Get me out of here

April 25, 2014
by Rodney Olsen
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clothes

I know that look because I’ve been guilty of it myself. He was only about ten years of age and his face said it all. The last place he wanted to be was in the clothes section of Target trying on new shirts. Mum had other ideas.

It was yesterday and I was just walking past but I couldn’t help noticing the way his contorted face told his sad story. It was the kind of face that pleaded for the ground to open up and swallow him. Given the option, I don’t think that there would have been too many places that he wouldn’t rather have been. There may be exceptions but most young boys do not enjoy shopping for clothes.

Seeing that young boy reminded me of a moment from my youth that sometimes comes back to haunt me. You see, there’s only one thing more boring for a young boy than going clothes shopping and that’s going shopping for women’s clothes. No, I don’t mean buying women’s clothing for young boys. I mean being dragged along while women shop for clothes.

Mum was taking my sister shopping for clothes. For some reason I was tagging along. I guess that being the youngest child in my family I was the only one still too young to be left at home alone. So there we were, deep in enemy territory, and by enemy territory I mean deep in the girls’ clothing section. I reckon my face must have been displaying that tortured look and no doubt I was complaining about the experience.

What mum said: “We’ll go and look at some boy things soon.”

What I heard: “We’ll head over to the toy section soon.”

What mum meant: “We’ll go to the boys’ clothing section of the shop soon.”

I can still remember the disappointment of the moment I realised what mum meant. At that age, clothes weren’t something you went and bought. They were functional things that just turned up in your wardrobe.

Times change. I don’t mind shopping for clothes these days. It’s still not something on the top of my most enjoyable activities list but it has certainly moved up the scale considerably. I can still recall the time that the worst thing that could happen for a young boy was to open a Christmas or birthday gift and discover clothes inside. These days, I’m thrilled to receive clothing as a gift.

So to the young boy in Target yesterday, I feel your pain. Hang in there. It won’t always be this way.



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Consumerism and Spirituality

June 9, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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Am I the only one who feels a little uncomfortable when people joke about retail therapy?

Did anyone else feel uneasy about the masses lining up for days to get their hands on an iPad as soon as they went on sale?

Is our happiness really dependant on the power to buy items that will soon be outdated or superseded?

I don’t have a problem with the iPad and would probably enjoy using one if I could afford it, but I was quite concerned by the hype that drove people to stores around the world to participate in a buying frenzy. The latest I heard is that they’re still selling at one every three seconds. They may be quite wonderful but they’re not the answer to the world’s woes.

Whether it’s shoes, clothes, electronic gadgetry, food or whatever else, we seem to repeat the process of purchasing as much as we can, growing dissatisfied with it, then going out and doing it all over again in the hope that the next purchase will bring the contentment we’re seeking.

To a great degree it doesn’t even matter what we’re buying. Consumerism is all about the purchasing. We gather together to worship at shopping centres that have become our cathedrals.

We need to purchase a variety of items just to live our lives but we can so easily cross the line and let that purchasing process become an end in itself.

My regular Wednesday morning guest on 98.5 Sonshine FM is Rev Dr Ross Clifford who is the Principal of Morling College in New South Wales and Vice President elect of the Baptist World Alliance. Each week we chat about a range of issues relating to spirituality and belief.

Today we talked about consumerism and the way it is affecting so many lives. We live in a world where millions are dying because they don’t have enough, yet just as many are dying due to excess.

If you want to hear what Ross had to say about the spirituality of consumerism just click the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

It’s hard not to get caught up in consumerism when we’re surrounded by it constantly but I’m working towards the kind of attitude that Paul talked about in the Christian Scriptures.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. – Philippians 4:12

What we own or what we can buy shouldn’t define who we are. Satisfaction, deep satisfaction, doesn’t come from consuming more and more. Purchasing will never add more meaning to our lives.

Are you ready to fight back against the lie of consumerism?

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/SPI060910_1056.mp3]

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Don’t Panic

June 7, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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We had an interesting experience on Saturday.

Pauline, James and I were at a local shopping centre having a quick bite to eat when a very loud alarm started sounding. It was like a quick, loud blast on a horn every second. We started looking around to see what was going on when there was a sudden and very loud clattering sound. It sounded as if the building was collapsing. It was terrifying. We then realised that a massive exhaust fan almost directly above us had just kicked in. I think they need to get it checked if it makes that noise every time it starts.

Danger Will Robinson

Next thing, the horn blasting stops and immediately a siren starts. The warning system had gone to a new level.

The weird thing was, no one seemed to care. People were still going about their business. I kept an eye on the shopkeepers thinking that they would be able to give some direction but the guy at the donut shop was still making milkshakes and no one else really seemed concerned.

After a couple of minutes a few shops started to close their doors and then the move was on. Everyone in the centre started moving very casually towards the exits. We all stood around outside as murmurs went through the crowd that it was a fire alarm. Still, no one seemed all that concerned.

Emergency Over

Ten minutes or so later the siren stopped and people were allowed back into the shopping centre. Maybe it’d been a false alarm or maybe they’d been able to contain and extinguish a small fire. Either way, the emergency was over.

What Just Happened?

I must admit that I’ve been left wondering what the whole episode says about us. There was an alarm sounding so loudly that it couldn’t be ignored. Massive exhaust fans were adding to the effect as they whirred above us. It was more than obvious that something was not right yet most people chose to ignore the warnings and continue doing what they were doing before the warning.

As far as we knew it was a false alarm but what would have happened if we really were in danger? Were we gambling our lives on the possibility of it being a false alarm?

I’m glad that people didn’t panic and go screaming from the area but what kind of warning does it take for us to take notice? Did we have to wait to see flames racing towards us before we took notice of the warnings?

Recognising Warning Signs

I wonder what other warnings we ignore? Health? Relationship? Spiritual?

Are there clear warnings that we’re ignoring until we see the flames? Until it’s too late?



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Spend Spend Spend

June 3, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
3 Comments

Times are hard. Money is tight. So now’s the time to spend more cash.

It seems that the rising cost of living and increases in interest rates have forced retailers to dramatically reduce prices and plan for long term discounting to lure us back to the cash registers.

DESPERATE retailers are slashing prices to the bone at mid-year sales starting today in an effort to lure spending-shy shoppers into their stores.

Despite news that retail sales rose in April for the second month running, the deep discounts are set to continue all the way to Christmas. –
News.com.au

I feel for the retailers, I really do, and I’d love to help them out, but rather than being enticed by shiny things I don’t really need at lower than normal prices, I think I might just try to concentrate on putting food on the table for my family.

I think I’ll just have to ask them to get back to me when they’re offering everything free.



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Kmart Apology

March 4, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
1 Comment

On Monday I wrote a post titled Kmart Sucks. It was about the application Kmart had made to trade early on ANZAC Day.

In my original post I said, “I think that Kmart has seriously misjudged the mood of the Australian population on this one and I truly hope that not only will their application fail but that Kmart will issue an apology for their insensitivity.”

Thankfully Kmart’s Managing Director, Guy Russo, has listened to the public and withdrawn its application for longer trading. He has also apologised for getting it wrong.

Having listened to the strength of feeling from our customers and the broader community I will withdraw Kmart’s application for early trading on Anzac Day.

To best serve our customers my intent is for Kmart to be open when it most suits them.

This was the reason for our application for additional trading hours.

I got this one wrong and on behalf of Kmart, I apologise to the RSL, retired and current members of the Australian Defence Force and the wider community for any offence that this application has caused. – Kmart Managing Director Guy Russo


I don’t understand how they got it so wrong in the first place but it’s wonderful to see them putting their hand up and admitting the mistake. Well done.



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