Morality and Consumerism — Causal?

Concerning today's discussion, I am interested in the relationship between consumerism(the effects of marketing in particular) and morality. Some expressed that there is a causal relationship. I have been thinking about it and fail to see the connection. Is it like the Nephites, when they became rich and then pride took over? Do people get upset at the marketer when they realize that they really didn't want the item in the first place?(Like when I was upset at Gold's Gym because I let them persuade me into a $600 2 year contract that I purchased and never used).

I would think that Hollywood and the laws of countries and corrupt governance would have a much more important affect on morality. Perhaps I am incorrectly defining morality. Environmentalists take a moral stance on environmental issues instead of an economical stance. Is this the moral decline that is caused by consumerism? What does consumerism mean? Is it the freedom to make mutually agreeable transactions with parties of one's choosing? Is it the obsession with things? Is consumerism capitalism, or is it confused with capitalism?

Isn't "consumerism" a great leap forward compared to socialism where people are forced to comply to the moral code of others? People might fall in the trap of obsessing with stuff, but people are free and have the dignity to choose in capitalistism. One reason why I think that the rhetoric such as we saw today is unhealthy is because it is the same rhetoric used to justify government intervention. But, corrupt government intervention leads to an even greater decline in morality. (Where is crime higher, in countries with bigger more powerful governments or smaller freer governments? )

It seems that consumerism is higher than ever in the U.S. But, the immorality in many areas is declining. Here are some recent facts found in Reason Magazine.

• Crime rates are falling.
• Sex crimes are down.
• The divorce rate is at its lowest point in four decades.
• Life expectancy is up.
• Mortality rates for eight of the 10 leading causes of death in America are dropping. Deaths from the two biggest killers—cancer and heart disease—have been in decline for a decade. Deaths from the third leading cause of death, stroke, are also down.
• Since 1991, fewer teens are having sex, fewer are having sex with multiple partners, and more are using condoms when they do engage in intercourse.
• The abortion rate is also at its lowest point in 30 years.
• Juvenile violent crime is still 40% lower than it was in 1994. The juvenile murder rate is a whopping 73% below its high in 1993.
• And I would add that Proposition 8 passed in California.


I am not crying all is well in Zion, but I am trying to figure out clear causal effects between consumerism and decline in morality in our current economical system. Is it really that important to spend so much time on it compared to other dire issues? Can someone explain this to me?

By the way if anyone is interested in a video that gives the opposite view of today's video, check out ideachannel.tv. It even has an awkward introduction by Arnold Schwartzeneggar!