--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We live in a society that, for the most…" description: "\"We live in a society that, for the most part, is morally and spiritually bankrupt. Our culture is a culture of consumerism. How sustainable is that?\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/benjamin-bratt-12581_consumerism_we-live-in-a-society-that-for-the-most-p_823151.jpg" --- # We live in a society that, for the most part, is morally… ![“We live in a society that, for the most part, is morally and spiritually bankrupt. Our culture is a culture of consumerism. How sustainable is that?” quote by Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/benjamin-bratt-12581_consumerism_we-live-in-a-society-that-for-the-most-p_823151.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/benjamin-bratt-12581_consumerism_we-live-in-a-society-that-for-the-most-p_823151.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/benjamin-bratt-12581_consumerism_we-live-in-a-society-that-for-the-most-p_823151.jpg) > “We live in a society that, for the most part, is morally and spiritually bankrupt. Our culture is a culture of consumerism. How sustainable is that?” [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that modern society is largely lacking moral and spiritual depth, driven by consumerism, raising concerns about long‑term sustainability. **In simple terms:** Society is morally empty and consumer‑driven, risking sustainability. Key Takeaway Recognize and address moral emptiness. Themes morality consumerism environment culture ethics Mood critical concerned reflective Type philosophical social commentary When to use this quote - personal reflection - policy debate - community activism - educational curricula - media analysis Key Concepts spiritual bankruptcy materialism sustainability Questions to Reflect On - What values could replace consumerism? - How can individuals foster spiritual health? A Different Perspective Consumer habits can be changed through systemic reform and personal choice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bankrupt Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bankrupt-culture-490674/) [Consumerism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumerism/) [Consumerism Sustainable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumerism-sustainable-490670/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Culture Consumerism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture-consumerism-490671/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Morally Spiritually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morally-spiritually-490673/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Society Morally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-morally-490672/) ## Related quotes > [I've long been interested in looking at the culture of consumerism and also was interested in this connection between the American dream and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-greenfield/i-ve-long-been-interested-in-looking-at-the-culture-of-consumerism/) [Lauren Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-greenfield/) > [ “When we're so caught up in a culture of consumerism \[and that is precisely what network marketing is, consumption as a cult\] images of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-van-der-leek/when-we-re-so-caught-up-in-a-culture-of-consumerism-and-that-is/) [Nick van der Leek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-van-der-leek/) > [ Everything is deeply affected by the dominant culture. Consumerism is huge in the US. This is by far the wealthiest \[nation\], but also the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/everything-is-deeply-affected-by-the-dominant-culture-consumerism-is/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [If I as a storyteller and performer get to participate in something that can potentially elevate something in society, morally? I'm all for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-morgan/if-i-as-a-storyteller-and-performer-get-to-participate-in-something/) [Rob Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-morgan/) > [I personally believe that a democratic society is morally entitled to set and enforce a limit on the number of new immigrants admitted each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-c-ting/i-personally-believe-that-a-democratic-society-is-morally-entitled-to/) [Jan C. Ting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-c-ting/) > [“Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily, some of them kept records of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/many-many-men-have-been-just-as-troubled-morally-and-spiritually-as-2/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [The richer we have become materially, the poorer we become morally and spiritually. We have learned to fly in the air like birds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-richer-we-have-become-materially-the-poorer-we-become-morally-and/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Man in his raw, natural state as he comes from the womb is morally and spiritually corrupt in disposition and character. Every part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-l-reymond/man-in-his-raw-natural-state-as-he-comes-from-the-womb-is-morally-and/) [Robert L. Reymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-l-reymond/) > [“But today our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/but-today-our-very-survival-depends-on-our-ability-to-stay-awake-to/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“Nonviolence is not just a state of being where violence is absent or invisible. It is a conscious, active effort not to harm anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-gandhi/nonviolence-is-not-just-a-state-of-being-where-violence-is-absent-or/) [Arun Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-gandhi/) > [“A graduate can be academically excellent but morally and spiritually bankrupt. We need to consider these dimensions in education as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eidsmoe/a-graduate-can-be-academically-excellent-but-morally-and-spiritually/) [John Eidsmoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eidsmoe/) > [Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily, some of them kept records of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-many-men-have-been-just-as-troubled-morally-and-spiritually-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We must work passionately and indefatigably to bridge the gulf between our scientific progress and our moral progress. One of the great problems of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-work-passionately-and-indefatigably-to-bridge-the-gulf/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/) [Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) ## More by Benjamin Bratt > [I come from a large family so you can count on the fact that I'm going to have more kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/i-come-from-a-large-family-so-you-can-count-on-the-fact-that-i-m/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [Sometimes a little comfort food can go a long way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/sometimes-a-little-comfort-food-can-go-a-long-way/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [I'm used to the fact that the world views movie actors as personalities. I'm in the extremely fortunate position of making a living