There was a thread recently on the issue of debt, and it touched on our motivations for spending beyond our means. I feel that on one level, it stems from a starvation of the spirit; we feel isolated and fearful, and like infants we reach out to any object within our grasp for reassurance. One unintended consequence is that this infantile clinging to possessions can isolate us even further. We become infatuated with status symbols, and even get territorial. I'm not calling for a property-less world,...