About the Site

This site began as a collection of articles for my children as they entered adulthood. My thoughts are almost entirely consumed with the importance of human connection and communication, and I wanted to pass on these lessons to my kids. I have since received an overwhelmingly positive response from people all around the world. The articles are now enriched with the comments and critique of thousands of visitors, and are far more valuable than the words of a single man.

About Jay

Jay Morrissey

I am the result of many years of real-world schooling. After working in a multitude of industries, both as an employee and as a freelancer, I found that the ability to connect with people was always the most important factor in my success. I am now in a position to be able to share with you all that I have learned, and to enrich your experience of life one article at a time.

Consumerism and the fall of community

Growing up in Western culture, I will be the first to admit that the act of purchasing something new is exciting. From the moment a human being decides they need something, the level of excitement builds until the purchase. After the purchase, the excitement remains for a day or two, then the item simply becomes as unexciting as every other object cluttering our home. Although this may appear to be a trivial affair, it has a devastating effect on our lives, relationships and our environment.

Why do we buy what we don’t need?

As a species we are very intelligent creatures. We learn from our experiences. If something hurts, or does not yield the desired outcome, we learn not to repeat the action again. Why then are we destined to repeat our purchasing behaviour, when we know that the pleasure we derive from it is so limited? I believe this is due to a number reasons:

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