A Gratification Society: Is It Driving Us to Extinction?

I am starting to write an editorial for my monthly newsletter, FutureShapers Monthly, in which I focus on the shift of paradigms society must experience to create a sustainable future. One of the  behaviors that will be changing when this paradigm shift occurs will likely be a reduced adolsecent demand for everything right away. We have become an “on demand society” and fully expect everything to be available to us now, right now! And the market accommodates this demand as things continue to move faster and faster to keep up with this mass obsession with “I want it now.”

Is this drive to gratification on demand healthy for us? Or is it serving as a palliative for our over-stimulated psyches leading us to becoming so obsessive about accumulating material stuff and experiences?

If there is any chance for us to transform to a sustainable society we must curb our propensity to obsessively consume. We will need to let go of this insatiable albeit adolescent desire for instant gratification.

As we accept greater responsibility for our reality, our world, we will pass through passages of emotional and spiritual maturity that we’ve all known only on a physical level. This is the transformation that awaits us as a species. This is the passageway to a new way of living and working together.

I welcome your thoughts.

Comments

[Ben Young]

Hi John, this is Ben, and thanks for providing this opportunity to Dialogue on this subject…

J- “As we accept greater responsibility for our reality, our world, we will pass through passages of emotional and spiritual maturity that we’ve all known only on a physical level. This is the transformation that awaits us as a species. This is the passageway to a new way of living and working together”,
B- Yes this is beautifull stated as to the "passageway", and what for you are the “barriers-blockages-resistances”, that need to be “overcome-bypassed-dissolved” (I have experienced all three), in order for us to “As we accept greater responsibility for our reality, our world, we will pass through passages of emotional and spiritual maturity that we’ve all known only on a physical level.”?

J-This is the transformation that awaits us as a species. This is the passageway to a new way of living and working together. I welcome your thoughts.
B- Thank you for this opportunity to share in Dialogue. Namaste, Ben

[John Renesch]

Ben, are you asking what I think the barriers are? Think of all the ways we occupy ourselves with relatively trivial matters that take attention away from being completely present: diversionary activities of all types, numbing agents of all sorts and denial are but a few. Getting lost in our thoughts is another way, wrapped up in "opinionism" and addictions of all kinds. They are all self-indugences that serve as consolations in lieu of any true spiritual awakenings.

[Ben Young]

B- Yes this is beautifull stated as to the "passageway", and what for you are the “barriers-blockages-resistances”, that need to be “overcome-bypassed-dissolved” (I have experienced all three), in order for us to “As we accept greater responsibility for our reality, our world, we will pass through passages of emotional and spiritual maturity that we’ve all known only on a physical level.”?

Posted by: Ben Young | February 03, 2008 at 07:38 AM

Ben, are you asking what I think the barriers are? Think of all the ways we occupy ourselves with relatively trivial matters that take attention away from being completely present: diversionary activities of all types, numbing agents of all sorts and denial are but a few. Getting lost in our thoughts is another way, wrapped up in "opinionism" and addictions of all kinds. They are all self-indugences that serve as consolations in lieu of any true spiritual awakenings.

Posted by: John Renesch | February 14, 2008 at 01:01 PM

Thank you John for sharing "Where you are coming from" in terms of "barriers", within which Conceptual Context Framing (CCF), you seem to be using, and with which I can agree are very well articulated.

All of which to me are Operational Level, behavioral modeling's that are focused on seemingly more at the "outside" time relevant involvemetns, rather than the necessary "insdide" CCF Shits needed for lasting behavioral change...

Building on your previous writings about the Role of Context not being noticed, and the "barriers" necessary to be shifted to make change last, which to me is at the MetaCCF Level that can alter the Operationl Level choices you have beautifully explicated;

What would be the "barriers", as you see them at the MetaCCF Level that need to be "overcome, bypassed or dissolved...? Namaste, Ben

[John Renesch]

That's pretty simple, Ben. It is ultimately ego gratification.

[Ben Young]

Hi John, "Ego Gratification" is a great generalized characterization of the problem... My question had to do with what are the "barriers", that need to be "overcome, bypassed or dissolved...? Meaning that for me "what is the "How to" that is neede to "overcome", "bypass" or "dissolve", "Ego Gratification" as a problem (if any one has noticed within this Context)...? Namaste, Ben

[John Renesch]

So the barrier you asked me to define is ego gratification. But you want to know the way to surpass the barriers, right Ben?

