The Playful Civilization

It is easy to be critical of the consumerist-materialist societies.  It is commonplace to comment on their inherent superficiality (advertising), excessive consumption of goods (shopping), tacky architecture (suburbia, malls), and banality to values (rat race, daily grind, family vacations).  Those criticisms would be pertinent if there were some quality about these societies that point directly to some human unhealthiness, or at least some clear immorality.  But it is difficult to pinpoint the direct evidence that these societies pose some special danger to human existence.

 Indeed, the banality of the consumerist society seems obvious, but that is no argument against it.  Rather, its prosaic nature is a clue to its likely virtues.  The daily character in a materialistic, luxury-loving culture is nothing more than a routine form of playfulness. 

 Even playfulness can become banal, but that does not change its basic nature.  In consumerist cultures, much of the entertainment sought by the middle class consists in discovering new trinkets, bartering at a new agora, finding new forms of art and theatre, and trying new foods and alcohol.  The forms of delight are endless, even if excessive, overwrought, and ubiquitous. 

 Another way to see this point is to ask where the evil lies in consumerist-materialistic societies – even after conceding the excessive dreck, tackiness, and tedium pursued by the middle class masses.  Is it in the enormous production and re-production of goods that are not needed?  Is it found in the planned obsolescence of styles and functions?  In the endless creation of the permutations of every new thing – until the thing burns itself out from the principle of  familiarity breeding contempt?  Is it because there are environmental problems with producing and consuming too much?  Is it a moral issue based on “haves” and “have nots?”

 One could concede all of the questions and still be left with an imprecise objection to the consumerist-materialist society.  Its excesses are excesses of playfulness.