Our consumer culture (1) first breaks our natural connection to one another and busies us with the circular tasks of producing and consuming, leaving us alone and exhausted; then, (2) it sells us distractions from the isolation and the fatigue it has created.

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It sells us psychologically addictive apps on our smartphones and tablets.

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It sells us physiologically addictive stimulants to keep us awake.

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It sells us biologically addictive depressants to help us sleep.

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It sells us dangerous stories that hook us in, creating an “audience” that can later be sold goods and services.

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Among the dangerous stories our culture sells us is one telling each of us the reason we’re feeling isolated and lonely is the presence of “them” — the people who, through their diversity of religious beliefs or lifestyle choices, dilute a homogenous culture. This creates a division among people that takes us away from seeing the root of the problem, which is the embrace of the consumer economy over the human community.

Collectively, all these distractions subdue our genuine longing for connection. Collectively, they take each of us away from a fundamental awareness of our shared wounding: We are suffering from social isolation inherent in a consumer culture where power is rooted in profit and not in community.