Consumerism:

In our modern society, it has become increasingly rare that we get the opportunity to slow down and
consolidate our own lives. This development can be attributed to the rapid proliferation of
consumerism throughout our lives.

Consumerist ideology has allowed the economy to flourish, but has had a profound impact on the
life of the individual. The average modern individual has sufficient resources for his or her needs, but
is constantly bombarded with advertisements for newer and better additions to their life. The
individual tirelessly works to afford such luxuries, and becomes trapped in a perpetual cycle of
desire. This is the cornerstone of consumerism, which states that one's life becomes more
meaningful with more material possessions.

Within this hot-headed chase, the sentimental value of a current watch, phone, handbag or even a
car is markedly decreased in the face of whichever new item happens to be in vogue. Yesterday is
written off as a state of inferior existence, and our vision is set to the future, since this view liberates
us from the burden of ever being worse than our friends or neighbours. This pursuit locks our eyes in
one direction, preventing us from looking backwards and truly understanding what it is we possess.
Only when the momentum stops, when we hit an obstacle, when we run out of money, do we get
the chance to stare blankly at the trail we left in our wake.

These moments of stagnancy are an opportunity to look back at one's life and appreciate it. In the
moment, buying that new watch didn't seem like such a bad idea, and we would never think to look
back. But now that the chase has stopped, we are forced to look back, no matter how violent the
damage, no matter how horrifying the reality is. Inevitably, however, with enough time and
perseverance, the obstacle will be overcome and the chase will begin once again, riding the
inexorable waves of consumerism that wash us over.

Consumerism has turned us away from moments of stark realisation, commanding us to favour the
present, instead of the dark abyss of our past. Yet, it is these moments in our lives that are perhaps
the most valuable of them all.
For many of us, we spent a considerable amount of time sitting at a desk, staring at a whiteboard,
absorbing the knowledge that our teachers would tell us. This knowledge would be invaluable for us
as we prepared to face assessments and examinations, painstakingly remembering and extracting
the correct answer to a question. Sometimes we were given options as to what the correct answer
might be, but sometimes it was ambiguous. Nevertheless, there is a very prevalent misconception
among students that learning is simply a pursuit for a "correct" or ideal answer. This could not be
further from the truth.

To think that learning is purely about identifying an answer would be to degrade oneself to the level
of a machine. It is foolish to also think that learning terminates at an answer, even if it is indeed the
correct one. This is the job of technology and robots. Humans are gifted with the capacity for
curiosity, the thirst to explore the unknown, and it is this hunger that truly embodies learning.
Scientists are perhaps the best example of individuals who continue to press against the bounds of
their knowledge. In doing so, we have seen developments such as vaccines, green technology, stem
cell therapy and many others, which all will have profound effects on human existence. These
discoveries would not have been possible had Galileo Galilei decided to accept the words of the
Church as gospel, or had Edward Jenner simply accepted smallpox as an inevitability of life.

As such, it is imperative that we emerge from the chrysalis that school so lovingly places us into and
pursue knowledge, not for the sake of an answer, but for the metamorphosis into a greater self.
Never judge a book by its cover. It may be a cliched line, but in such uncertain times as we witness
today, its importance shines brighter than ever.

While COVID-19 may have brought many families and communities together in spirit, it has also
sown seeds of discord among Asian communities, particularly in countries such as America. This
pandemic has been persistently referred to as the "Chinese virus", inciting an unprecedented degree
of resentment and violence. While COVID-19 has indeed crippled economies and ruined many lives,
we cannot allow the human race to become separated and to turn against each other, particularly
on those who are innocent.

It can be easy to lash out and to point the finger at the perpetrator of all the failure and
disappointment in one's life. It can be just as easy to group people into boxes, to tarnish them all
with the same brush and blame the woes of the world on their existence. But what good does that
do? It does not solve the problem, nor does it provide an avenue to solve the problem. By firing
accusations, people become alienated and unappreciated, and the only thing that grows in that
barren wasteland is collective resentment. What is much harder, but much more productive, is to
address the situation rather than the perpretrator, to take a step back and to listen to the voices of
our fellow humans. In this way, we build relationships rather than tear them down, and we solve
problems rather than creating new ones.

At the heart of every problem lies a seesaw, which oscillates precariously between anarchy and
unity. It is our decision, and our decision only, which determines which way the balance will tip.
As a species, humans have evolved as a social species who rely on interconnectedness and mutual
cooperation to form the foundations of our communities, cities and empires. The development of
technology has created a world which is more connected than ever, but has also brought to light the
many social inequalities within communities that arise from various political, social and personal
factors. In its purest sense, charity seeks to reduce these inequalities and repair the fabric of society
by redistributing wealth amongst the community. However, as Mother Theresa once implored, it is
not the content nor the value of what we give which is important, but “how much love we put into
giving”.

