We are busy breeding and educating "consumers". No matter where you look; in the preschool, in the colleges, in the universities, at work, on the television, in the newspapers, on the radio, on the billboards, behind government policy and planning decisions, everywhere you look there is only one message, "Consume more." Everything, it seems, today depends on an expanding economy -- everything else is subordinate. Casual sex is encouraged because it motivates people to spend money on so many things; jewellery, cars, houses, holidays, hotels, household appliances... Gambling is encouraged because it fosters a big industry which pays lots of tax and employees and pays lots of people, similarly alcohol consumption and the associated hotels and clubs are welcomed with open arms because of their hefty boost to the economy. Although no one would be able to deny their detrimental effects on people individually and society at large because these "industries" generate jobs and money there is no room for criticism.
We are seeing our society disintegrate before our eyes. There is practically no more family life, marriage and fidelity has become a joke, people are becoming so disturbed and frustrated that they are committing suicide in far greater numbers than ever before. The most amazing thing is despite all the endeavour on the part of the government and business to boost the economy it is on the verge of collapse. On one hand we have lost almost everything; family life, peace of mind, leisure time and spirituality to push on the economy and yet the economy is on the verge of collapse. It seems we have lost everything!
Actually human life is not meant for working hard all day and night just to get our basic necessities; food, shelter, sex life and defence. The human body is endowed with a good brain that can ponder more subtle questions; "Why am I here?", "Why am I suffering?", "What is the purpose of life?", "What am I?", "Who am I?" and "Where am I going after death?". The real purpose of life is to find answers to these questions.
We are not these bodies. I am not an Australian man, my body is an Australian man's body, but I, the person, dwell within this body. I am the spirit soul, the force within, and I am eternal. I never die, I never take birth. I am just travelling in this material world from one body to another, from one planet to another, from one universe to another. But wherever I travel in the material world I find the same problems; birth, old age, disease and death. There is a gradation of planets from the most hellish to the most heavenly. This earth is situated somewhere in the middle and we can either go up to heaven or down to hell depending on our activities in this life. But wherever we go the same sufferings will continue. A thoughtful person will ask, "Where is the place I can be eternally happy?" The answer to this question is the most valuable knowledge.