Stuff Is Not Salvation

Interesting that there is an advertisement on the web page where this editoral appears that is for an AT&T phone that declares to readers: New Year, New Phone. How ironic.

Interesting that there is an advertisement on the article's web page for an AT&T phone athat states New Year, New Phone. How ironic in light of this editorial.

It bothers me how unwilling people are also to give things up. Thanks to the difficult lesson taught by computer viruses wiping out all of my music, writings and pictures (though I am sure you could never compare that to the extremity of a house of possessions burning down) I have realized that nothing is safe from suddenly vanishing. This puts into perspective the real worth of items...if they can be as easily lost as found, then why bother stacking up? If people are so cruelly willing to slim down and cut away their friendships and relationships (a truly odd and disgusting habit in my opinion) then I cannot understand why they are unable to let material items go.

Thank you, Anna.I can 'testify'! I've 'gone through'/ given away/ 'purged' and with each thing that goes I'm freer and happier. Others can make use of what I did not need, I have less to take up room and take care of, and more time for family, friends, walks, naps, and just peace. It's lovely. All those years of wanting MORE... who knew the answer was LESS?!

The Borgen Project has some good info on the cost of addressing global poverty.
$30 billion: Annual shortfall to end world hunger.

$550 billion: U.S. Defense budget.

This is so true. I was alicensed home provider in CA for 25 years. I was also a sisngle mom of five for. The toys and material things parents bought their children was ridiculous. They went shopping almost every day! Who can afford to do that? Everything was a "treat" that birthdays and Christmas was nothing special...it was the same to them as any other day. The sad truth is, that these kids loved nature walks with me and playing in the sandbox and looking for pill bugs and painting the trees with water and many more things that didn't cost the fortune their parents spent. But nobody has time anymore to do these things with their kids. They are shopping or getting the weekly nails done or their hair appointments. Lunch dates with friends are more important. I had the best job ever...I got to watch children play and giggle and wonder and explore and grow. Remember sheet rides..and hula hoops ...mud pies...using boxes for trains and pirate ships? Parents don't let their kids do this anymore...what would their friends and neighbors think? That they can't afford big expensive toys? God forbid....make it easy and fun...twenty somethings get married and want to buy the same size home their parents have...more cars and instant furnishings...what's wrong here? We are all to blame...Go to the beach, and have a picnic and get back into the serenity and real meaning of life. Look at our culture ndow...we wanted INSTANT..boy we got it! Children are more depressed and overweight than ever before..and I grew up with beef, bologna and hot dogs! Parents are on prescription pills and are more insecure than ever...ADD on the rise...Diabetis...on the rise...hypertension in younger kids...addictions to internet and reality shows...I am so glad I raised my kids with hard times and no extra money..really they all know how to cope with adversity now...and are so grateful for every little thing. We are all to blame for this mess...so take your family to the beach more and have more family dinners together...turn off the cell phone and the TV...

This is so true...I was a Licensed Home daycare provider for 25 years in CA. I was also a single mom of five. We had nothing fancy we were not about the next gadget or trendy thing. All my families I cared for were from various backgrounds. The people who were the happiest and most content, did not have very much, but they could take a summer vacation every year. They saved and paid with cash. So did we. Our home was small but we had many more gatherings there than other family members. Parents buy their children too many toys and the next month there is anew one that they need...again. But, parents today buy themselves whatever they want too. So the cycle to our children continues. Twenty year olds get married and want the same home their parents have...the better cars...and better everything. I think we need to sit on a front porch and say hi to our neighbors and water the garden and have sit down family dinners and reinvent the family again. Just say NO....and don't get paranoid about what others think...are they paying your bills? Picnic at the beach and embrace the real life. Laurie Overton

It truly is an addiction. And I fear to my depths what that says about those of us who cannot or will not kick the habit.

how could so many totally miss the point??? the article is titled "stuff is not salvation"
it is about values, people. so quit defending your junk filled homes and take a hard look at your fears that your consumerism masks!

