SlavidZee
New Member
Hey all, I'm just gonna go ahead and get all Pharisee-like right here. Not really, but by the end of this, you may see what I mean.
"We are the target market.
We are the corporate target.
We are slaves of what we want..."
I was listening to Switchfoot's song "Lonely Nation" the other day, and the lyrics above made me think about one way in which we tend to get in bed with certain interests in this world, even though we profess to be aliens living in but not of. This week's article in The New Yorker about "The DaVinci Code" reminded me again. Pop culture, in a capitalist system that strives for a free market economy, is set by the people. Especially, by the people with the disposable income to sustain industries such as entertainment, luxury goods, etc. People like us. Some would say that thanks to this relationship, pop culture is a telling barometer of the values of the current generation. Others might say that pop culture merely exaggerates, reflects upon, and satirizes what already exists in people's minds, that it just harmlessly gives us what we want. If we consume wisely, we should be ok, right? For example, female friends have said "I disagree with the views of characters in Sex in the City, but I watch it because it's funny and well written!" Or how about my favorite, Family Guy? But do we realize that by the very act of consuming, we help to perpetuate these messages? However we may justify consuming less than savory ideas, the economic impact of our decisions is identical to that of someone who wholeheartedly embraces said ideas.
But that leads me to ask: does God command us to use money as a voice? I'm looking for scriptural support here to bring this idea to light. I do intuitively figure that worship is about investment, and this can be time, money, worries, craving, etc. Our spending patterns form profiles that describe what's important to us. Also, it just so happens that in this country, we have finely honed supply chains that meet or every desire with a taylor-made product. The United States may be the fastest idol-producing (with the help of foreign manufacturing) country ever. How do Christians respond? Perhaps the Christian ascetics have a point: it's better not to partake than to partake and jump through a dozen hoops explaining why it was ok. What if all believers in this world didn't settle for anyting less than whatever is good, worthy, and pure? Surely the producers of this economy would have to adapt, and Christian ethics may reintegrate itself into the mass consciousness. Perhaps the purse is mightier than the pen.
"We are the target market.
We are the corporate target.
We are slaves of what we want..."
I was listening to Switchfoot's song "Lonely Nation" the other day, and the lyrics above made me think about one way in which we tend to get in bed with certain interests in this world, even though we profess to be aliens living in but not of. This week's article in The New Yorker about "The DaVinci Code" reminded me again. Pop culture, in a capitalist system that strives for a free market economy, is set by the people. Especially, by the people with the disposable income to sustain industries such as entertainment, luxury goods, etc. People like us. Some would say that thanks to this relationship, pop culture is a telling barometer of the values of the current generation. Others might say that pop culture merely exaggerates, reflects upon, and satirizes what already exists in people's minds, that it just harmlessly gives us what we want. If we consume wisely, we should be ok, right? For example, female friends have said "I disagree with the views of characters in Sex in the City, but I watch it because it's funny and well written!" Or how about my favorite, Family Guy? But do we realize that by the very act of consuming, we help to perpetuate these messages? However we may justify consuming less than savory ideas, the economic impact of our decisions is identical to that of someone who wholeheartedly embraces said ideas.
But that leads me to ask: does God command us to use money as a voice? I'm looking for scriptural support here to bring this idea to light. I do intuitively figure that worship is about investment, and this can be time, money, worries, craving, etc. Our spending patterns form profiles that describe what's important to us. Also, it just so happens that in this country, we have finely honed supply chains that meet or every desire with a taylor-made product. The United States may be the fastest idol-producing (with the help of foreign manufacturing) country ever. How do Christians respond? Perhaps the Christian ascetics have a point: it's better not to partake than to partake and jump through a dozen hoops explaining why it was ok. What if all believers in this world didn't settle for anyting less than whatever is good, worthy, and pure? Surely the producers of this economy would have to adapt, and Christian ethics may reintegrate itself into the mass consciousness. Perhaps the purse is mightier than the pen.
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