Welcome to 2014

Happy New Year 2014 Everyone
by GDL

Another year gone and another starting.
Like every year it's time to reflect and set some resolutions. We reflect on  what we did or did not do. We reflect and assess what we achieved during the past year. We also reflect on why we failed to do, what we initially set to do but cannot really find a rational explanation.
Again we set some goals and objectives, materially more that anything else: time to buy a new car or move into a new house, time to have a new TV set, a new computer, new furniture, another trip overseas, etc...But only a few will say I need to be a better person, think more of others, help my neighbours, look after my family and be more caring. So let us all try to do and be better this year although this might sound relative for some.



During the festive seasons, people are bombarded by marketing and the urge to buy is very strong if not irresistible. Commercial Christmas has taken over the religious one and even if it means drawing from the credit card or getting into debt, gifts have to be offered and received. It has become imperative to do something special for Christmas or at this end of year. The more we spend and buy, the more we  enjoy, feel good and boost our self-esteem. The feel-good is another concept of capitalistic marketing where "wants" take over "needs". Many of the gifts received or offered are often unwanted and end up somewhere else, or kept to be offered at another occasion. It is also the case that what was received from A will be given to B while X ends up receiving a gift that was received from Z. Funny isn't it ?
Before Christmas there is the buying frenzy, millions are spent although there will be a sale after Christmas (in Australia particularly). Still more are spent after Christmas during the sales period. This year apparently, Australians spent some billions during the sale. Was this genuine purchase or were people trapped by shops which have made 300 per cent profit before Christmas and not reducing to 100 per cent ? Good marketing again from the shops to keep people buying and spending.


Talking of marketing this is the buzz...everything is marketing: promotion, advertising, sales, all blurred and blended now. Marketing creates awareness, the urge and entices customers to buy so that they can enjoy a better lifestyle, the feel-good factor is supreme. So everyone jumps into the same boat. But while some reach the shore many drown, meaning that many end up in debts and difficulties and have to work all year to repay the debts. This is capitalism at its best: consume, consume and consume as they " want" us to do, impulse buying takes over rational buying. However, it seems hard to resist to this undue consumption pattern because this is the way to be or they want us to be. Again we give way to our unlimited wants and forget what we really need. This eventually creates waste because soon we found that we did not really need this and either we do not use it or we throw it away. But meanwhile your money has gone into someone else's pockets. Big business, multinationals, the already rich have gone richer. But we are all ready to do it again even though we know pertinently that the few will always be rich at the expense of the mass.  The rich always prey on the poor to get richer and leave the poor poorer.
But no there is no such thing like exploitation or living at the expense of those who are weak and vulnerable in this modern era, it is all about marketing and consuming. The more one consumes the better it is for the economy  and for the world. Money and business come first and its does not matter if this causes some collateral damages along the way. The world must move on. We all must move on whatever the cost.