I don't know (I'd have to read more) that Newbigin was completely against all forms of Capitalism, but he diagnosed the problem of capitalism as coming from a shift from "distribution to production." When stuff is produced to fulfill the wants of one segment of society instead of fulfilling the needs of another segment of society simply because it is more profitable, we know that we have a problem; a serious problem.
Newbigin says that with much of Capitalism: "...growth is for the sake of growth and is not determined by any overarching social purpose. And that, of course, is the exact account of the phenomenon which, when it occurs in the human body, is called cancer. In the long perspective of history it would be difficult to deny that the exuberant capitalism of the past 250 years will be diagnosed in the future as a desperately dangerous case of cancer in the body of human society -- if indeed this cancer has not been terminal and there are actually survivors around to make the diagnosis..."
Is that overstating the problem (or understating it)?
Do you have difficulty discerning what is a NEED and what is a WANT in your life?
Have you ever had the desire to simplify your life?
7 comments:
I think that is a great way of describing it. To put the wants of one society over the needs of another is truly disgusting. I think we desperately need to simplify our lives by shedding crappy stuff and investing in good quality needs (like non-processed food for example).
That's not to say we should go live in a bus somewhere in Alaska and exclude oursleves from society. We who were born in a rich nation need to be responsible and find the balance of having the wealth that we have.
I still struggle with defining a want and a need. I think it is a problem for most who live here. I am trying to change my language around it. Instead of saying, "I really need new flip-flops" (my old flip-flops being perfectly usable but not this year's 'style') I try to say, "I would like to have new flip-flops." And just by saying it differently it reminds me that I could spend that money on a real need instead.
Tim you should blog about the story of stuff:) www.storyofstuff.com
Thanks Juanita. I've now included a link to the "Story of Stuff" in the second paragraph of my post.
That sight has a very obviously biased point of view (that doesn't mean it's wrong) but has a lot in there that is worth thinking about.
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I guess I'll have to cancel my trip to Alaska:) As much as it might be a nice idea to run away from society, ideas like that completely conflict with God's plan to bring various forms of redemption through His people: the Church. An isolated Christian/Church is an unhealthy Christian/Church.
I love how you found that quote!
---Mike
I find myself being forced to simplify my life lately and it certainly hasn't killed me. I will admit, though, that taking certain "necessities" out of life has a tendency to set me apart as being very unusual in our society. For example, I hadn't owned a TV since I moved out on my own and all connections to "normal" human conversation about which show was on when no longer applied to me. People would ask if I had seen such-and-such a show and I would say, "no, I don't have a TV" and they would just stare at me like I'm crazy. Finally one of our employees went out and bought me a TV. Now I just say, "I don't have any channels." Same thing, but I do have a DVD player so he feels I'm not so out-of-touch. His excuse for getting it for me was that I "needed" the TV. Meanwhile I was thinking, "No, I need groceries, not a TV" but I just smiled nicely. How can you refuse such a nice person?
I suppose one of the greatest problems here is that many in Western Culture have completely lost touch with what WANTS are and what NEEDS are. How many people out there NEED a smoke or a beer...or they NEED to go spend their paycheck at the local casino. Sure, they WANT to feed their family. Most of us might not fall into that category, but how about "I want to read my Bible, but I NEED to watch my favourite show, so my Bible reading will get done tomorrow"
I guess what I'm trying to say is that many (most?) people in our society have our need vs wants priorities all screwed up.
I totally agree, Bryan. I also agree with... well, everybody so far. But specifically, I agree with Juanita when she says we need to be intentional about our language. It forces us to think about what we are saying. It's a start, but is it enough?
And what do we do with the "stuff" that we already have that fits under WANTS and not NEEDS?
And are WANTS always wrong?
Living in a developing country, I may have a bit of a different slant on this...
I don't know about this capitalism quote from Newbiggin... It seems to me that throughout history there have been those who have much and those who have few. The one main difference in capitalism on the world history stage, is that the resources are spread around in such a way that there is a group of people who are neither rich nor poor(in the context of the local economy)- the middle class. And this "consumer class" is absolutely necessary for the "investor class" to succeed- they need someone to buy the goods and services they offer. Capitalism breeds affluence better than most other systems in a fallen world. Is there still poverty? yes, because you need a worker class with low enough wages so that the consumer class can afford the goods. You also have those who are completely outside the system- unable to benefit from the economy. It's not perfect, but in a generation forms of capitalistic economies have lifted millions (or hundreds of millions) out of dire, abject, food crisis-like poverty. The issue at stake is personal responsibility for those in abject poverty- those outside the system or those caught in an economic "eddy" in the system-- How do we respond to them? With actions of love or with indifference- and this, I think, is where the needs VS wants question comes into play. I don't need a new truck every 5 years. I don't need a snowmobile or ATV. I don't need a $500,000 house when a $150,000 house does a good job... etc. etc. so do we spend our large amounts of expendable income on OUR Wants, or on someone else's needs. Capitalism, in my view, gives the most amount of people the freedom and the ability to answer that question with actions of love.
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