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| Concrete and barbed wire. Pavement and vertical bars. |
... where no one walks out on the street unless they are going to work, the mall, or returning home.
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| "Busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy..." |
Where the people stay in at night, mesmerized by screens.
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| "This is the evening narrative management." |
And,
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| "Did you see our latest China propaganda? Michael Moore sucks. He's white, and fat." |
...and the stock market, bank accounts, luxury bunkers, how to enslave the people more completely, and ultimate world domination.
Only people who can distinguish their real desires from ones that have been manufactured for them, are able to break free from those that dream of a world of concrete and barbed wire.
Real vs manufactured desires. It is crucial to know the difference.
Once one can distinguish between them, one can break free, and a simple life of meeting real desires is possible.
Hear, hear!
ReplyDelete(Mela)
Humans are still a complete puzzle to me! Like most, I got caught up for a while in thinking I was meant to have matching furniture and nice clothes etc... before I could be considered 'grown up' (successful, hardworking, whatever the narrative was). But then I had the good fortune to meet some 'real' people (big veggie garden, faded clothes and the furniture didn't match but was oh so cozy) and quickly lowered my standards and raised my happiness. I have been lucky indeed to escape the brainwashing.
ReplyDeleteMadeleine
PS thanks for continuing to write, Gregg, there are millions of posts on the net but not much quality or humanity
By using the latest psychological manipulations the marketing industry makes it very hard to resist. Having role models that offer an alternative to the mind control are nice to have.
DeleteI have always admired simple folks that live close to nature and are able to take care of themselves through hard work, creativity and resourcefulness, like the Nearings. I remember visiting uncles that were hermits when I was young. One on each side of the family. Their simple ways really appealed to me.
Hermit uncles, very cool! The Nearings captured my imagination also.
DeleteMadeleine
Agree with Madeleine's comment. I always thought buying a certain thing or item of clothing would make me into something better?!? than I am.
ReplyDeleteThanks for continuing to write, Gregg
Linda
Excellent summation of consumerism. "Buy our product and you will be better off than you are now." Only in extremely rare cases is that true. Most of the time reality is the exact opposite.
DeleteMy agreement here too - thank you for your writings, Gregg. I look forward to each and every post. - Mary
ReplyDeleteWe look forward to each and every comment, Mary. We read them all together, and each one is like a friend coming over for a visit.
DeleteHi Linda and Greg
ReplyDeleteYou wrote that you look forward to each and every commente, so I though it was fair that I write a comment.
Thank you very much for all your posts, they are so inspiring, they are a real desire.
Thanks to you, Duane Elgin and Rhonda Hetzel I have been living a simple life, in a small city (Lagos, Portugal) buying almost only what I really need (essencialy,food from local producers and some medecins, books), our house is paid off and we have no debts, no cable TV, no big car, no big expenses ( we can live on about 600-700 euros). What you write has made a huge impact in our lives, for good. So, please, consider your posts a real desire and keep posting.
Elizabete, It is such a thrill for us to receive comments such as yours. What you write is exactly why we do this - we love our simple life, and are excited to share it in the hopes that others can make the same wonderful discovery we have. And that is, that there most definitely IS an alternative to the rat race consumer lifestyle, and one which is so much more satisfying, and sustainable.
DeleteWe also enjoy Duane Elgin, and read Rhonda's "Down To Earth" blog regularly. To be mentioned in the same sentence as them is an honour.
It makes all our efforts toward keeping this blog going worthwhile to hear that we have helped even one person live more simply, and freely.
Thank you for visiting, and sharing with us today. We don't plan on ever stopping. We would miss all of our NBA friends if we did.
Congratulations on achieving your simple life. That is not easy to do in today's world.
Simplicity for all!