We are more than commodity!

Great conversation with some younger friends on not branding one another in life (on line or anywhere else—not seeing others in terms of how you can use them and their gifts), and how to practice seeing others as more than commodities. Since the economic metaphor seems to be where most people are placing their security and source of interpreting life these days, a needed talk with the next generation!

In a consumerist culture, these questions have become essential. If consumerism, celebrity, and branding of identity are three major cultural problems in the west, then best to address them now, as my friend pointed out!

How have you stayed true to yourself or authentic, with all the pressures to commodify your self and gifts? The one fellow asked! Great question. How do we stay authentic in a consumerist culture which worships celebrity? Good topic to converse into!

Part of my answer: Try not to see one another as economic units, selling one another’s doves and gifts in the temple. Rather how to treat one another as images of God, not marks of money to be bought and sold. How to be living temples as St Paul put it. We are more than products. Even on line, how to treat one another more as whole people, with intact narratives worth reading.

We spoke of how easy it is to commodify identity these days, especially before even knowing who we are, and what identity is. In other words, to content poor, but have such professional interfaces with the world. How the internet often encourages presentation before knowledge of identity or content. That as teenagers it may be ok to “try on” representations of self, or borrow voices in order to find our own, but then a stage comes when you need to be representing out of true self.

You must know yourself, to lay down your life! Or represent it to others. Good stuff! I learn so much in conversation.

On the way home, i was thinking about “entertainers” who had maintained their real self, even while having public personas. Can we interface from an authentic space within, regardless of how we are perceived by others. In a culture of instant and constant celebrity, this becomes important in the art of really living! Made me think of Johnny Cash, and how his whole life story became a parable of Grace, and he somehow managed to be himself in it!

Let’s not presume to consume each other; or, commodify ourselves, let’s see one another through Love’s bigger lens! Just a thought from last nights conversation with younger friends. Good concerns they had.

The motivations for self commodification are ancient—fame rather than significance, affirmation by others, and power or realm of influence.

Conversely, Jesus was famous for the right reasons. He also knew who He was before He laid down His life. He did not have amnesia on the Cross. He knew he was a King. Our motivations for self representation still matter and need to stay in check.

Liked this talk last night. Especially good food for thought for those with public personas, which is pretty much everyone now! Is your public face flowing from your true inner image? And are you treating others as more than their persona or a package of gifts to be bought an sold! Good questions this fellow got me spinning on last night! More later… thank God we are more than commodities!