Fear of Missing out
Consumerism tells us that in order to be happy we must consume as many products and services as possible. If we feel that something is missing or not quite right, then we probably need to buy a product (a car, new clothes, organic food) or a service (housekeeping, relationship therapy, yoga classes). Every television commercial is another little legend about how consuming some product or service will make life better. The tourism industry does not sell flight tickets and hotel bedrooms. It sells experiences. Paris is not a city, nor India a country – they are both experiences, the consumption of which is supposed to widen our horizons, fulfil our human potential, and make us happier. But is this really true? An alternative philosophy is found in the bible, the prophet Jeremiah echoing many other bible writers says of God ‘Your words became the happiness of my heart.’ Invite someone to step out of the world of the Consumer and take a closer look at Christ and his church.