I started using the "one-in, one-out" method years ago, and have never regretted it. I have only the clothes I need and wear regularly, and I have extra room at home. I knit my Christmas gifts most years. If ever I'm at a loss for a gift, I send flowers. Guess what - I have savings in the bank.

Yet another self-righteous lecture by a well-to-do scribbler who pretends to know what's best for everyone else. One in a long-line of such elite harangues using a tragic death as a lede for their own pretentious hypocrisy. Who is Ms. Qinlan to tell me how much value I will place on a new microwave nor flat screen TV? I'm fully capable of making that decision for myself, thank you very much, and I am happy that my dollars are creating jobs and livelihood for someone else. No everyone wants to raise bees, and I'll await news that Ms. Qinlan has dropped the writing gig for a life of manual labor and noble self-deprivation.

It's "look in the mirror" time, the time to determine which things in our lives are needs, and which are wants, and how to distinguish between them. I go into the local discounter, bei it Wal-Mart, or Target, and I can choose between at least 20 different varieties of toilet paper, takingi into account size of the roll, # of rolls in the package, 'softness' of the roll, etc. Unless I miss my guess, the average American is going to need a huge number of rolls of toilet paper before their life ends at an average of 75 or 77 years (male or female), give or take a few years., Is it really a matter of dire consequences if we choose the 24 roll pack over the 12 roll pack? Suppose we die before the 24 roll pack is used up? That means that we'd have to pass toilet paper off to our children. But what of it - TP doesn't need refrigeration, doesn't go bad - it just sits there, year after year, at your beck and call. My point is that we as consumers follow the mind-numbing marketing of mass producers, letting them make choices for us, instead of making them for ourselves. I had a marketing professor that put forth the proposition that there was no such thing as bad breath before Scope was invented. We just need to be smart, spend our money (not our credit cards) wisely, and before making any purchase, ask ourselves "Is this something I need, or something I want?" And, if it's something I want, then I need to make the determination of the opportunity cost of that product. Pay cash, and you won't go wrong.

Thanks so much, Anna, for your thoughtful case for less. I have to fight against the mainstream message to convince my daughters that this designer logo and that hairstyle and these techno-gadgets do not define personal worth. And people who beleive they do should be avoided.

I am a seventh grade English and AVID teacher, and not only did post this in our staff lounge, but I also photocopied it for my students to read and discuss. We are having a round-robin discussion of the article. I feel that Anna Quindlen (my favorite regular contributor, along with Fareed Zakaria) perfectly encapsulates the true spirit of Christmas. My students live in an affluent Southern California suburb, but we have been hit hard by the economy (especially in the housing market), and something tells me that these young people are going to be learning some hard lessons in the next few years. It's not Grinch-like to insist that we take a second look at what we buy and why. It's vital. I hope my students, who are already talking about their new PS3's and X-Box 360's, will come away with at least a modicum of what Anna Quindlen wants us big kids to learn.

anna, another great piece of writing and thought. you get it -- we get it -- why isn't everyone else? it's not rocket science...

You say that she is finding an excuse to dampen the spirit of Christmas. I say she's helping remind us of what the spirit of Christmas should really be about. It's up to you whether or not you feel insulted.

Anna,

I often disagree with much of what you write, but I think this is the best article that you have written. I am passing it out to many people within my "sphere" influence. This is very well written and I think could be a platform for addressing much of the economic problems in America. Our economy is based on spending frivously, not saving wisely. We don't even spend our money any more with discresion. Again, excellent article!

I am sending this article to all 4 of our children. It is the most common sense explanation of this mess we are in. When our grandchildren come to our house , they always know they are in for a treat because we do things that don;t cost anything or very little. People need to look in their own backyard of their community . I live in a rural community in Ohio. We have beautiful state parks. We have a raptor center. We have the Ohio Caverns. There is a fish farm where the kids can pet prehistoric sturgeons., The last time my grandaughter was here, we did not turn on the TV. We go to the library. We make cookies. I keep a supply of window markers and they "paint" masterpieces all over the patio windows.This conspicous consumerism has got to stop. Thank you, Anna Quindlen, Love yuor Newsweek articles and your books.