"Freedom becomes synonymous with the acquisition of possessions." I think that this couldn't be further from the truth. Instead, freedom is the ability to acquire these possessions without having to seriously worry about important things in life. I think we are truly blessed in that we don't have to worry about clean drinking water, having enough food to eat, or proper medical attention. But instead of accepting and appreciating these gifts the author of the essay, Jacinta Goveas, prefers to critique the tremendous opportunities presented to her. Rather than being grateful to be in a country where so much is offered, she is resentful of our apparent loss of morality.
The author often refers to her former village in India as being better off because of their deep sense of caring for each other. She sees this way of life to be better than ours because we are too caught up with material possessions. However, I think her argument is severely flawed. The only reason that we have put such an emphasis on luxuries such as cars, clothes and gadgetry, is due to the fact that we simply don't have to consider the minor things in life. These are minor things to us, things like water and shelter, but tremendously important things to those living in less developed countries. These luxuries don't distract us from our social values, but merely change the way in which we express caring for each other. .
Without having to worry about the basic necessities of life, we actually have more time to express our love and affection for one another. The perception that we place too much emphasis on material goods is horribly exaggerated. Naturally, a place full of poverty, famine, or drought would have little need for cars, cell phones and computers. But in a place where the absolute essentials for survival are constantly at hand, it is more apt that there will be a greater demand for slightly more unnecessary goods.