Consumerism
Soul of Britain, with Michael Buerk, 25th June 2000
Soul of Britain, written and presented by Michael Buerk was broadcast in nine episodes in June & July 2000. This BBC TV series explored what people in Britain today really believe. What is their attitude to moral issues? What do they think about Christianity? The BBC commissioned the largest ever survey of beliefs and attitudes for this series.
Consumerism and choice are a key element in our society - see session two of the Facing the Challenge course. See also appendix A, on the implications of consumerism for the Church.
It is a cliché to say that we live in a consumer society. However, it does seem clear that our central values now include personal affluence and personal choice. These things are more important to us than traditional values such as integrity and faithfulness in marriage.
Obviously if consumerism plays a central role in our society (and it surely does) then the advertising industry is crucial. This episode of Soul of Britain includes a lengthy (but inconclusive) panel discussion on the rights and wrongs of advertising.
According to a survey by VSO (not the Soul of Britain survey),
- 81% of us want more than we earn
- 94% of us think we're too materialistic
- 89% of us expect to 'have it all'
In this program, Michael Buerk asks whether our society is based on the illusion that personal and national wealth is the way to happiness and fulfillment?
Apparently consumerism does not make us happy. We are ten times more depressed than we were in the 1950's, and forty times more violent. It seems that we are rather naïve if we really think that possessing more things, and having more and more choices, will actually make us either better people or happier people: