Materialism: Macro or micro?

Ever since Bush, post 9/11, told us all to “go shopping,” I’ve wondered how on Earth our president could respond to national tragedy with so little sensitivity. (“Crisis may cure our materialism, shift priorities,” Oct. 26.)

Dumbfounding. As the story suggests, he apparently thought such behavior would translate to, “Take that, Osama!”

Indeed, David Colander, quoted in the story, is profoundly right: “Nobody is asking the big question: How much of a consumer society do we really want to be?”

Elizabeth Watson

Ridgecrest

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The story suggests that the U.S. has caught a systemic disease that may have a systemic cure. Ridiculous.

Materialism, since the dawn of time, has been about having more than the other guy no matter how little or much that might be.

Being materialistic is an individual complaint, not a group malaise.

The individual must avoid being owned by the things he possesses.

Michael Moran

Manhattan Beach