Urban Idealist

Last night Jen and I watched the movie “Fast Food Nation”. When we rented the movie we thought it was a comedy…but it wasn’t really a comedy at all…and there was certainly not much to laugh about.*

At the end of the movie Jen and I were both feeling really heavy. I know that movies have a way of manipulating ones senses as most of life isn’t set to music, strategic camera angles, or perfect lighting. But this movie really got me thinking things about our culture, lifestyle, and choices that I’ve always been comfortable not thinking. And more importantly it made me think about the effect my life choices end up having on other people.

When I eat piece of pizza, or buy a t-shirt I don’t often think of the places and people that exist to make my life conveniences a reality to me. The truth is that in our culture today we are so out of touch with the origins of the products we consume. Most people don’t farm their food, butcher their meat, sew their clothes, or harvest their beans for their daily cup of coffee…but we all consume things like this, and in our age we can’t escape this reality.

But I wonder…What ends up happening in our souls because of this disconnection? How is our view of the world around us distorted because of the acceptance of this type of consumerism? Are there things that we can do prevent our depersonalization decline?

I’m reading a book right now called “Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places” by Eugene Peterson. This is what he says,

…I don’t want to be just a consumer. I don’t even want to be predominantly a consumer. To be reduced to a consumer is to leave out most of what I am, of what makes me me. To be treated as a consumer is to be reduced to being used by another or reduced to a product for someone else’s use. It makes little difference whether the using is in a generous or selfish cause, it is reduction. Widespread consumerism results in extensive depersonalization. And every time depersonalization moves in, life leaks out.

The essence of the Christian mission and message is that God loves relationships and wants them to be right. He wants our relationship with Him to be right. He wants our relationship with our own soul to be right. He wants our relationships with the world (by this I mean people) around us to be right. I just feel like something in me is saying, “That’s not right” when I know that other people are being de-humanized, de-relationalized, and de-valued because of my choices to consume and maintain the quality of life that I feel like I have a right to.

I think it’s fair to say that luxuries we give money for, others give life for.

I want to return to ‘the matrix’ or ‘la la land’ and pretend that I never had this burden (in essence, commit the sin of forgetfulness), life would be easier if I could go on enjoying my freedom at another’s expense. But I hope the question, “Where does this come from?” will haunt my mind and push me to continue to desire to make the world look a little bit more like the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus prayed would come to earth.

*Another surprise of this film was the sexuality in it. So please be aware of this. You can read the book that it was adapted from instead!