Returning to current events, we want to quickly applaud and chide today’s Los Angeles Times. It carries a front-page column called “Silicon Valley Status Symbols Emphasize Mind Over Material” and is chock full of fantastic examples. Dustin Moskovitz, the world’s youngest billionaire according to Forbes (who is saving to fund his philanthropic foundation), is quoted saying, “Things can’t bring you happiness.” That’s really awesome. Experts weigh in about mind over materialism being a prized ethos in Silicon Valley. That’s really cool.
But then the article refers to this growing trend as “conspicuous self-denial.” That really sucks. In fact, the truth is just the opposite as many postconsumers know. Self-denial is actually the constant gnawing in our society that we can’t be excellent just as we are, that more material goods are never enough. It’s denial of the self – of our very cores – on steroids. Mind over materialism, on the other hand, is self-fulfillment. When we have the satisfaction of enough for today – whether it’s a little or a lot – there is only conspicuous contentment. “Enough” may truly be the most precious word that literally defines the self.
