will eventually lead to better business practices and a tighter world economy, or it’s degradation of commerce that will eventually strip the world market of dignity, local towns of quality goods and workers near and far of their own self-worth.
I tend to lean towards the later camp, but I also know it's way too simplistic to label Wal-mart the source and distributor of the world’s ills. Wal-mart is symbolic of the overall effects of capitalism.
Which leads us to another foundational piece of capitalism: competition is ultimately about companies making a profit. At the end of the day, profitability rules the roost, and a dollar earned yesterday means nothing compared to the ever-pressing demand of making a dollar tomorrow. Sure McDonald’s has sold billions of happy meals, but if they don’t find a way to compete and sell a million more this year, they are dead.
This too narrows corporate and communal attention. Every industry has been affected by these ideas. The entertainment industry tries to make movies it knows will cost relatively little while also getting a lot of people into the theatre … thus the rise in horror films of late. Other industries have different ideas of what profitability is, such as politics where profits might be another term in office or a majority in the house. But the evidence and effects of competition are the same: try to secure short-term success, always think in the now, don’t be afraid to change, evaluate yourself at least quarterly.
It is clear to see that time itself is being redefined by capitalism. It is becoming a commodity of great worth, so rather than people taking their time or celebrating time, our mentality is becoming chained to deadlines and time-tables. We become vexed in a no-man’s land: well aware of the value of time and desiring to maximize and expand our free time but also well aware of the scarcity of time and the need to make good on what little we are given.
Amidst this confusing world of material glut and scarcity of time, modern culture seems so much a proliferation of junk. Our landscape is populated more and more with evidence of easily made and easily discarded goods. And all of it is built upon the promise of securing immediate success or gratification. Never mind the landfills accumulating around and before us, or the mines of wisdom being discarded from our past!
I am reminded here of a small book I was reading today, which spoke of prayer as an act of breathing. We breathe in the good gifts of God, taking in blessings and the world’s treasures, and breathe out compassion and love and peace. Likewise, I would say a faithful life, a spiritual life, is a life of remembrance and deep gratitude. Living a faithful life requires deep breaths and healthy exhales; there needs to be room for our souls and hearts and minds to stretch out and play in the time and space God has given us, not in hurried, knee-jerk, hyper-active exercises of productivity. The Christian life needs to resist the temptations that competition dominates all of existence, resources and people are intended only for our profits (either monetary or otherwise), and time is a scarce commodity needing to be capitalized.
Thankfully, there are exceptions to this rule, and there are artists and robust souls throughout the world who are dedicated to thoughtful, relaxed ventures. But, more and more, artisans and true craftsman are becoming like the Desert Fathers of early Christianity: you can find them if you’re really looking, but it takes a great deal of commitment and searching. It also means leaving behind some of the more convenient, popular ways of the world.
I think we can also find alternative ways of living when we relax and try to take in Jesus’ life and ministry. It would do us well to take time and re-imagine Jesus walking with his disciples in Galilee – pointing to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field that have no need to worry about commercial endeavors such as buying clothes or building homes. “Take a deep breath; look around you; look in; look backward; look forward,” he might also say.
Jesus clearly modeled a richer, deeper and healthier paced life – everything with him had an increased sense of connectivity, history and depth; I like to believe with the Spirit’s (the Holy Breath’s!) help, such a life might still be possible for us today.
Breathe in. Breathe out. There’s more to life than low prices and quick fixes.
Wes
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