The quest for identity: evolutionary roots of consumerism and stewardship.

Fritschel, Ann

It is easy for Christians to denounce conspicuous consumption and our consumer culture. During the high holy days of American consumer culture, the time before Christmas, we are reminded to "remember the reason for the season" and to "put Christ back into Christmas." Yet many of us continue to make economic choices that may place limits on our ability to live out fully our calling to be financial stewards. I propose that the powerful influence of consumerism is not due to individual moral weakness but instead is related to the fact that consumerism serves the basic human needs of providing happiness, fulfillment, meaning, and personal identity. (1) Because of its fundamental claims about meeting core human needs, consumerism stands in tension with the Lutheran doctrine of justification in the following ways.

Justification and consumerism

At the heart of both the doctrine of justification and consumerism lies the search for identity, meaning, and value. While there are core themes that belong to the biblical and theological understandings of justification, it is also a concept that is flexible enough to be reformulated in new and changing contexts. In traditional thinking, Paul poses the question, "How can I be liberated from the law?" Luther asks: "How can I find a gracious God?" And Tillich queries: "How can I find meaning in a meaningless world?" All of these questions hover around the theme of justification--at the intersection of Gods righteousness, grace, and loving actions in Jesus Christ and in relation to human identity.

The quest for identity has become more prominent in the post-modern world, where identity is more fluid than fixed, more multiple than singular. People can create and try on new identities and have different identities for different situations. As the saying goes, on the Internet you can be anyone. This fluidity and flexibility of identity has made the claiming of identity for one's self and the proclaiming to others about their core identity even more important than previous times.

Tillich's existential understanding of justification moves us into the realm of identity construction. Who are we? How can I be authentically me? How can I find fulfillment and wholeness? What is my purpose in life? How do I justify my existence? These each are questions about justification. The doctrine of justification locates our identity in God's actions for us through Jesus' death on the cross. Possible expressions of identity include: created in God's image, forgiven sinners, baptized children, called disciples, and members of the body of Christ. The list is almost endless, but note that it is not centered on material possessions. Our identity is something we receive, not something we achieve.

This is in tension with the identity offered to us in consumerism. Consumerism argues we are what we own. The types of clothes we wear, cars we drive, and the entertainment choices we make all are shorthand ways to signal our identity to others. Our stuff not only is acquired to provide happiness and meaning, but to relay to others in quick, easy, and notable fashion core elements of who we are as a person. (2)

A second tension between the doctrine of justification and consumerism is the emphasis on grace or works righteousness. The doctrine of justification emphasizes God's gracious acts over human actions. Consumerism has become a new form of works righteousness. We seek to justify our lives, our importance and worth, through the stuff we own. I must be an important person, look at the car I drive, the school to which I send my children, the type of technological gadgets I use. Each of these are instances of the new languages of works righteousness in a consumer culture. (3)

It is urgent that we explore consumerism and consumer culture, because most Christians are exposed to the claims of consumer capitalism far more often than the claims of Christianity. The gospel challenges consumer culture by its alternative claims about who people are, what they are called to do, and where true sources of fulfillment and happiness lie. The goal is not to escape consumer culture in some sort of sectarian manner, as if this were possible, but to find a way to bear witness to gospel freedom in our financial and economic lives. This is a great challenge because contemporary scholars see consumerism not merely as a modern phenomenon, but one deeply rooted in our evolutionary history.

Possible evolutionary roots of consumerism

One way to explore consumerism is to look at its evolutionary origins. One can do this exploration without being an evolutionary essentialist. Humans are not in bondage to their biology or genetics. Consumerism is not a natural, teleological destiny for our evolutionary inheritance. Culture has an important and significant role in shaping our genetic and biological heritage and greater knowledge allows us the freedom to understand and shape our identities and values. At the same time, humans are shaped by their genetic and biological heritage and insights from evolutionary psychology can show us the power and importance of many of the claims of consumerism in our North American context today.

Geoffrey Miller and Gad Saad explore the evolutionary roots of consumerism and conspicuous consumption. (4) In understanding their insights, one gains further insight into the challenges made by consumerism to biblical and theological understandings of stewardship. Miller claims that humans are wired for courtship and social relationships. He argues that there are six general personality traits that are also valued by humans. These socially desired traits make one more attractive to others. People attempt to display these traits not only in their activities, but also in the goods and services they buy.

