The Cult of the Next Thing: Quotes on Consumerism by Keropok Lekor

"I say that I am a “consumer” because that is what I am told, and consequently that is what I believe about myself. When did I start hearing that I was a consumer and why? Who tells me that I am a consumer and why? A noted philosopher told me once when I asked him what lust was, “Lust” he said, “is consuming”. I live in a rural area. Everywhere I go I find sheep, cows, and pigs. They are consumers, too. We eat them. Who is eating us? "—Wildfeather

Article by Keropok Lekor:

"I belong to the Cult of the Next Thing. It's dangerously easy to get enlisted. It happens by default—not by choosing the cult, but by failing to resist it. The Cult of the Next Thing is consumerism cast in religious terms. It has its own litany of sacred words: more, you deserve it, new, faster, cleaner, brighter. It has its own deep-rooted liturgy: charge it, instant credit, no down-payment, deferred payment, no interest for three months. It has its own preachers, evangelists, prophets, and apostles: ad men, pitchmen, celebrity sponsors. It has, of course, its own shrines, chapels, temples, meccas: malls, superstores, club warehouses. It has its own sacraments: credit and debit cards. It has its own ecstatic experiences: the spending spree. ...more