Social Sense
//We didn’t intend for any of this to happen, of course; it is the behavior we inherited from our parents — people who earnestly, but mistakenly wanted us to have a “better life” than they did, and who erred when they concluded that this was best defined as manufactured goods.//
I cannot be 100% sure, but here's the how, where, and why I think it all began:
My parents were the generation that was forced to endure the hardships of the Great Depression and the subsequent World War that followed it. They did without expensive toys that indicated some level of status, during both periods. Clothing items were often "hand-me-downs", food was rationed, and material things were severely limited due to economics.
When the war was over, a new era of prosperity was ushered in. Those parents that were forced to do so much with so little, gave their kids the things they never had, because they loved them and didn't want them to suffer the hardships they were forced to endure. This was so true in my generation.
When we grew up and had kids of our own, we were in the midst of a technological boom. Naturally, as our parents gave us everything we wanted, we in turn did the same thing, only magnified. As technology grew, many felt that technology could serve as occupiers of our kids' attention, when we were occupied with things like making a living and so forth.
Basically, it has become a vicious circle. What started out as my parents' good intentions, has ended up being a nightmare for today's generation.
But the one single thing that did more to exacerbate this mentality was that little box that soon began to appear in our living rooms in the 50s. It created a visual world of stimuli, which was once a product of own imaginations. (Some older than me would say it was the radio. But, I would contend that at least with the radio, one still had to employ some measure of imagination.)
But beyond all of that, the point I want to make is, books (which required an imagination to both visualize and hear) were replaced by electronic devices to create pleasure in a child. And each generation from that point on, has made it a little worse. When we lost the ability to to imagine, we lost our ability to cultivate and maintain true creativity. In doing so, we have created the desire for more stuff, as if it were an addiction.
what an absolutely beautiful post my friend..thank you! 
"Living in the information age doesn't make life any easier"
My yes, there is so much noise.
I might change that to living in the advertising age. What a lot of people overlook is that there is a strong effective movement to make most of our information, product information.
News, entertainment, arts, sports ... everything is becoming a brand and pushing us towards consumption.
It's probably time to stop debating about whether the news is left or right tilted and wake up to the fact that it's tough getting real news. Healthiest demonstration we could have in the country is folks all getting together and demanding more news.
I agree with you, Ducky. I posted on "News vs. views" earlier. Everything is about marketing, and so far it seems that the public isn't making it much of a challenge.
My theory is that most people think that the five-second sound bite is all there is to know about "whatever." I'd be happy with the who, what, where, etc., and let us figure it all out for ourselves.
Most news is tabloid quality, targeted to a certain kind of viewer. Personally, I don't care about Brittney, or Paris. And then, why is the disappearance of Stacy Peterson even national news? How does it affect me?
Perhaps better parenting and fewer gadgets would result in a lesser number of peanut brained young women marrying men old enough to be their grandfather and then (shock) disappearing.
Thank you for stopping by.
Semper Fi
Our world has become so troubled that few of us even want to hear the news anymore.
Odd that you should mention that.
I've been contemplating a post entitled "Sick of the News." But I haven't gotten my thoughts together enough to write the essay.
Yeah, but I'll bust a cap in anyone who after my Ipod. Just kidding.
The gadgets we have today are like most things in life, moderation is the key. Although Tivo has saved me from forgetting to tape shows from my wife.
But you keyed on a issue important to me. Relationships. One of my goals the past few months has been to reconnect with my friends, family & faith. I batting pretty well. Gadgets are gadgets and like most things in life they come and go. But the basic foundations we establish are the bedrock of our character. My friends aren't perfect, but neither am I, hence my friends.
I am making this proposition because in the final analysis, the worth of our life may be more about what we achieve in human relationships than it is about what we attain in material goods
After reading that, and having just watched General Patton in "Scrooge", I feel completely put into my place. Well played.
//After reading that, and having just watched General Patton in "Scrooge"//
Speaking of Scrooge, Mrs. Sunsett has decided I have not been in the proper form of acceptable Christmas spirit. Never mind this is only Dec. 1, I have received orders that I am going to take her to see a play we all have seen many times over, A Christmas Carol at a nice downtown theater.
But I guess when you look at it objectively, it's a small price to pay for peace in the home. 
Ho Ho Ho
I intended to bring Ms. Sunset a new Lincoln Navigator, expensive jewelry, a large cabin cruiser, and a lottery ticket with the winning numbers. But if she would rather go to a play, okay.
Ho Ho Ho
But I guess when you look at it objectively, it's a small price to pay for peace in the home
There's no better use of that sunglasses emoticon than right there. Wish I had learned that lesson earlier.
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