i can't f***ing stand it

Often finding myself either annoyed or bored with the consumer driven society we live in, this article was of particular interest to me. I recently saw the film "Devil wears prada" and while mildly amused by the birth of a brand new level of chick-flick, i was also mildly nauseated by the concept of anyone caring that deeply for clothing or any other kind of material item. Nothing personally against people in the fashion industry, but what great effect does the color of a sweater you wear have on the world around you? Even after watching that movie, i had no clue myself.
it was an interesting article that while written well was also informative concererning the arguments it made. It never occured to me that i rarely buy things when i go shoppng, but simply observe, try things on, and consider how bad i really do look in capri pants. It's sad that so much of (american) life revolves around consumerism and not the more important things. The point that those people attending shopping malls most frequently are unemployed was quite eye opening. Consumerism is the medicine of the 21st century and it is a completely inadequate remedy. People obsess over what they have and do not have to the point that ownership of meaningless items and the act of consumption have become an unspoken competition among people, even those who do not have the ability to compete. The stress put on materialism equalling social status needs to be removed from the average american mindset in order for the nation to progress outside of the narrow circle of consumption.
What kills me the most is to think that this continual need to replace new with newer is so often more important to individuals than so many more important things in this world. Materialism leads to onesideness and a sheltered life among all of the tragic yet contemporary events of the world outside of a shopping mall. i can't f***ing stand it.