Why is western society so obsessed with the superficial and always puts style over substance?

Question

And when will we stop and realise that we are damaging ourselves with this attitude?

Answer 1

Speak for yourself!!

Answer 2

This question is pretty much based on a generalization, but I'll give it a shot. Western culture is pre-occupied with appearance over substance because of a collapse of an appreciation for anything that might transcend material existence and experience. Since this world is presented as our ultimate concern, and access to transcendent reality is relegated to scepticism or subjectivism, people create a culture that is exclusively about what is material. The material world is what we are taught to believe in and have faith in. It is (the material world) all that there is. And despite the protests of many, most of us are materialists in fact, even if not by actual admission. If it seems we are obsessed with appearances and the superficial it is because we have ceased to believe that there exists anything beyond these catagories (appearances and superficiality) and perhaps worse-- we are content with this narrowness of vision and suspicious of anyone who might suggest an alternative. Suugestion: Read and consider Plato's "allegory of the cave" as providing insight into why humanity often stubbornly insists on clinging to its sense of reality, even when an alternative vision might provide us with deeper wisdom and insight.

Answer 3

Thats a broad generalization.
The countries of Western Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are what is known as the western world. Western society is young, compared to others. Youth nearly always sees only the outer aspects.

When? In time, as with all things....

Answer 4

Not all aspects of wenstern society is that way, nor is it "always", nor is everyone IN western society that way. Many are and many do and much is.... but not all. It damages far more than just "Ourselves" and its very unfortunate, however human nature can not nor will not be changed. All anyone is capable of is doing the best they can with what's available. Choosing not to follow that leads to other things.... those will have to be dealt with at some point. Human nature is what it is! Welcome to it!

Answer 5

Christian morality and western civilization are pretty much completely contradictory. America (and other European nations) are nations of extreme wealth. We are extremely materialistic wealthy while the rest of the world is dirt poor. Jesus in the New Testament was completely against any such Materialism. It was the very thing he preached against. He also preached against divorces. Divorce rates are nearly 50%. Im atheist, but i respect the moral teachings of Jesus. The teachings of Jesus are the one thing in the bible that i agree with. But, i can say as an American, we are nothing like what Jesus said to be. We stamp In God We Trust on our money for f*cks sake. If that doesnt prove we worship money, then i just dont know.

Answer 6

In many ways, the Western world simply MUST value "style over substance" as there's very little else it has to offer.

I think that the free market has "triumphed" over the old lies - religion, hierarchy, etc. If it now surrenders this ground, then economies will fail.

So the influence of the ubiquitous dollar coerces us into expressing our identities in "superficial" ways.

Identity itself becomes a commodity. If you don't like it - well, tough. =)

Answer 7

No where is this more evident than the politically correct movement. The society is more interested in things appearing to be a certain way than having them actually be that way. A man who is a racist may refrain from using derogatory terms because it is not politically correct but that does not make him any less racist. So it goes with appearances. Clothing and cars and homes. It may look like the person has money but that is not necessarily so.

Answer 8

You have it there in a nutshell WESTERN SOCIETY , for instance the Sari has remained the traditional drees in India for Millennial . I think it is very graceful and Beautiful so why change it .

It is because we have a fear of death in the west that we must constantly recreate ourselves through fashion

Oscar Wilde so succinctly put it
Fashion a thing so hideous that we must change it every three months

Answer 9

The western society in general is stuck on things of the ego, like outward appearance, business success rather than relational success or spiritual growth, buying health care rather than creating internal health etc.
But don't be too dismayed, I see much progress in personal and spiritual development everywhere. It just isn't being cover very well in the media.

Answer 10

ive got anorexia and although its not fair to blame it on the media i feel alot of pressure to look good and above all skinny. Now this is coming from a girl told all her life her figure is fabulous or wateva, but the western society is damaging the minds of the young and i think now, as well as all the traditional manners stuff, children have to be taught that whats on the inside counts and to never change themselves for anybody. i wish those principles were banged into my head before i started comparing myself with everything society classes as beautiful.

Answer 11

It feels very very good to get approval and to be approved of. However, it is detrimental to need approval and to need to be approved of. As long as you feel good about yourself, and you know that that opinion is the only opinion that matters, all else will fall into place. You'll find that if you truly know that you're great and you act it, people will begin to believe it too, simply because you do. Actions are always louder than words. Always. And if you take an action on something instead of talking about it. That will resignate in the minds of all who witness it, more so than anything else you could try to do for them.