Charity is a multi-faceted concept that rests primarily on the ideas of generosity and good will, with
the aim of inciting beneficial change to another person’s life. Perhaps the most familiar way of doing
this is in the form of monetary or material donations. Initiatives such as the Good Friday Appeal, The
Lighthouse Foundation and the Salvation Army have all successfully changed the lives of many
victims of inequity. Of course, such change would not have been possible without the generous
donations of the community who gave what they were willing to give: a chair, old clothes, a cheque,
or any other token of generosity.

However, the true spirit of charity is encapsulated in Walt Whitman’s words: “I do not give lectures
or a little charity, when I give I give myself” and personified in figures such as Mohammed Mashaly,
an Egyptian doctor dedicated to serving the poor. Dr Mashaly not only preserved many lives in a
poverty and disease-ridden society, but wholeheartedly devoted himself to his patients and their
health, charging only 30 US cents per consultation. It was this selflessness, this undying passion to
improve another’s wellbeing which truly resonated with Dr Mashaly’s patients and truly captures the
underlying principle of charity.

For the rest of us average citizens, we may not have the skills to directly follow in Dr Mashaly’s
footsteps and save thousands of lives, but we can adopt his spirit of generosity on a much smaller
scale. Rather than thinking of charity as giving something which is purely transactional, we may think
of charity as doing something in good faith for another on a personal level. Whether that be
becoming an advocate, volunteering or interacting with disadvantaged members of the community,
the benefits are two-fold. For those that receive aid, by attaching a human face to tangible support,
that help becomes more valuable. As John Holmes said, “there is no exercise better for the heart
than reaching down and lifting people up”. Indeed, those who do help are left fulfilled, a byproduct
of our biological imperative to love one another.

The intent of our actions is just as valuable as our actions themselves. Similarly, charity in the form of
monetary donations may indeed reduce inequities, but it is charity in the form of human kindness
which is the catalyst for social connectedness.
 NB: Parallel between how
humans have historically
utilised their brains to exploit
Earth’s resources for the
success of our species and how
modern humans can also use
their minds to exploit the
resources they are given for
their personal success

Throughout history, humans

have been pioneers in the utilisation of natural resources to their advantage. From sharpening
stones for creating spears to the use of wood for fire and more recently, the harnessing of uranium
as a potential source of long-term energy, the innovation of humans has proved time and time again
to only be limited by our own imagination. However, the surplus of widely available resources has
given rise to certain ecological and personal dilemmas, of which it is our collective responsibility to
resolve.

The widespread use of fossil fuels in our communities and cities has brought humans a convenient
and reliable source of electricity, but has also come at an unprecedented cost to our environment. It
is the belief of many that the systemic utilisation of fossil fuels is largely responsible for global
warming, melting ice caps and increasingly violent weather. In a similar vein, the unrestricted use of
chlorofluorocarbons as a coolant in old refrigerators led to the depletion of the ozone layer,
exposing many to harsher UV radiation from the sun. As such, we have seen that the technological
potential of many natural resources has simultaneously brought utility to us and inflicted damage
upon Earth. In continuing to utilise and exploit resources, humanity is, for the first time, entering an
age where technological implementation is not limited by our own capacity, but by our planet’s
capacity to sustain our species.

On an individual level, the modern human is blessed with a plethora of educational and
entertainment resources. Sites such as YouTube or Wikipedia are an endless database of information
sitting at the palm of one’s hand. But perhaps the most valuable resource of the modern age is time.
Oftentimes our mind is so overloaded with the sheer amount of information and stimulation from
our busy world that focussing on a singular objective becomes almost impossible. How is it possible
to do more work with less time? Studies have shown that techniques such as the Pomodoro
technique, where one works for 25 minutes and rests for 5 minutes over the course of 2-3 hours,
increases productivity and decreases burnout. Chris Bailey, author of Hyperfocus, suggests that the
key to increasing productivity is a technological detox; by moving the mind to a lower state of
stimulation away from screens and technology, it becomes more creative, more focussed and more
powerful.

It is vital that humans in the modern world can utilise their minds to make the most of their time in
the same way that humans throughout history have utilised Earth’s resources for the success of our
species. Over-utilisation of resources may lead to stagnancy and inconsequential damage, but
efficient and proper use of what is available to us is the catalyst for progress.