Special Societal Status: How To Achieve It

The author argues that we over-consume to attain a special societal status and end up being poor financially and spiritually. Such causes us to focus on worldly goods other than focus on people. Consumerism does not honor scripture, tradition, reason, and experience (John Wesley Quadrilateral) hence, failing to honor Jesus’ sacrifice. Although the author provides excellent insights, the attitude towards what, how much we consume, and what we choose to assert value to is linked to human psychology, morality, and not consumerism. If indeed we acquire reasoning from the Holy Spirit, does reasoning give substantial happiness, hope, or virtues? Creating new goods provides a sense of common consumer culture, giving humans meaning and unity. For example, the rich can identify with logos, purchase in large quantities, and share with the poor. For the poor, they have a wide range of products to choose from in line with affordability. People develop close relationships and economic activity in a global cultural context. 

Response: Kamrin Pavlos 

Kamrin outlines that nationalism supports the growth of nations without infringement. Through Wesley quadrilateral, we find that nationalism is built on dignity, love and has expanded the author's view on service to country and community. Although the author agrees that some groups use the ideology to spread hate, they fail to recognize that lack of dependence on rationality and respectable political theory puts nationalists in an uncomfortable situation of having to defend it, leading to a destructive secular illusion. Other than focusing on nationalism, working towards democracy could be a more useful source of cohesion and service to communities. For example, a democratic nation values solidarity among people without leaving out immigrants who do not have roots in that country. Indeed, is there a connection between immigrants and high voting for anti-immigrant political parties that are nationalists? Preservation of a country must be bound to justice that gives a shared sense of identity and extension of tolerance beyond nationalism.