at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/i-m-used-to-the-fact-that-the-world-views-movie-actors-as/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [I've played a lot of cop parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/i-ve-played-a-lot-of-cop-parts/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [I've always said that Miguel Pinero's story is a quintessential American tale. An immigrant who comes to this country, is immediately marginalized to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/i-ve-always-said-that-miguel-pinero-s-story-is-a-quintessential/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [I've always approached acting from a very workmanlike perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/i-ve-always-approached-acting-from-a-very-workmanlike-perspective/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [The one thing for an actor that is complete death is if you're bored, because that boredom will show in your work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/the-one-thing-for-an-actor-that-is-complete-death-is-if-you-re-bored/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [It's an amazing blessing to do something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/it-s-an-amazing-blessing-to-do-something-you-love/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [Film and television essentially feel the same when you're doing it, because it's the same technical approach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/film-and-television-essentially-feel-the-same-when-you-re-doing-it/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [My sense of personal strength has always come from my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/my-sense-of-personal-strength-has-always-come-from-my-family/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [I've always felt that acting is acting, at the end of the day, so whether you're doing comedy or heavy drama or anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/i-ve-always-felt-that-acting-is-acting-at-the-end-of-the-day-so/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [I think film and television actually is a lot harder. Acting onstage is physically more arduous, but to get to emotional truth within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/i-think-film-and-television-actually-is-a-lot-harder-acting-onstage/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [I drove a blue and yellow Super Shuttle van for two 10-hour shifts on the weekend after a week at ACT of 10 A.M.-10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/i-drove-a-blue-and-yellow-super-shuttle-van-for-two-10-hour-shifts-on/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [I wasn't terribly aware of Catwoman. She was a DC comics character and as a kid, I wasn't terribly fond of the DC comics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/i-wasn-t-terribly-aware-of-catwoman-she-was-a-dc-comics-character-and/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) > [I have no particular career agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-bratt/i-have-no-particular-career-agenda/) [Benjamin Bratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) [Explore all 54 Benjamin Bratt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-bratt/) ## More Consumerism quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/) [Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/) > [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [A lot of times, my work is looked at very much on the surface. It's very easy to just want to put something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/a-lot-of-times-my-work-is-looked-at-very-much-on-the-surface-it-s/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [I think that consumerism is intrinsically a pretty flawed social system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elkington/i-think-that-consumerism-is-intrinsically-a-pretty-flawed-social/) [John Elkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elkington/) > [America always put forth this phony melting pot theory, but it's a reality now. They couldn't accomplish the melting pot economically; they couldn't accomplish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/america-always-put-forth-this-phony-melting-pot-theory-but-it-s-a/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [“Fifty years ago, people went without clothes in order to eat. Today, people gladly go without food in order to buy clothes. And they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-dumontais/fifty-years-ago-people-went-without-clothes-in-order-to-eat-today/) [Sinclair Dumontais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-dumontais/) > [Consumer wants can have bizarre, frivolous, or even immoral origins, and an admirable case can still be made for a society that seeks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/consumer-wants-can-have-bizarre-frivolous-or-even-immoral-origins-and/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [“In my view, dissatisfaction is implicit in the fabric of consumerism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-bruno/in-my-view-dissatisfaction-is-implicit-in-the-fabric-of-consumerism/) [Dave Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-bruno/) > [Just when you thought multi-nationals and crazed consumerism were too big to fight, along comes Naomi Klein with facts, spirit, and news of successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/just-when-you-thought-multi-nationals-and-crazed-consumerism-were-too/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“Logograms pose a more difficult question. An increasing number of persons and institutions, from archy and mehitabel to PostScript and TrueType, come to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bringhurst/logograms-pose-a-more-difficult-question-an-increasing-number-of/) [Robert Bringhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bringhurst/) > [One of the problems with industrialism is that it's based on the premise of more and more. It has to keep expanding to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dora-russell/one-of-the-problems-with-industrialism-is-that-it-s-based-on-the/) [Dora Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dora-russell/) > [Never buy what you do not want, because it is cheap; it will be dear to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/never-buy-what-you-do-not-want-because-it-is-cheap-it-will-be-dear-to/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The pharma pricing system was not built on the idea of consumer engagement. It was built... on market efficiencies. It was not built on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-bresch/the-pharma-pricing-system-was-not-built-on-the-idea-of-consumer/) [Heather Bresch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-bresch/) > [“We consumer and become exactly what we create. In all times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lidia-yuknavitch/we-consumer-and-become-exactly-what-we-create-in-all-times/) [Lidia Yuknavitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lidia-yuknavitch/) [Browse all 628 Consumerism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumerism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We live in a society that, for the most part, is morally and spiritually bankrupt. Our culture is a culture of consumerism. 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