To the Editor:
Paul D. Ryan discusses getting the economies of the world back on their feet as an obvious priority. But shouldn’t we be asking ourselves, “What’s the point?”
In the West, commerce has come to rely on new, unnecessary products’ stimulating consumers. And when one product fades, it leaves behind a hunger for a new hit. Many of us invest our energy and creative gifts in this process; yet no one claims there is anything deep or meaningful here.
Even more important, the ever-expanding economic process is imposing unprecedented environmental costs. Over a mere decade, the collapse of civilization has moved from crackpot idea to something reasonable people can contemplate.
Isn’t it time for us to confront the question: What is actually our “first priority”?
Robert Levin
Carmel, Calif., Feb. 14, 2009
