Escape! From the Cult of Materialism
In the western world, the accumulation of wealth has become the ultimate symbol of success. According to the new documentary Escape! From the Cult of Materialism, this unquenchable thirst for more has made slaves of us all, and suppressed the most basic human virtues of decency, solidarity and compassion. A mosaic of inventively edited stock footage, animations and clips from various popular films, this enlightening documentary provides a brief but sweeping overview of materialism's origins, and its continued clutch on society today.
It all starts with simple desire. The drive to attain greater resources is understandable from a survivalist's perspective; after all, more sophisticated tools allow us better access to food and protection from nature's harshest elements. But over the years, this need has been manipulated by the corporatized machine of materialism. We no longer know where our food is coming from, and that impersonal relationship is making us sick and weakening our once harmonious relationship with the environment.
We purchase goods and services that don't nourish us, and produce an endless stream of pollution-inducing waste as a result. Our children die in wars that fatten the wallets of big industry. Even in the face of the 9/11 tragedy, Americans were urged by their president to respond by going shopping. Marketing is the platform for mass seduction, and we're entranced by its central message that possessions increase our personal value and social status.
The film argues that materialism's influence is all-consuming and unsustainable. The United States contains 5% of the world's population, but uses 25% of the Earth's resources. What will become of the planet when more populated countries like China and India begin to produce and consume at this scale?
In addition to illustrating the destructive brainwashing tactics of modern consumerism, the film also offers practical steps we can take to curb its ongoing dominance in our daily lives. These include a renewed reliance on local farmers and craftspeople, limiting our exposure to mass media, and banning the swarms of advertising from the vicinity of our schools.
Handsomely assembled and narrated with articulate insight, Escape! From the Cult of Materialism is an intelligent and thought-provoking film.
I'm truly happy and content that I have chosen a minimalist lifestyle which includes only a few things that are ESSENTIAL and BEAUTIFUL--my own works of art.
In these days anti-consumption itself is in danger of being exploited as a superficial sign of virtue and thus stripped of all its initial meaning through consumption.
Earn enough and buy what you need . Don't listen to any self help or any documentary .Only loosers try to find validation on other peoples word . Do your best and ignore anyone who isn't living with you . Remove all old people from your life including parents .
There are some real "dufus" comments here that only mirror the basics in ignorance.
It's a plain fact that the attitude of "more stuff" is rampant today. The point is, what will we as a society do about it? If you feel that you need the nicest lawn on the street, the flashiest car or the biggest house to feel like you are impressing somebody, or that you've accomplished something then you, and anyone who looks up to that is the problem.
Also, the term "yuppie" was not created out of a lack of new generational terminology.
It was coined because of the yes sir, no sir, jump how high sir, I can do that sir attitude, "while caring less about consequences as long as it benefits ME".
That generation is surely not solely to blame...but it surely escalated there.
We all are to blame, they learned it from generations before them, as we all did.
hardly a documentary.. its repetition on the same points over and over again
Although it makes very true points its hardly a documentary. Just a series of film and news clips.
Can someone tell me the song playing at 10:08? I've heard it many times but, for the life of me, just can't remember the name of it, or who plays it. I looked at the credits with no luck. Thank you.
This documentary details the "illness" going on in the west... but have you bothered to take a good look at our friends in China? LOL.. These people have straight lost the plot on consumerism...its like a new disease to these people... They are WELL on there way to surpassing us... dont even try and dispute that one... Most Chinese are typically "new money"..and new money brings ALOT of similar social hangups... The Chinese are losing there minds with materialism...
This documentary summed up my thoughts on life completely. It took me 60 years of life experience and 20 years of serious study on the human condition to arrive there. My hope is that all Millennias will watch this. And then act, before its too late.
This film was amazing! a masterpiece if you will.. I mean, you can call it a wake up call to humanity :)
They confuse philosophical materialism as opposed to idealism with materialism in the sociological sense, being, the valuing material possessions. Two completely different concepts that happen to use the same term. Therefore, anything else in this 'film' however intuitively valid is likely based on misunderstanding or at worst, falsification. I'm not defending materialism, by which I mean consumerism, it is pernicious and ridiculous. But so is this 'film'.
The guy shopping to celebrate was buying groceries... Is he getting flack for not growing his own food?
The nature photographer was shooting with thousands of dollars in telephoto lens and camera equipment, after flying/driving to that locale.
If concern for nature goes down as materialism goes up, how do you justify the purchase of recreational toys? Safety advances in sport leading to purchase of safer equipment?
In the abscence of engineering advancement, consumerism is an accurate description.
Next time you go mountain biking on a 1970's 10 speed with 23c tires, crash and opt to save money on a helicopter evac with a 3 day ride out laying sideways on the back of a mule? they try to give you an MRI with an upcycled refrigerator mated to a paper film camera, but someone goes for leftovers during your imaging and ruins the prints.
Right film for right people. I'm in the minority and I'm proud of it <3 Well done !
What a sophomoric description of the world by an obvious atheist and Marxist. This is nothing but the same propaganda that Edward Bernays used.
@Claudino- I believe it's called An Ending (Ascent) by Brian Eno
Amazing piece of work! Two thumbs up! - Does anyone know the name of the music track appearing approximately at minute 41:20 in the documentary?
When Michael Jackson wrote 'Man in the mirror.'
The 'mirror' was of metaphorical origin.
I do think materialism and consumerism is a problem, and I do think truth should be spoken - but I think documentaries such as this one tend to embellish the truth (for shock value), which in turn leads to excessive equivocation and a propaganda technique known as "anchoring".
If activists,etc want to be taken seriously they have to stop using the same techniques as the people/organizations/system they are tring to expose.
@Russ
I was bugged by this as well, but it turns out that there is such a thing called Economic Materialism, which fits the movie well, however Consumerism fits the bill even better, and I sent them a mail imploring them to consider changing the script, since it's a unfortunate potential source of miscommunication and misunderstanding.
Excellent documentary. Everyone should watch this.
Materialism is a clearly defined philosophical term, which has nothing to do with consumerism, the term you probably mean. I advise you to read some philosophy from Hegel, Marx and others if you want to be taken seriously.
Reza, could it be that your problem of how "to control own self" begins with your thinking that a particular house or car is "better" than yours? For example, if you and your friend's car both serve their transport function equally well, would you regard your friend's car "better" if it cost more? ...or was bigger? ...or newer?..or reached 100 km/h more quickly? Why, why any of these things?
I think this is an extremely well done video that really gets at the truth of what's happened, and is still happening, in the USA. Probably only those who love greed will dislike this. Those of us who have raised our heads up out of the sand long enough to do some critical thinking will recognize the truth of it.
All understood, but to control own self. When friends drive better car or have better home how to control?
True...like the point that living with fundamental needs and use the money and time for relationships, nature. Better than loans and rat race. Thanks