Culture of Communism vs. Culture of Materialism

Growing up, what is one of the main things we are taught in America to hate? What is something that is "against" everything America stands for? Communism. From Cold-War USSR to today's China, we are taught that Communism is everything that is anti-American.

Growing up, what are we always told? Go to school, do well, get an education, graduate college. Then, you get a good job, get married (if you legally can), and...you can buy stuff. That Lamborghini can be yours. The new Gucci purse can be your next new accessory. Two-story house? Make that three-stories. You can have all of it in our economic system...that's how it "works" and how it thrives.

What prompted this?
Last night I sat down with a friend of mine that is from Volgograd, Russia. He has lived in the US for 10 years and is 32 years old. I've always been fascinated by other cultures and how America differs from them. The more people I talk to, the more I realize just how different we are.

Communist Culture
As I asked questions, one thing I was interested in learning more about was life under communism in general. As previously stated, we're taught that communism is a 100% bad thing. So, how was it to live life under communist rule. Americans, it seems, like to paint a picture of starving peasants longing to overthrow government oppression in a Marie Antoinette style drama. But, the picture was painted much differently by my friend.

Imagine you're guaranteed a job and a wage. All of your basic needs are met. You have food on the table, clothes on your back, and a roof over your head. Your neighbors, and everyone else for that matter, are basically on the same level economically. You're no better or worse than anyone else. My friend was quick to point out that in Soviet Russia, the longing or "need" to have the nice new car, Prada pumps...nice new stuff...wasn't present because those items weren't present. Basically, you don't know what your missing if it's not there. Fair enough, I say. People were content knowing they were alive, their basic needs were met, they had a job, and they had enough money. My only question is...where is the motivation?

In the US we are motivated by the need to have stuff and have nicer stuff than we already have. Think about it. Why do we have to have leather seats in our cars? Or, why do we need a sunroof in it too? Isn't the point to get us to point A and point B? Why do we need a 6 bedroom house when there's only 3 people living there? Does that Prada watch tell any better time than a cheap watch? Furthermore, why do we even care?

I find the paradox between the idea of, "You don't miss something or long for it if it's not there" vs. "You're constantly aware of what you don't have and are always striving to get it" very interesting. It makes it all seem very pointless. What it does is make the sense of entitlement different. In the US we feel as though we are entitled to have the opportunity to have whatever we want if we "work" for it. But, in this example of communism, you're only entitled to what everyone else has...so there is no sense of entitlement. Basically, it's all in your head. It's a cultural thing.

Point is?...
I say all that to say this. It proves it's not about whether communism is bad or good, or a free market, democratic society is better or worse, it just proves that it's all cultural and how you view things. Do you like knowing you have the opportunity to have that Lamborghini and three-story house, or would you trade that in for the guarantee of a job, wage, home, food, and clothing for the rest of your days?