In "Following Christ in a Consumer Society," John Kavanaugh sets forth the basis
for a spirituality of cultural resistance to what he describes as the "commodity form."
Kavanaugh points out that unreflective corporate capitalism promotes a culture
of inauthentic materialism which attacks the very integrity of the human spirit.
The "Commodity Form," which is promoted by manipulative advertizing, leads us
away from experiencing ourselves as vibrant, authentic human beings, and instead
tells us that we only have value inasmuch as we are "thingified" commodities.
Sexuality and human relationships are employed by advertizing in such a way that
it is suggested that the materialistic products themselves will produce happiness
for us rather than our own way of being. Thus Kavanaugh points out several
examples of such advertizing: "I bought a wagon out of wedlock." "This baby
(auto) won't keep you up nights." "How to cradle your twelve year old (scotch).
Rather than succumbing to such materialistic advertizing, Kavanaugh encourages
us to develop the "Personal Form." In this sense, one suspects that in accord
with Emmanuel Kant's Categorical Imperative, we should always strive to treat
everyone (including ourselves) and ends, and never as means.