Materialism and Mansions

I just came back from a weekend in my hometown of Aspen, Colorado, and I never get used to the $40 million mansions that litter the area. Although Aspen is not only for the rich and the famous, the luxury and American ideal it presents is something that must be critiqued.

The United States presents a well known ideology: you can be anything you want, make lots of money, buy a beautiful house and live happily ever after. Of course you're reading this and thinking, "Well duh, who wouldn't want that?" That's exactly my point.

Americans are conditioned to believe that life is about attaining happiness, and happiness is generally measured through the amount of stuff you have. This value on materialism means that people no longer focus on relationships and instead look at what they can gain in life. Why else would there be so many workaholics in the U.S.? Life has become a way to attain all the luxuries hard work and money can buy.

But what's the point?

The point is, the emphasis on attaining the "American Dream" of buying a mansion distracts people from realizing that there is more to life than the end goal of opulence.

When you finally are able to buy your mansion (if you do get there), what are you going to do with it? You'll sit in your elegantly furnished living room and play bridge while sipping mimosas. While this might be a nice vacation, it's a life that lacks substance. Some people forget that there is more to life than things. There are friends, there are experiences, there are memories. None of these can be decorated with persian rugs, but they can last you a lifetime and will never burn down (unless you're self-destructive).

Live for the unattainable, don't become caught in the seductive net of materialism. Once you get your mansion, make sure there is more you want to live for.

The American Definition of "Solitude"

“Solitude:” the state of being…


What does it mean again?

It means that Americans have forgotten how to be alone. Today, solitude is being without any other physical person – this does not exclude electronic communications.

People consider themselves to be alone when they are sitting in their room, talking on the phone to a friend or chatting online to goodness knows how many other people.

Just because there isn’t another person in the room with you, it doesn’t mean you are experiencing solitude.

Here dictionary.com’s definition of the word: “1. the state of being or living alone; seclusion 2. remoteness form habitations, as of a place; absence of human activity.”

In order to fulfill this definition and experience real solitude, that would require giving up a few things.

Imagine a day where you don’t have access to other people 24/7. I’m not suggesting that everyone should go into a dark room deprived of stimulation or entertainment and throw away the key (although that would be interesting). What I propose is a simple way to sever the electrical umbilical cord and learn how to be by yourself.

Go on a walk for a few hours, by yourself, and leave your cell phone, iPod, book and cash at home. Sounds easy, right? No. Think about it: could you spend an entire day without any of these things? If the answer is “yes,” you can stop reading. If the answer is “no,” you’re part of a large percent of the American population that are crowded into the same boat.

Americans don’t know how to be alone, and because of constant companions like cell phones and iPods, no one has to be.

Stimulation is necessary, and so are distractions. Cell phones are probably the worst solitude killers. It’s too easy to call your mother or your friend while walking form point A to point B. For many people, their cell phone is akin to a security blanket. And then, when you’re feeling lonely and just want to talk to someone, that’s what texting is for.

“Texting:” a method of covert communication that allows one to carry multiple conversations at once: generally resulting in detachment from real life and real people.

A genius invention.

So what’s the moral of the story? Don’t be an American who falls into the trap of constant connectivity. Fight the force – believe that you can be alone and not go insane. Have a little faith and learn how to be by yourself, it’s a good life skill – “I Am Legend” taught us that.

Lara Logan Was Assaulted: let's all stay home

It’s no wonder Americans fear travel and other people.

Lara Logan was sexually assaulted in Cairo, Egypt and everyone is talking about it. Not only was she “brutally abused” by protestors, she was also interrogated by security authorities. Her horror story is one of many that cause Americans to be timid travelers.

There’s a general fear of “the other” in the United States. Granted, some areas are more receptive than others, but the Media shows us that the world is a dark and dangerous place unless you go to Western Europe or the Bahamas. The main issue is safety; why else would cruises be so popular?

The problem with being afraid is the tendency to stay in your own little world bubble. Sure, some people travel, but where do they go? They go to France or England, eat at Hard Rock Cafes, stay at five-star hotels and hang out with other Americans. If you’re going to recreate America abroad, save the money and stay at home.

So why do people stick with what is familiar even when they do decide to travel?

Well, it’s because they are afraid of the places they are going. Yes, it is exotic and thrilling to go to new places, but actually participating and learning about the culture would cause way too much uncertainty.

The media doesn’t generally show other countries in a good light either. Besides the recent story on Lara Logan, consider movies. In “Taken,” Liam Neeson’s character fears that his 17-year-old daughter will be kidnapped in Paris, and by golly she is! Not only is she kidnapped, but she is also sold into the sex trade. With messages like these floating about in the mainstream media, it’s shocking Americans think there’s no place like home. Not.


An understanding is established that going abroad is a big deal, and that surviving is even bigger. I recently spent four months in Africa and the overwhelming response when I returned was, “Wow, we’re so glad you’re home and in one piece!” Did I miss the memo that Americans frequently return from Africa in more than one piece?

People of all ages were shocked that I survived my excursion outside of the U.S. bubble and had the guts to get on the plane in the first place. I’m not trying to say that people are ignorant, but I will say that the U.S. can be a Shangri-La if you want it to be. There’s a big bad world out there, but don’t let the Media scare you into staying at home.

What Happened to Communication?

Right now I'm sitting in a Starbucks in Seattle, listening to people as they walk through the line to get their morning cup of coffee. They avoid putting more than two words together and have given up on greetings in general. Face-to-face communication: a foreign concept to many these days.

As more technological devices emerge and allow channels of communication to grow vaster and more complex, people are forgetting how to talk in person. Welcome to the 21st century: communication has become something that no longer requires you to be in the presence of other people, because that's what cell phones and computers are for. Instead of using technologies to make appointments to meet with people, we avoid meeting people by talking through these devices. People are using technology to separate themselves from others, yet allow themselves to be accessible via these devices 24/7. It doesn't make sense.

Here is something to consider: what is the deal with texting or talking on the phone during a real life conversation? I don't care how talented you think you are at multi-tasking: if you are trying to hold two conversations at once, you aren't present for either. During lunch or coffee with a friend, it's rude to check your phone, text or take a call while trying to connect and converse.

Interrupting what is happening in the present moment so that you can check out and carry on another conversation with someone who is clearly elsewhere shows that you are either a) not invested in that conversation or b) not interested in what your friend has to say. Both don't really say good things about you and how you treat other people.

Not only do technological devices conform our conversations, they also steal us away from reality. A particularly eye opening situation for me was Christmas Eve two years ago.


I have never been a technological person and have no interest in electronic "toys." My phone is used for calling people so we can meet up, my camera takes pictures when I'm out of the country and my computer helps me to survive college. All have a very useful, but simple, function.


So Christmas Eve comes, and every year my mom and I watch "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney while we put presents underneath the tree. What made this evening so memorable was my mother, sitting in her favorite rocking chair, playing a game on her Blackberry while I watched "White Christmas" alone. When I told her to put her "Crackberry" away, she told me she had seen the movie a thousand times. It was not exactly the response I was looking for.

People are refusing to recognize that they are allowing technology to take them away from reality and negatively influence the way they communicate with others. Without electronic mediators, where would we be? Think about it, for once, and consider how you would communicate differently if you didn't have all these devices that separate you from other people. Value life and enjoy human contact - I can promise you a real person is a lot more interesting than the iPhone you always stare at in your palm.

Look up, engage, respond, and reconnect with the world.