Selling Happiness - the Joy of Consumerism
Hidden Enemies
Today’s Verse and Thought
“for the gain from her [wisdom] is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.”(Proverbs 3:14-16)
The joys of a new appliance, a home cooked meal, and clean laundry! This joy can all be yours. (image sources wiki commons)
From yesterday - Do we really believe this is what God wants? When we consider our current state of the church, I wondered, “how did we get here?” Why did “church” become a strobe light auditorium surrounded by giant screens, fog machines, rock bands, and rainbow flags?
The Advent of Consumerism
“The 1950s and 1960s are often considered the golden age of American consumerism. This period saw the mass production and consumption of goods reach new heights. Innovations such as television advertising and the rise of shopping malls transformed how products were marketed and sold. Brands became central to American life, with companies like Coca-Cola, General Motors, and Procter & Gamble shaping consumer preferences and lifestyles.
The concept of planned obsolescence emerged during this time, encouraging frequent replacement of goods to sustain economic growth. This practice not only boosted the economy but also reinforced the idea that one’s identity and status were tied to the latest products and trends.”(source)
In 1958 my in-laws bought their first home. It was in a new suburb in what would later become known as the Silicon Valley of California. As a new college professor, his annual income was under $6,000. Their brand new house cost $17,500.
Outside of their San Jose neighborhood were acres and acres of prune orchards. This was an iconic snapshot of a changing scene in cities all across the US - it was a transition of lifestyles, and the rise of what many dubbed “The American Dream.”
The sprawling cookie-cutter subdivisions with perfectly swept sidewalks, enclosed cul-de-sacs, green spaces, and tree-lined streets were all part of our changing landscape. Vast suburbs sprung up all across the country to accommodate these dreamers.
After six long years (1939-1942) of death and destruction, millions of men returned home from WWII marking a shift in how our society operated. All the women that had supported the war effort - all those Rosie the Riveters - were being lured back into their kitchens as men returned to their breadwinner status. It was time to rebuild the country and calm the “hysteria” of the housewife with prozac, neighborly coffee klatches, and shopping sprees.
There was a surge in the demand for housing as millions of young people married and had children. The average family size was about six. This was the era of the Baby Boomers.
After WWII, the government initiated a program that allowed returning veterans to obtain affordable home loans. This rocketed home ownership from 43% in 1940 to over 60% of the population by the 1960s.
Shop Until You Drop - and We’ll Supply the Credit
“Credit cards appeared after World War II, when a consumer spending boom spurred banks and retailers to find more options for the everyday financial needs of American families.”(source)
This was when “shopping” became an entertaining pastime, rather than a chore to check off a to-do list. Shopping centers had peppered larger cities since the 1920s, but now the modern “mall” was introduced as a new, and fun experience.
Because malls were fully enclosed, they became a safe haven out of the heat of summer or the cold of winter. It would reach its heyday with the addition of the foodcourt.
People could leisurely browse through all the latest home decor, or try on the newest fashion for hours on end, all while mentally comparing what they saw in stores with what they owned back home.
This created a longing and discontent for what one didn’t have as a person wandered through vignettes of beautiful furnishings, furs, and shiny baubles historically reserved only for the wealthy. This was the perfect soil to seed all the new credit card offerings that just so happened to appear at this same time.
How coincidental! How convenient!
By 1960 there were over 4.500 “malls” around the US which accounted for “14% of all retail sales in the US. In 1975, there were 30,000 malls accounting for more than 50% of the retail dollars spent. The amount was equivalent to $676 billion, 8% of the workforce, and 13% of the GDP.”(source)
Selling Happiness
“Brands were spending millions of dollars on print, radio, and television advertising, and as a result, they needed to understand where and when those channels performed. In order to generate the highest marketing ROI for advertising dollars, marketers began to shy away from engaging consumers with generic messaging and set out to understand the consumer. As a result, modern marketing and performance measurement was born.”(source)
This was the era of mass communication as the state-of-the-art black and white television upstaged the airwaves. Before this time, the only way to reach large numbers of people was through radio and print mediums. The advent of television launched all kinds of industries - even new made-for-TV products such as the frozen TV dinner, foldable TV trays, and Hollywood TV Stars.
Family life suddenly revolved around “the tube.”
All of society gathered around steaming little trays of Swansons salisbury steak and peas, or fried chicken and corn, enraptured by the stars of I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, and Leave it to Beaver. And for the more adventurous there were shows like Perry Mason, Dragnet, and The Outer Limits.
Hollywood infiltrated our homes with purposeful stories that portrayed wholesome family values; obedient, perfectly groomed children; cop shows and cowboy movies where the “good guys” always prevailed; and women and men performed their traditional societal roles.
“Gee, Wally.” (Some of you will get that).
After the war, the government engaged Hollywood to instill the picture-perfect family life in order to shape society as well as encourage spending on all those new credit cards. Marketing soon became a booming industry as innovative people saw an opportunity to make money off of products advertised on TV. The consumer lifestyle was born.
Marketing Perfection
“…and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and[a] we cannot take anything out of the world.”(1 Timothy 6:5-7)
During the midcentury, as people adjusted to all the changes brought on by the great war, churches weren’t exempt from the loud narrative that was being sold to us as “normal.”
The use of mass media was an amazing tool that became like a magic trick used on the unsuspecting, naive public. People were fascinated by all the new imagery and stories on TV. It all looked so wonderful and perfect, giving millions of new housewives Cinderella-inspired ideals to attain to.
This state of perfection was coupled with the siren call of shopping and buying on credit so that you no longer had to delay desire. You could just have what you want now, and pay for it later.
Paying for it later - The true cost of consumerism
Our society grew mesmerized by the allure of pursuing the “American Dream”. And our government and corporations were happy to help shape our minds and drive our pursuits by telling us what we should want. They were now the experts who informed us how to pursue the perfect, happy life.
So what did this have to do with church?
To be continued…
Today’s Question
Verses to Explore
“And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.”(Matthew 21:12)
“for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”(1 Corinthians 6:20)
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.”(2 Peter 2:1)
Today’s Prayer
Father, I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to experience what was one of the most productive eras of our country. I feel truly blessed when I compare today with fifty years ago. But I realize that life wasn’t as it seemed. The greed of people captivated our country. No one seemed exempt.
I appreciate that we were given lots of opportunities that today seem to be disappearing. It’s hard to complain and then feel grateful at the same time. I long for the life that was promised. The perfect family in a beautiful house on a tree lined street. Not the broken families and separation from all we love.
Today I realize that our true wealth rests in those we love. There is nothing I desire more than family. I pray Father for all the people today who don’t even know what it is to actually be a family. It was my generation that began to lay the groundwork for so many destructive things. I’m so sorry Father. I’m so sorry for all the dreamers today who must be facing more of a nightmare as we once again seem to be repeating the 1940s.
Help us Father to cling to what is good and let go of what is destructive. Help us to get our priorities in order. And help us Father to understand how we can live in this day in a manner that truly represents you; not a Hollywood dream. Thank your for all you do for us. We are truly rich in you. May all of us bring honor and glory to your name. Amen.❤️