Your last line, EEE, about the money, the money, goes to the heart of it. There are too many corporate interests (and let's not let off the hook the shareholders) who demand ever higher returns, so we're all manipulated into demanding a product, a service, a whatever, that we honestly don't need. If everyday we watched Carl Sagan's Blue Dot video, our bullshit detectors would be fine-tuned and on high alert. In addition to Sagan's 3 minute brilliant distillation of our shared and precious humanity, I'd also recommend Sam Harris's "It's Always Now" video which underscores our need to pay close, very, very close, attention to how we spend our time (which of course is the most valuable non-renewable asset which we have). Regular and deep contemplation of the lessons drawn from these two short videos could help pushback against consumerism, materialism, and dogmas and ideologies of all stripes. But alas, too many folks will be entranced by the next shiny object that's waved in front of them, or by the loudest, most seemingly authoritative voice in the room. Reminds me of George Orwell's observation, "To see what is in front of one's face requires a constant struggle."

Peter T.