Before coming to prison I was part of the ever-changing cycle of consumerism. I'm not sure I was in as deep as some, but I certainly was in deep enough. You know the cycle: As income increases, so does consumption. Some people even increase their consumption based on anticipated income. Author Robert Kiosaki ("Rich Dad, Poor Dad") called it the "Rat Race."
In prison I constantly hear talk of "gettin' money." It's an unhealthy obsession with consumerism.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people that claim to have no desire for money just because I don't have any. I'd like to make good money, and maybe I will one day. But I'm realizing that one cannot be obsessed with consuming when there are so many more important things in life.
When one values money more than freedom, it's easy to fall right back into patterns of behavior that landed them in prison in the first place. In fact, some even continue that same behavior in prison. Stealing from other inmates, dealing in drugs or contraband to make money, or even running scams.
Changing behavior starts with changing your way of thinking.
Until we change our obsession with consuming, many inmates will end up right back in prison, "free" people will continue to be enslaved by mountains of debt, or living paycheck-to-paycheck, and we'll continue to drain the earth of its natural resources.
What are you consuming that you can let go? Don't be a part of the cycle of consumerism.
