Self-Gratification ( by Carley Evans )

On my way to work this morning, I stopped beside a Charleston trolley car – one of our public transportation vehicles. What I saw didn’t surprise me particularly, but did deflate me briefly. Here’s what I saw:

Yes, I thought, that’s right — “SHOP til you drop!” “Gratify your SELF!” Don’t worry about people who haven’t enough to eat, who can’t locate a simple grocery store in their neighborhood because ‘big business’ has moved away from areas of poverty.

“Get what YOU want!” And, “Get it NOW!” Don’t be concerned about people who haven’t clothes to wear, or who work 40 hours a week to make poverty level wages, as was reported this morning a few minutes before I stopped beside this advertisement. NPR reported that more and more Americans are working full-time to make a poverty level wage!

I don’t think it’s wrong — of course — to make money. But, the call of “big business” for those of us who have money to seek “SELF-GRATIFICATION” at the Shops at Charleston Place (to purchase essentially ritzy and unnecessary stuff!) struck me this morning as downright disgusting.