Filling the Void

The concept that ‘purposeful effort’ means working towards more wealth really describes the human condition quite well. This is true assuming we don’t hold a terribly tight definition on wealth, but think of it as more than what I had earlier or more than he or she has. This loose definition of wealth is really at the crux of most activities.

I try to live my life to make a positive difference in the world and help other people. If I tell myself that this is the only reason I am loosing sleep to finish up all that work, I am not being entirely truthful. In reality, a lot of what I do, and I would guess the majority of Americans, is aimed at making myself look and/or feel better, or to bring pleasure to my living experience. If through this I can improve the lives of other people it comes as an added bonus. Although I may not be explicitly flaunting the things I have in what I do, the underlying reason, although several rationales distant, can often be brought back to a prime objective of ‘make me better’. So we then ask, “How do I make myself better? With this question we start looking for answers. The world provides so many options that we get lost in trying them all. The bible is possibly the greatest positive source at showing us that there is much more beyond the present state of being. This sort of longing for more I believe is wired into human nature. God programmed us to long for Him.

The problem that so much of the world faces is that they long for God, but substitute other gods/things which are not capable of fulfilling the longing. Thus we need more in our attempt to fill the void that only God can fill.

Where we are wired with this longing, it is natural that we purpose to fill the void with the wrong things, namely stuff and material wealth. Global economies and marketing departments help by providing all sorts of things to throw into this void. None of these solutions lasts, since filling a void that an infinite God fits in, is impossible without that God.

I realize that this idea may not directly address the topic from the perspective that Veblen wished. It does, I believe, help me see why people who really know Jesus and have God in their hearts seem to be really happy and satisfied people even though they don’t have much stuff. If the ‘God void’ in one’s life actually has God, then one can stop trying to satisfy the void and look around at others and genuinely help them out. On the other hand though, if there is a gaping hole in one’s life, most of one’s purposeful effort will be directed at filling the hole, which usually amounts to ‘a more credible showing of accumulated wealth’ just as Veblen said.