Russia and the USA are two key countries of modern history. Because they show the way. The first showed what socialism can bring, the second — where capitalism leads.
Socialism led to a dead end — did not take into account the consumer psychology of man. Capitalism indulges the consumer psychology of man too much, and this is also a road to a dead end.
Anna Fenko does not talk about it, but shows it. Most of the examples in the book come from the work of American psychologists and sociologists. That is about America. But it’s funny — about us. The desire to consume is not rational, but for the sake of fashion, tastes, neighbors, because of advertising, for status and prestige, for self-identification … for anything, but not just to eat and dress. «It’s the fat rich who are freaking out!» Well no. The poor are no less furious: when the subcutaneous layer is very thin, it turns out that we think much more often what label we have on our jeans than millionaires. The rich, the «average», the poor, we are all, no doubt, insane. Anna Fenko doesn’t talk about it either, but she also shows it.
The consumption hysteria in Russia is exactly the same as it was in the US a certain number of years ago. And in the same way, having consumed furniture, cars, etc., the progressive rich begin to consume education for their children, travel for themselves, and works of art for posterity. And some already know how to limit themselves, that is, to do what the majority categorically disagrees with. To what extent we are the same, it turns out …
Quote from the book: «Things are a convenient means of storing memories and feelings associated with past events.» Another: The «transitional» period was for many a period of forcible deprivation of economic innocence. And so on. If you want to quote a book (and argue with something), then it is a good book. Lots of food for thought. Everyone can imagine what will happen to us next with our tendency to consume in the same way as in America, and it is not yet known how to produce.
We do not want to admit to ourselves that money means a lot in our lives. We try to turn their “profane” (i.e., nominal) essence into a “sacred” one (buy a football team, Faberge eggs, give an expensive gift, make other people happy), but we can’t get away from the power of money and things. However, when you do not bashfully close your eyes, but realize that this power objectively exists, you suddenly begin to feel freer and more reasonable. Including in relation to money and things.