6 Sep 2010
The lies we are too scared to examine
Can someone tell our young people the truth?
As I prepared over the last week for the Australian Religion Press Association’s conference, I came across a fascinating paper.
It is called “Success & wellbeing: A preview of the Australia 21 report on young people’s wellbeing” and I think gets to some of the root causes of the issues facing our young people. (You can find more information here)
At one point the article points out the two major lies at the heart of our society, lies that most of us know are lies but seem to go along with anyway.
The first lie is the lie of materialism.
Our young people grow up in a world where a person’s worth in the world’s eyes is determined by wealth or fame.
Nobody takes the time to tell them that it’s all a big sham, a lie that nobody who actually has the wealth actually believes:
Many studies show that materialism – the pursuit of money and possessions – seems to breed not happiness but dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, anger, isolation and alienation.
People for whom “extrinsic goals” such as fame, fortune and glamour are a priority in life tend to experience more anxiety and depression and lower overall wellbeing – and to be less trusting and caring in their relationships – than people oriented towards “intrinsic goals” of close relationships, personal growth and self-understanding, and contributing to the community.
In short, the more materialistic people are, the poorer their quality of life.
Only a few days ago I wrote about the lie behind “prosperity theology“. The same lie, in its most basic form is one of the factors behind the spiralling rates of depression and mental illness in our country.
We all know that money doesn’t buy you happiness, so can someone please tell our young people before it’s too late!
Yes materialism is not life. God did however say we should work to provide for our own.
I read something recently. Get your priorities right or life will get them right for you.
The rough and tumble we face is usually our learning phase to work out what is a priority.
That is – God first – then everything else will work for our good ‘If’ we continue to Love God.
‘If ‘ – I see as the pivot -not only of a seesaw (like life) – but getting it right by putting God first in our decisions and motivations.
Brenda V Northeast
September 6th, 2010 at 9:28 pmpermalink
Brilliant. Let the message resound!
Paul Evans
September 6th, 2010 at 9:53 pmpermalink