Lost in the Supermarket

I place a high value on faith.

My faith provides a framework for understanding life's challenges and finding meaning in my experiences. It helps me align my values with my behaviors, encourages self-reflection, personal accountability, and self-improvement. I think of my faith like a compass giving me direction.

And, given some of the ways religion has been used to control and manipulate people, talking about our personal faiths can be uncomfortable. My answers are typically not very satisfying to people looking for specifics. But, I have faith that I belong to something greater than the limits of my knowledge, which is best understood when I become willing to let go of certainty and allow the world to reveal itself. It is here that I understand how interwoven all of life is and how I can be of service. 

But it is easy to lose faith, maybe increasingly so in our contemporary culture.

The health of anyone’s faith is conjoined to their ability to trust. When trust becomes low, faith spirals towards nihilism, often becoming either cultic or hyper-individualistic. 

People living in religious/political echo chambers have come to see the people they disagree with as the enemy. Hyper-individualists prioritize their needs and desires above all else, which might give the appearance of self-care but actually leads people into greater isolation, loneliness, and disillusionment. 

Each of these extremes, in their own way, also relies on forms of spiritual consumerism to fill a void or a longing for something authentic because their faith has become so nihilistic.

Lost Trust and Faith

Much has already been said about the decline in people’s trust in religion, so there is no need to rehash the why of these arguments. I mention it only to say that the decline of trust, or even what E.J. Dionne Jr. has called “the weaponization of distrust,” has impoverished our faith and left us with a profound lack of direction. 

The loss of community space and the atomization of society where everyone's opinion becomes their highest value receives none of the softening that might come from listening to people we trust but disagree with us. It has left each of us as our own highest authority. This is not only dangerous for democracy, it is a form of spiritual death for the seeker.

The loss of trust and, therefore, faith does not mean people have stopped searching for meaning and purpose. It is just that the search has brought us to some unexpected places. One intriguing trend is the rise of spiritual consumerism—a phenomenon where material goods and experiences are imbued with spiritual significance.

The Evolution of Spiritual Consumerism

Spiritual consumerism isn't entirely new, but it's taken on fresh dimensions in recent years. Amanda Hess of The New York Times observes a shift from "nihilistic materialism to a new kind of consumerism imbued with spiritual and political significance." She points out how shows like 'Queer Eye' and personalities like Marie Kondo, now present shopping and redecorating as deeply meaningful, even transformative acts.

This trend reflects a broader societal change. As traditional religious identification declines, there's a growing hunger for spirituality in new forms. People are seeking spiritual growth and meaning through various channels, including consumer choices. 

I want to be cautious because I am not saying we should avoid being consumers, if that were even possible. There are valid reasons for buying books, taking classes, and watching YouTube videos. I’ve done all of these and will do them again. 

The problem emerges when we are unaware of what we are consuming. Therefore, it's crucial to understand the difference between genuine spiritual growth and its commercialized counterpart.

The Allure of Spiritual Consumerism

In today's fast-paced world, spiritual consumerism offers a seductive promise: instant enlightenment and personal growth through purchases. This trend capitalizes on our desire for quick fixes and tangible results, presenting spirituality as a commodity that can be bought and sold. 

And the spiritual marketplace is booming, offering a vast array of products and experiences designed to enhance our spiritual well-being.

The appeal lies in its accessibility and the illusion of effortless transformation. It's far easier to buy a self-help book or attend a weekend retreat than to commit to long-term spiritual practices grounded in relationships. This commercialization of spirituality also taps into our innate need for belonging and identity, offering pre-packaged spiritual personas we can adopt.

That said, I really appreciate the increased accessibility we now have to spiritual teachings and products. Research even suggests consumer spirituality can improve our sense of wellness during challenging times, like what we experienced during the pandemic. 

My concern is that this approach often reduces complex spiritual concepts to simplistic soundbites and trendy accessories, potentially trivializing genuine spiritual pursuits.

Additionally, I think spiritual consumerism can lead to a passive approach to spiritual growth. It creates a false sense of progress where individuals feel they're advancing spiritually simply by acquiring knowledge or attending events. 

Real spiritual growth requires effort, commitment, and often discomfort as we challenge ourselves to change. It's not about collecting spiritual experiences like souvenirs, but about allowing those experiences to shape our character and actions in meaningful ways.

The Importance of Community

In the realm of spiritual growth, community plays a crucial role that can't be replicated by individual consumption. While buying spiritual products might offer temporary satisfaction, it often falls short in providing lasting fulfillment, especially when used to fill emotional voids.

On the other hand, active participation in a spiritual community offers powerful benefits:

1. It challenges us to step out of our comfort zones, fostering personal growth.
2. It provides opportunities for real-world application of spiritual principles.
3. It offers diverse perspectives and insights that go beyond what self-help books can provide.

Regular engagement with a community can lead to deeper understanding, accountability, and support in one's spiritual journey. Unlike passive consumption, community involvement requires active participation, encouraging genuine growth and transformation. It's through these shared experiences and collective wisdom that individuals can find authentic spiritual development in an increasingly materialistic world.

While consumerism can play a role in spiritual well-being, it should complement other practices like meditation, community engagement, self-reflection and service. The key is to strike a balance, using material goods as tools for growth rather than ends in themselves.

xo, Ian