Quote

In a consumer society there are inevitably two kinds of slaves: the prisoners of addiction and the prisoners of envy.

-Ivan Illich (1926-2002)


Capitalism is a consumer society, and indeed there may in it be a sense of contentment, yet does such satisfaction not prove to be hollow? Capitalism favors the establishing of enormous businesses and, in turn, an extremely wealthy class. Yet this class, however prosperous it becomes, seems to act continually in pursuit of furthering their wealth. Is it not ingrained in human nature to do so? And it seems that once the taste of wealth strikes one, it becomes nearly impossible to plunder from one the inevitable desire to have that wealth maintained, or, better yet, increased. Is it for the ego boost of possessing more? Or the familiarity of their possessions which catalyzes the looming threat that the consolation of it would possibly diminish? No matter, it is certainly true that such a desire is an addiction to which one can with tremendous ease suffer of. It is an addiction which one can fall slave to and prisoner of without even the slightest recognition of their imprisonment. And it inevitably siezes any whose prosperity is to any superior degree. Thus, the wealthy class can be claimed all prisoners. But who remains? The prisoners of envy, those who are not prosperous. In a consumer society, if there is a wealthy class, there must exist a poor class, the have-nots. And is it not true that the entirity of this group looks upon the wealthy with only jealous eyes? Who does not wish to be rich? They are the slaves of coveting, endlessly harvesting their envy.