I think of myself as highly creative yet I can hardly imagine materialism as anything other than a masquerade with consumerism being a superstore of masks priced according to how impressive these masks are. Events and occasions are simply places were people like ourselves meet. Many of these people are new to these places and sometimes to the other people sharing the space. Strangers are examples of people we do not know. Classmates, colleagues, roomates, partners, family and friends example people that we know but only to a certain extent that varies with places and other people sharing them.
In general, people are much more familiar with the superstore mask than with each other. In unfamiliar places or with others barely recognizable by names or faces to have them as friends on facebook or myspace, people are compelled to purchase the best possibly affordable mask and not one that is adequately representable. That is mainly because most people are more ignorant about the others (also with respect to spaces) than they are aware of and confident in themselves.
What most people do not realize is that by putting on an a disguising mask (neither pun nor redundancy intended) around these unfamiliar spaces and people, they are missing the whole point of spaces and meeting and knowing people. They are better off staying in spaces they are most familiar (home) with people they are most acquainted with (family). Otherwise, they are fooling other people by misrepresentation and themselves by erroneous feedback from others contaminated by their misrepresentation. Hence, one can conclude that interaction and communication are unreliable when either of the people involved are misrepresented.
We are often tempted to wear these heavily impressive masks decorated with precious stones and colors, unaware of others' greed and envy. We give our best shot for the first impression, and let the fooled desire us for what we are not, and fool us in return. We think we have conquered, in a game we call the chase, while we are being conquered by self-deception and vanity. Yes, vanity is what I define as the money and effort spent on a fake mask in vain to impress friends we do not have. We feed off vanity and feed it to others in a world of others we (think we) know enough to interact with, but not enough to (dare to) know better. We are ready to steal or even kill to push "affordability" to "feasibility", reducing "morality" to a reminiscence of a term we once feared in the past. What has become of us but monsters fighting for the most deceptively impressive mask that only feeds our vanity making us more monstrous ad infinitum.
My fellow sufferers, I comiserate with you when turned down by your (prospective) soulmate. I condole you when death takes your lovers and I hear you when heart broken by your (future) wife/husband and mother/father of your children. It is tempting to think that your mask was not good enough but what do we know? It is easy to judge and blame it on others but how so if we barely know ourselves?
Know thyselves, before knowing others. Wear no mask and fear no other. Eventually, you will end up going to unimaginable places with natural and earnest people like yourself, there for the same reason. Interact sincerely! A new world with no lies will unfold many truths about yourself and others. You will loose interest in all material world and materialists which will be around but can be avoided (or helped out in hopeful cases). It might be hard to follow this path in places corrupt with brain- and identity-washing brand names, deceptive commercials, and societal fads, trends and craze, but it is never impossible.
Parents lavishly pampering their kids with all goods they can afford should think of how hard it will be for their kids to grow into affording these goods independently some day and how harshly life will contrast against their will. Grown up victims of such indulgences should practice resistance and learn to appreciate everything by earning it in real-world-like scenarios. Nouveau-riches should practice patience and modesty or give their money away if they cannot otherwise.
The next time you consider buying a new car because your older one doesn't look as good or a new phone because your friends have newer phones, ask yourself, why on earth should you listen to someone who would judge you by your car or phone? How could such a person be your friend? Thinking that you are doing it for yourself and not for your friends is a self-deception unless the upgrade is very necessary. Even if you were capable of affording the fastest car and slickest phone, you should avoid being judged by mere appearance and invest your money elsewhere (education, traveling, helping others...). That way, you can learn about your virtues and vices through others' sincere feedback and improve yourself to eventually find the right friends and Mr./Mrs. right that match your qualities. Material comes and goes while your only onle life is going...
"Do what you want and say what you feel because those that mind, don't matter and those that matter, don't mind!" -- Dr. Seuss
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