Consumerism may have tried to kill the kibbutz—by offering young members the American Dream of infinite choice (in everything from cereals and deodorants to lifestyles and personal philosophies), with the promise that happiness might be just one more credit-card charge away…and certainly can’t be found in a community in which everything is shared. 

Now educators in the Kibbutz Dati religious movement are trying to teach against the all-embracing mindset of modern consumerism, developing a curriculum that encourages students to look for happiness in their communities rather than their possessions and develop a belief that maybe less really is more.

For a more satirical spiritual take on anti-consumerism, my favourite preacher is the Reverend Billy (who I interviewed many years ago) and his hilarious Church of Life After Shopping.