One of the most sexually attractive and socially desired traits is general intelligence. (5) Generally, with increased intelligence comes increased success in most areas of life. People will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to receive a college diploma from a prestigious institution, not because there are any quantifiable evidence of the excellence of the education received, but because having a diploma from such a school shows one is intelligent, lending a certain social status and making one more attractive as a mate.

Moving beyond the general trait of intelligence, Miller then draws upon a five factor model of personality. Starting in the 1960s, these five personality traits and their subsets have been independently discovered and verified by several researchers. Many psychologists argue that these five traits give a more accurate picture of a person than personality inventories such as the Myers-Briggs inventory. Each trait is on a spectrum and gives clues to a person's identity. Part of the evolutionary root of consumerism is the impetus to display personality traits that gain the notice of others, show one's value and worth, and give clues to one's identity. The five personality traits that Miller explores are described by the acronym OCASE.

"O" stands for openness. The open person is inventive and curious, as opposed to consistent/cautious. Such individuals are broadminded and seek new experiences. They are able to accept change and innovation, often being the first ones to have a new product. Bumper stickers for an open person might include: "My karma ran over your dogma" or "Question reality."

Conscientiousness ("C") is another personality factor and measures whether one is efficient/organized or easygoing/ careless. The conscientious person is trustworthy, reliable, and able to delay gratification to pursue long term goals. The conscientious person's bumper sticker might read: "Jesus would have used his turn signals" or "A goal is a dream with a deadline."

"A" stands for agreeableness, assessing whether one is friendly/compassionate or cold/unkind. The agreeable person is compassionate, kind, co-operative, and willing to work with others. Such a person is one who offers warmth, trust, and empathy. Bumper stickers might be: "Live simply that others may simply live" or "God bless the whole world. No exceptions."

Stability ("S") is a personality factor that measures whether one is secure and confident or sensitive/nervous. The stable person is secure, confident, mature, adaptable, and stress resistant. This person can take change in stride. Miller argues this is the greatest predictor of overall life satisfaction. Bumper stickers for the stable might include: "If at first you don't succeed, redefine success" or "The best things in life are not things."

The final factor is extraversion ("E") and gauges whether one is outgoing/energetic or solitary/reserved. The extravert likes to be around people and is friendly, outgoing, expressive, funny, and active. The bumper sticker reads: "If it weren't for physics and law enforcement, I'd be unstoppable."

Miller argues that marketing has emphasized the physical aspects of sexual selection and needs to explore more fully the social characteristics people value. He argues that we tend to prefer people with similar traits and find our self-esteem in possessing those traits that are highly valued in our society. In order to gain self-esteem and find others like ourselves, we need efficient and effective ways of demonstrating those traits to others. One key way we demonstrate those traits is through our consumption of stuff.

Miller offers several examples. Since intelligence is so highly valued, it shows up in the marketing of many items. Study tours, intelligence-boosting products for infants and the elderly, products with complex technical features, non-fiction books, and educational degrees from Ivy League schools are all ways of signaling intelligence. Some items are marketed as "smart" items, such as Kellogg's breakfast cereals that offer a "smart start" to one's day or "smart phones." The use of "i" in front of "iPad" or "iPhone" ... may suggest to some that "i" stands for "intelligent."

Open people tend to be early adapters and fashion followers. They are the ones who seek something a little newer, better, sooner. Novelty is important here. Such individuals will buy the latest mobile device even while their current device is fully functional and adequate. Highly open people can be gullible regarding the untested claims of diet supplements, alternative health options, and false rumors on the Internet. Miller argues that highly conscientious people will want high maintenance or fragile items to show how conscientious they are in maintaining these items. Solid oak flooring is preferred over durable but easier to clean laminate; mega-kitchens that rarely get used have top-of-the-line, hard-to-clean stainless steel appliances rather than more functional and less expensive appliances. Such kitchens display both wealth and conscientiousness (even if the products are never used!). The conscientious may also be persuaded that although they do not like to exercise, by purchasing very expensive exercise equipment they will exercise, rather than let it go to waste.

Agreeable people may buy hybrid cars, but will also want hybrid cars that look like hybrid cars. From a consumerist viewpoint, publicly demonstrating one cares for the environment is as important as actually caring for the environment.

Miller and Saad see the marketing implications of their discoveries. Knowing how we use material goods to demonstrate our identity, value, and worth helps advertisers sell more products. Even if not fully persuasive, Miller's linkage of the display of personality traits with consumerism is evocative and worth pondering more fully.

