this is a strange, rather perverse story. just to put it in very simple terms: it's a story about us, people, being persuaded to spend money we don't have, on things we don't need, to create impressions that won't last, on people we don't care about. [1]
the reality of the society we're in, is there are thousands and thousands of people out there, leading lives of quiet screaming desperation, where they work long hard hours, at jobs they hate, to enable them to buy things they don't need, to impress people they don't like. [2]
we can change society's definition of success. away from the moronically simplistic notion, that the person with the most money when he dies wins, to a more thoughtful and balanced definition of what a life well lived looks like. [2]
[1] Professor of Sustainable Development at University of Surrey, Tim Jackson's TED talk Economic reality check, October 5, 2010
[2] Best-selling author and advertising CEO, Nigel Marsh's TEDx talk How to make work-life balance work, February 7, 2011
2 comments:
"Self-Compassion Fosters Mental Health"
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=self-compassion-fosters-mental-health
David Graeber on "Bullshit Jobs":
Ever had the feeling that your job might be made up? That the world would keep on turning if you weren’t doing that thing you do 9-5?
http://www.strikemag.org/bullshit-jobs/
The Economists response:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/08/labour-markets-0
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