LIFE: Having Or Being?

Growing up in the post-war era (although there never was a post-war because there was always another war) the teachings of the new world order was consumption.

This all tied in with the war effort to build bigger and stronger and faster machines of destruction, transforming the factories from constructing guns to manufacturing refrigerators. Tanks turned into sedans and fighters turned into luxury flight transportation (but no one got a parachute).

The competition to succeed (a carryover from winning (?) a war) came with the obligation to show everyone your accomplishments and wealth

The requirements were to have a mortgage on a house, loan on a automobile, credit debt on furniture and two kids and a dog. Taxes were not your friend because our leaders had decided to ‘rebuild’ the vanquished and make them allies. In the long run, it was cheaper than bodies.

Every holiday became a buying opportunity and retailers optimized the use of advertising to promote your dopamine necessity. Even if you had a product, the new upgraded version had to replace it.

Have you ever been to an estate sale? How about a Yard Sale?

There are piles of items purchased and collected for whatever reason at the time and are now either someone else’s treasure or trash. Collectable niche or a junk curio fill our shelves, cover our tables, hang on our walls to display what we are through items.

Should our obituaries be a listing of our having?

 How many cars do you own? What is your latest most expensive gizmo to show off? Jewelry? Designer fashions? Entertainment center? Did you save enough for a glitzy box that will shown be underground for no one to see?

Then there are those who feel this brief time in space should be shared rather than impressed upon each other. A musician will play a tune for a few pence and appreciates the applause. Dancers, singers, actors perform to be in the moment. Poets and authors write their thoughts and desires and opinions and dreams for others to read.

By being, the joy of the day might be a smile or a bird’s song or a good deed. If no one else knows the experience, you can pass it on to another without an explanation.

It don’t cost nothing.