In our context Christians see and are influenced by more advertisements on a given day than they ever experience the gospel proclamation of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. This means that the gospel proclamations Christians hear must address seriously the contexts of consumerism and the post-modern search for identity. Fortunately, the themes of steward and stewardship effectively offer a different vision to people living in our consumerist culture.

Stewardship and identity

It is important to move beyond the tendency to see stewardship as "fundraising for the church" to a more holistic vision of steward as core to Christian identity, if we are to challenge the trends of a consumer culture. Douglas John Hall discussed, already thirty years ago, stewardship not only as a human vocation and calling but as core to human identity. We are stewards, we do not just do stewardship. It is a way of life, an expression of discipleship, basic to our human identity. (6)

Our basic human identity as steward goes back to the first two creation accounts. In Gen 1:26-27 humanity is created in the image of God. The image of God is a rich metaphor that has not yet been fully explored. One essential aspect is that we are created in the image of a generous, giving triune God. God gives abundant life to the entire universe. The generosity of God is seen in the wonderful diversity of creation. The Son gives of his life to show and bring forth God's reign of justice and peace. The Spirit calls us into community and gives gifts for the building of the church. We are created to give and give generously.

Because God is relational, we are created to give in relationships. As an example, I enjoy asking people to continue to breathe in without breathing out. We are not created only to receive and take in. We must also release and give back out. Life is about receiving so that we may give.

In Gen 1:28-31 God makes us stewards of all creation. We are given dominion over the earth and are called to show dominion as God has dominion over us. It is a dominion of care, protection, and nurturing. Indeed, in the second creation story humans are called to serve and protect the garden (Gen 2:15). In the Bible our primary identity is that of stewards created in the image of God. This first identity also reminds us oftwo important factors when considering stewardship. First, we are not God. Second, everything belongs to God (and we are not God!). The world and all that we have received are gifts from God to be used to bring God's shalom to the world.

We have other scriptural identities as well. We are called, redeemed, and forgiven sinners. But our calling and redemption is not an end in itself. It is not enough to have the assurance we are saved and will live with God eternally. Even our redemption is not just for us but is a means of bringing news of God's grace to all, bearing witness to God's kingdom breaking into our world. Being claimed and named at baptism and having our sins forgiven is the first step in living life as stewards of God's grace. We receive that grace and even through our fragile attempts at proclaiming God's word, the Holy Spirit sends that grace out to others.

The Holy Spirit also gathers us together as members of the body of Christ. As part of Christ's body we share in Christ's stewardship of the world and of the mysteries of God. As part of Christ's body we are also members of a stewarding community, whose entire life is grounded in and reflective of the outpouring of God's grace. Stewardship is not done for the mission of the church, but is the mission of the church. We are called to share God's grace and love while affirming everything belongs to God.

Many of the identities given to us in the biblical narrative can be fruitfully linked to the concept of steward and stewardship. These identities are ones that we receive (not achieve!) and offer a more holistic vision of who we were created to be. This more holistic vision of stewardship challenges our human striving to achieve our identity through material goods and products. If, as Miller suggests, we wish to demonstrate to others that we are open, conscientious, agreeable, stable, and extroverted, perhaps we should ask the question: What personality traits might be displayed if we are to live as stewards of God's love and grace, generously giving out of joy and gratitude, and trusting in God's abundance in every aspect of our lives?

(1.) Consumerism is here defined as the belief that purchasing and using material goods brings about happiness and fulfillment for an individual. Lury notes that in consumer cultures consumer goods are used to give status, prestige, and address human needs such as novelty, freedom, the desire to connect with others and to provide meaning and purpose in ones life. Celia Lury, Consumer Culture, 2nd ed. (London: Polity Press, 2011), esp. Chapter 8.

(2.) Geoffrey Miller, Spent: Sex, Evolution and Consumer Behavior (New York: Viking Press, 2009), 9.

(3.) Besides challenges to the doctrine of justification, consumerism can also act as a new form of idolatry as we look for material goods to fulfill our deepest needs and longings, rather than God.

(4.) Cf. Geoffrey Miller, Spent, and Gad Saad, The Consuming Instinct (Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 2011) and Gad Saad, The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption (Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2007).

(5.) For this discussion of intelligence and OCASE see Miller, Spent, 144-155.

(6.) Douglas John Hall, The Steward: A Biblical Symbol Come of Age (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990), 27-31.

Ann Fritschel

Professor of Hebrew Bible and the Rev. Dr. Frank L. and Joyce S. Benz Professor of Scripture, Wartburg Theological Seminary