As far as I can tell there are many, may ways to transcend ego....spiritual traditions of all sorts, psychotherapy, self-help/taught processes of many varieties. I haven't seen an technique or model that offers an "easy answer' without the person doing the grunt work of self-examination and ultimately transformation.

Learning a new technique or "flavor of the month" process merely makes the person a "wiser rat" who has learned another way to maintain the illusion of ego-control, taking the payoffs but no real change occuring.

Mindshifts, consciousnes change, worldview transformations are tough work requiring tough love of self, commitment and willingness to shine the light of truth into every nook and cranny of the ego, shadows and all.

[Ben Young]

Posted by: John Renesch | February 14, 2008 at 01:01 PM
B- Yes this is beautifully stated as to the "passageway", and what for you are the “barriers-blockages-resistances”, that need to be “overcome-bypassed-dissolved” (I have experienced all three), in order for us to “As we accept greater responsibility for our reality, our world, we will pass through passages of emotional and spiritual maturity that we’ve all known only on a physical level.”?
Posted by: Ben Young | February 03, 2008 at 07:38 AM
Ben, are you asking what I think the barriers are? Think of all the ways we occupy ourselves with relatively trivial matters that take attention away from being completely present: diversionary activities of all types, numbing agents of all sorts and denial are but a few. Getting lost in our thoughts is another way, wrapped up in "opinionism" and addictions of all kinds. They are all self-indugences that serve as consolations in lieu of any true spiritual awakenings.
Posted by: John Renesch | February 14, 2008 at 01:01 PM
Thank you John for sharing "Where you are coming from" in terms of "barriers", within which Conceptual Context Framing (CCF), you seem to be using, and with which I can agree are very well articulated.
All of which to me are Operational Level, behavioral modeling's that are focused on seemingly more at the "outside" time relevant involvemetns, rather than the necessary "inside" CCF Shits needed for lasting behavioral change...
Building on your previous writings about the Role of Context not being noticed, and the "barriers" necessary to be shifted to make change last, which to me is at the MetaCCF Level that can alter the Operational Level choices you have beautifully explicated;
What would be the "barriers", as you see them at the MetaCCF Level that needs to be "overcome, bypassed or dissolved...? Namaste, Ben
Posted by: Ben Young | February 21, 2008 at 11:15 AM
That's pretty simple, Ben. It is ultimately ego gratification.
Posted by: John Renesch | February 22, 2008 at 08:32 AM
Hi John, "Ego Gratification" is a great generalized characterization of the problem... My question had to do with what are the "barriers", that need to be "overcome, bypassed or dissolved...? Meaning that for me "what is the "How to" that is needed to "overcome", "bypass" or "dissolve", "Ego Gratification" as a problem (if any one has noticed within this Context)...? Namaste, Ben
Posted by: Ben Young | March 12, 2008 at 12:55 PM
J- So the barrier you asked me to define is ego gratification. But you want to know the way to surpass the barriers, right Ben? B- Not exactly, getting around barriers to transcending “ego gratification” for me is to change from using an “either-or” decision making process for making changes…
J-As far as I can tell there are many, many ways to transcend ego....spiritual traditions of all sorts, psychotherapy, self-help/taught processes of many varieties. I haven't seen any technique or model that offers an "easy answer' without the person doing the grunt work of self-examination and ultimately transformation. B- For me these are again generalizations of ways to actually make “what generic change” within a Context that will last…?
J- Learning a new technique or "flavor of the month" process merely makes the person a "wiser rat" who has learned another way to maintain the illusion of ego-control, taking the payoffs but no real change occurring. B- Beautifully stated… The “how to’s”, I am searching for are those that are real and permanent if possible…
J- Mindshifts, consciousness change, worldview transformations are tough work requiring tough love of self, commitment and willingness to shine the light of truth into every nook and cranny of the ego, shadows and all. B- Thank you, you now have established the Mega Conceptual Context Framing within which I am asking my question… What are the specific “how to processes” in “Mindshifts, consciousness change, worldview transformations that have worked for you in your Journeying…?
Posted by: John Renesch | March 12, 2008 at 01:35 PM

[John Renesch]

Ben, To answer this in the detail you are requesting is not only highly-personal (may not be valuable to others) but incredibly time-consuming (which I am unwilling to take on). I've said all I care to say about this. I am feeling dragged back into that conceptual morass I've experienced earlier with you, Ben.