What’s wrong with consumerism?

Every holiday season I come across a bunch of articles that decry gift-buying madness and the general culture of consumption. The authors seem to think that the habit of purchasing material goods somehow interferes with one’s family time and spiritual well-being.

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About the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

In my readings and in my dealings with people,  I often encounter unfortunate anti-capitalist and anti-market tendencies which to me as a business person sound senseless, unfair, and offensive. These attitudes don’t make any economic or moral sense, they are nothing but emotional, “feel-good” bumper-sticker slogans. For example, it’s considered good when services are given away for free or when we buy local even if the quality is worse and the price is higher; it’s considered bad when one’s goal is to make a profit and to grow wealth; and teaching children to earn and manage money instead of letting them “enjoy their childhood” is considered outright ugly.

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