Maldenic, 2008 God of Vice (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} nicholii) wrote,@ 2006-04-25 13:10:00 |
|
Two Things:
Firstly, this may possibly be the most amusing Media Watch story that I have seen.
Secondly, today I opened up the paper (The Australian) and came across a full page advertisement about how "we are losing the equivalent of more than all the Australians killed in World War II" due to Australians not having enough kids.
See also: http://www.play2upnow.com.au/anzac.htm
It is an interesting thing. Yes, you could indeed say that
"We are far too preoccupied with material possessions. This, more than anything else seems to be the reason why our birth rate is in decline. It’s a very sad reason indeed.."
However, to say that such selfishness is a bad thing requires a belief/morality that puts emphasis upon the good of the nation over the good of the individual. I am, if you have heard me rant, rather anti-nationalistic: I see very little point in worshiping a flag or nation. This does not mean that I do not have a belief in certain standards of freedom, and of political and civil rights. Thus I prefer to view the heroicisms of the ANZACs as defending my right to those freedoms, and defending the lives of their friends and family back home.
But, anyway, back to the point. As a person who has a great dislike of modern consumerist materialism, I can see the stupidity of having "your McMansion or your home cinema or flash holiday" as opposed to having a nice family. The problem is that different people enjoy different things, and it is considered a basic function of "civilised society" that people should have the right to be different.
Sartre, I think, would call this a form of bad faith, not being willing to admit that we all think that our individual way is best.
But, in the end, all this can be ignored as you chuckle to yourself about the great irony of this ad being placed opposite the page with articles discussing how the Catholic Church is considering allowing AIDS sufferers to use contraception. Or perhaps it is only I that finds this ironic.
Firstly, this may possibly be the most amusing Media Watch story that I have seen.
Secondly, today I opened up the paper (The Australian) and came across a full page advertisement about how "we are losing the equivalent of more than all the Australians killed in World War II" due to Australians not having enough kids.
See also: http://www.play2upnow.com.au/anzac.htm
It is an interesting thing. Yes, you could indeed say that
"We are far too preoccupied with material possessions. This, more than anything else seems to be the reason why our birth rate is in decline. It’s a very sad reason indeed.."
However, to say that such selfishness is a bad thing requires a belief/morality that puts emphasis upon the good of the nation over the good of the individual. I am, if you have heard me rant, rather anti-nationalistic: I see very little point in worshiping a flag or nation. This does not mean that I do not have a belief in certain standards of freedom, and of political and civil rights. Thus I prefer to view the heroicisms of the ANZACs as defending my right to those freedoms, and defending the lives of their friends and family back home.
But, anyway, back to the point. As a person who has a great dislike of modern consumerist materialism, I can see the stupidity of having "your McMansion or your home cinema or flash holiday" as opposed to having a nice family. The problem is that different people enjoy different things, and it is considered a basic function of "civilised society" that people should have the right to be different.
Sartre, I think, would call this a form of bad faith, not being willing to admit that we all think that our individual way is best.
But, in the end, all this can be ignored as you chuckle to yourself about the great irony of this ad being placed opposite the page with articles discussing how the Catholic Church is considering allowing AIDS sufferers to use contraception. Or perhaps it is only I that finds this ironic.
