Is Commercialism Destroying our Youth?

Question

Look around people its the 1st december and we are already into full christmas mode, has been for the last week. Is it not wrong to expose our youth to the blatant commercialism of life nowadays.

every movie has spin off toys, shops jump from one festive occasion to the next, Tv ads tell you to get their products instead of just showing you them.

Is it just me or have things gotten a little bit to commercial now? These celebrations cant even be religious now for fear of offending some other ethnic group, instead it belongs to shops who advertise all these things we have to buy or else our lives will be terrible!

So i ask again should we bombard our youth with all this stuff that cant have traditional backing?

Answer 1

I think you are making a fair point. Most parents would agree they don't want their kids to grow into the materialistic, greedy and selfish people we see around us in abundance today.... yet jump in with both feet when it comes to Xmas. It can't help with shaping children into well-rounded individuals who care about more in their life than money and status symbols.

Answer 2

I agree that the youth are becoming more commercialised, but so tragically is life in the twenty first century.
Money is a distraction from what are the most meaningful truths in life, love, health, compassion, liberation, beauty I could go on and reel out a long list.
Money leads to a form of personal distinction, or commonly known as classism amd elitism, breeding class- less snobs
(for true class is only the test of ones own virtues not breeding or schooling).
I spent my youth enjoying riding Motorcycles, looking for the most part, secondhand and a little bit scruffy, yet secure in my own identity without losing touch with the ground .
Though that was before MTV had commercialised music and there I believe lies the culprits, the media.
It took the guys in suits thirty odd years to work out that theres money to be made out of the young. in clothes music and mobile phones etc etc.
Instead of the young dictating their terms on the elders of society, (As in the counterculture of the 1960's),
the money making schemers manipulate the youth like drug pushers out side the schools gates.
What comes first pop or art, well in a commercialised world its with the money and not where the heart is.

Answer 3

Chicken? Egg? Chicken? Egg? Perhaps everything is 'commercial' nowadays because people go out and buy into it? It's been going on for years and it ain't going to stop until we all stop spending is it?

If you don't like it I suggest you do what my family do. Downplay the commercial and make Christmas special in other ways. Make it a proper family occasion by investing some time. Perhaps play up the spiritual aspects or the spirit of generosity and love for ones fellow men (and women!) Give 'our Youth' some other things to value than, well, 'things'. Make your own traditions! That's the only way to make a difference I think.

But whatever you do, make sure you and yours have a Very Happy Christmas!

Answer 4

un4tunately, yes. most marketing strategy is basically intended for the inquisitives or the gullibles. in that case, most of the Youth population fall on either categories.
That's when parental guidance(not control) is necessary.

Answer 5

Commercialism...consumerism...and capitalism...it's turning the world into a monstrous place....it has to stop eventually, it's ruining people and lives

Answer 6

so what? Didn't you like getting star wars figures when you were young, or get excited when the first Christmas adverts came on the tv

Answer 7

yes its destroying every tradition in every religion, its also harming our environment as times like these more natural resources are consumed to make toys, gifts, wrapping, glass bottles for drinkts etc, every religion who celebrate harms our environment in one way or other

Answer 8

The kings of aligeters have powers.
Why don't they protect the baby aligaters?

Answer 9

Aqui fala-se português!...