Consumerist manipulation in Religion
Said by Yusuf Al-Khabbaz in this brief extract of his article that this unique concept of consumerism affects Muslims in majorly two ways,
“There are two different types of consumerism. One is associated with shopping and advertising, the other with consuming in general, which can include consuming ideas, thoughts, behaviors and lifestyles. So on one level a consumer society is one that likes to shop a lot, but on another level a consumer society is a derivative society, one that has no sense of itself other than what it consumes; this applies to knowledge, education, technology and many other things. Muslim societies at one time were highly productive, but in the past centuries they have become highly derivative;
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Now situations like these do nothing but push them towards the wrong side or force them to make do with what they have. But a fair chunk of people try and look for more easy inflow of money. Since religion and the trade revolving around many of the religious traditions provides many such opportunities, which are profitable and easy ways of earning money. Since inflation continuously gets on their nerves the only way they have to circumvent around it to increase the prices of the trade they are in. Since these religious trades have monopolies being goods and services related to a particular religion the consumers have no other option but to buy. These particular tactic does not only serve to solve the inflation, the greedy suppliers know that they hold the decisive capacity they use this authority of theirs to gather as much profit as they can from this under this cover of religious goods. This problem has also been highlighted by Khuwaja Amer in “To spend or not to spend: Consumerism culture fuelling plastic …show more content…
And since balance is essential for progress, this way of influencing is definitely counterproductive. Religion is undoubtedly the most purest forms of practice, and if consumerism influences people in such a way which transforms them into using religion as a way to fulfil their own selfish needs. The error in this system is in dire need of correction. The correction that has to be implemented in order to restore balance is to find out the holes in the existing system and close them so that these negatives effects may tone down making way for the positive progress we are achieving by this system. So trying to encourage people to spend money only when it is required and create awareness about an ethical approach towards our economical practices may have a very significant change on our