February 04, 2004
Implicit Materialism and American Culture
I made a commitment to begin discussing Materialism a little more on this blog, so this is the first installment. To start, let’s understand what materialism is.
The Christian mind has succumbed to the secular drift with a degree of weakness and nervelessness unmatched in Christian history. It is difficult to do justice in words to the complete loss of intellectual morale in the twentieth-century Church.
- - Harry Blamires
Materialism is, in the simplest form, a belief that reality simply consists of material objects. Materialists used to proclaim with pride that they were simply intelligent animals that would not exist in any form after death (hence cremation). The philosophy is very rational and based on what we can see, feel and hear. This is what Belloc termed the “Explicit Materialist.” These materialists are few and far between now, but materialism as a way of life still continues to spread like cancer through our culture.
Belloc also defined another form of materialist: the Implicit Materialist, which better defines the average American. The Implicit Materialist may not be totally aware that s/he is abiding by materialist philosophies (and would probably argue with you if you pointed it out) and yet they do. Pope Pius XII pointed out some common ways to spot the Implicit Materialist:
- Love of Money
- Excessive Desire for Comforts
- Unrestrained Search for Pleasure
- Selfishness
The key to understanding materialism is that it places all hopes, desires, needs in material terms. Rather than paying attention to God, the materialist seeks to satisfy purely selfish desires: money, comfort, pleasure. Pope Pius XII called it a “concept of life which regulates everything exclusively in terms of material prosperity and earthly satisfactions” in his Warning Against Materialism.
This is a trap that we all fall into from time to time. As Americans, we function within a culture seeped in materialistic ideals. People are judged based on the amount of money they have, rather than their moral ideals. Pleasure is seen as the highest good, something that is sought out as a value. It is a seductive philosophy that tends to affect our thoughts and actions though we do not adhere to it. Harry Blamires (quote above) is indicating our propensity to be sucked in by these philosophies that are so clearly at odds with Christianity.
The real goal is to reject materialism in all forms while functioning in society. To paraphrase Scott Hahn, If you walk in the sewer, it’s tough to stay clean. This is when we turn to Ephesians and put on the armor of God. Prayer is key as is service. That’s right, when you go out of your way to help others, it helps remove the selfish nature we have due to concupiscence. Prayer and Service.
More to come.
God bless,
Jay
From Pope Pius XII’s Warning Against Materialism:
Just as the Immaculate, compassionate of our miseries, but discerning our real needs, came to men to remind them of the essential and austere steps of religious conversion, so the ministers of the Word of God should, with supernatural confidence, point out to souls the narrow road which leads to life. They will do this without forgetting the spirit of kindness and patience which they profess, but also without concealing anything of the Gospel's demands. In the school of Mary they will learn to live not only that they may give Christ to the world, but also, if need be, to await with faith the hour of Jesus and to remain at the foot of the cross.
Posted by Jay at February 4, 2004 09:58 AM | TrackBack
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Jay, I'm so glad to see this article and the promise of more like it to come. It's so hard to pinpoint the one most horrific sin of today's time, there are so many. I think materialism alone is bad enough but the scariest aspect of materialism is that it always leads the soul to darker realms.
I have seen the love of "things" destroy a family. The father works so many hours (so that he can buy things to make his family happy) that he doesn't notice when his wife is drifting away because he's too wrapped up in his work. She wants all those things too so she doesn't dare tell him to lighten his load. He feels guilty for missing so much so he buys things for his children to make up. The mother feels bad that her husband is never home so she buys things to fill her life in his absense. The message that is sent to the children is "Look around and see all the things I've given you because I want you to have more than I did growing up". When the family is torn apart they are left with their precious things that don't bring them happiness.
Being that I'm newly married, and even more newly pregnant, my thoughts revolve around how my husband and I can live the most virtuouos life possible, how can we avoid sin and remain in God's grace? I have found much helpful information though it only reiterates what I've always known (and precisely what Jay wrote): the simplest way to avoid sin, including resisting materialism, is to remain faithful to God's commandments and to live a selfless, service oriented life.
It is sometimes difficult to function in society without getting sucked in to keeping up with the Jones'. As Christians however, we have a moral responsibility not to get sucked in. We must stand firm to our values realizing that our children need a happy home with loving parents more than they need every new toy on the shelves, a wardrobe full of new clothes and a tv in each of their own seperate rooms. Is there any other way to lead our children away from materialism than to teach them by example? I don't think so.
Furthermore, I think the moment we take our eyes off of Jesus they look to self. That's a dangerous place to be.
Krista
Posted by: Krista at February 6, 2004 02:45 PMI noticed the following things in the U.S which may support the idea that is a materialistic society.
-People focus on work and the main recreation after work is go shopping at the mall. There are not many other recreational activities.
-Families is not so important to their lives. Kids want to leave their home ASAP to go to college to a very far away location so they will not be close to their parents.
-A lot of people by themselves instead of in couples of groups in all the public places.
-People have zero, probably 1 friend. And then they sue their friend at the small claims court because it spill soda on their car seat to get the 10$ back that costs to clean it.
-Kids main interest when growing up: go to the mall
-Everyone's dream:Become a millionaire. Please notice the goal is not to be very happy, but to have LOTS OF MONEY.
-People often say " oh my god, kids are so expensive, they will cost you X$ per year"
Posted by: Ramon Salazar at April 9, 2005 01:43 AM
