Definition: Economic materialism:Materialism (adj. materialistic) is the excessive desire to acquire and consume material goods.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_materialism)
My main focus for this is, once I heard of someone being told that they were this and it brought the phrase MATERIALISTIC to my attention. So I ask the question Materialistic? Or Symbolism? The topic in question, as I have already mentioned will be that of the Pandora Bracelet and charms.
For my Birthday last year my parents bought me a Pandora bracelet with a few charms and since then I have added some myself as well as others buying me some for special occasions. This is when the phrase SYMBOLISM came into my head.
Definition: Symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing things with a symbolic meaning or character. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolism_(disambiguation)
The Picture above shows my first charms for my bracelet. (From Left to Right) My Celtic bead representing my nationality, Red heart bead, Chinese Pisces representing my birth sign, Grey heart bead and my Grandma bead, in remembrance of my Grandmother who I lost. Only two of the beads I could say I have that show a possible materialistic side to me.
The two beads above I bought for myself, the C for my first name initial and the wolf as I belive that the wolf is my guardian that watches over me in my dreams. Again Materialistic? Or Symbolism?
The charm above was given to me by my Parents when I graduated Univeristy.
The above charm was given to me by very close family friends for graduating University.
Both my charms for university show the symbolism of my success and my personal achievements.
My last charm I recently recieved for my birthday this year.
This charm is a poppy, which represents the Poppy Appeal and the remembrance of all those who fell and died fighting for us today during the First World War, which I always donate to. As well as my love and interest in WW1.
All my charms have their own meanings and symbols, which I am sure others out there who have one do to. But still there are many people who still say that it is all about Materialim and just to help companies such as Pandora and Chamilia a profit, yet my last charm there proves that this isn't always the case as some of the money that you pay for the charm is given to the Poppy Appeal and there are many others out there that are doing their bit for charity to, such as the Breast Cancer Charm and the Marie Curie Charm.
So I ask you which way do you see it?
Materialistic? Or Symbolism?
It's all materialistic. The charm is a meaningless external way of displaying your beliefs. Symbology means you appreciate a sign, not that you have to spend
ReplyDelete40 quid to wear it round your wrist.
The fact that some of the money from the poppy charm gives to charity doesn't prove it isn't materialistic. You could give 40 quid to the poppy foundation just as easily as not buying the symbol.
So whilst you can believe in symbols and there meaning. Any external display of that past the bare minimum is, in every way materialistic.
Thank you for your view.
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