Buying stuff appeals to the ego. So is selling anything ethical?

[Brandon Nankivell]

Many of us here have or aspire to create our own businesses which requires selling stuff. Shoes, watches, vitamins, limousine services, jewelry, luxury hotel stays. Building a shopify store is the rage these days and is encouraged as a means for 'ordinary people' to improve their lives.

But does it bother you that your business is serving the ego of others and nothing else? Can you really believe in what you're selling if it's just an appeal?

Unless you're selling tools to help you become enlightened (books, video courses, yoga classes), it seems most of what's going on in the world of business is a load of donkey dung.

Thoughts?

Edited December 24, 2017 by Brandon Nankivell
grammar mistakes

[aurum]

@Brandon Nankivell

 I just feel way more passionate about promoting the conscious community. It has deeper personal meaning and connects more with my values.

But hey, I buy watches and nice clothes. I stay in nice hotels. So somebody has to do it, it's just not going to be me.

[Nahm]

@Brandon Nankivell we are here to live our lives and enjoy all of creation. We will all be “back” where we came from soon enough. Connect with your authentic self, follow your conscience, enjoy your life. Promote what you genuinely believe in. Promote what brings your tears of joy. You are not limited. It’s all an illusion anyway, a great big circle jerk of relativity. You get to decide how it’s relative to you. 

[Sahil Pandit]

I've already created my business, and I have merchandise ready to sell, but I hate promoting ads in a low ball way. It just hasn't sat with me at all, which is why I've been hesitant to capitalize on my LP. What do you think I should do? 

[h inandout]

@Sahil Pandit What kind of merch do you have?  Is there a way that you can market it through educational sales?  Do you think your merch is going to fulfill some legitimate human need for someone out there?  There's a use for everything.  Even rubbish that we really didn't need can serve the purpose of teaching us to be more mindful of our shopping habits and of internalized pressures we may feel to spend.  Hopefully you're not selling rubbish though.

[Nahm]

@Brandon Nankivell buying things does not creat ego, neither does selling things. Identification with things, attachment to things, thinking that makes someone better than someone else - that perpetuates suffering. You can live a life richly fulfilled in every aspect. It’s just that it’s a bigger trap to be very aware of. I’m seeing it be a lifelong trap for some people I know. Success can fuel the ego, or it can assist you in playing a solid role in liberating others, and helping them to live to their fullest. That’s a really good feeling. There’s no meaning in this illusion. It’s all how you see it. 

Thinking you know what others think is a major trap. I have zero understanding why people buy sports memorabilia, high end automobiles, attend NASCAR events, go to country music concerts, etc - but I absolutely love the variety of this place, and I would not fault anyone for selling those things to them if that’s what they want to do / buy. 

[Sahil Pandit]

@h inandout We are out here on Actualized.org, of course it is of value 

I have 40k followers on Instagram and I promote my love of running to my followers, but the thing is, I have hats and clothes, etc. That's why I kind of feel that "Ugh, Im pushing materialism" feeling. Id love to transition to more value such as a running workshop or a yoga workshop  That is the plan. My IG is called @JustRunnnXC if you'd like to see my work 

[Nahm]

@Sahil Pandit dude. Get people’s measurements in their profile on your site so they can just pick shirts from there on out, and they arrive tailor fitted. This is an enormous hole in the shirt industry for men. Especially simple t-shirts. Connect so people can order shirts from other common manufacturers and then the shirts get fitted through you and shipped to the customer.  I bought a machine and learned how to tailor T-shirt’s, cause I’m not havin the ‘wing’ sleeves. You know what I’m talkin about. Every guy does.  Also, consider, people are supporting your efforts by buying your stuff. Maybe advertise package pricing with the merch and workshops. Just some thoughts bro.

[Sahil Pandit]

@Nahm Will you be my first actual online sale?  (wink wink) 

The page I run has over 1,800,000 likes total

[Nahm]

@Sahil Pandit if you make cool shirts that fit great, I’ll be a lifer. So would guys I know. I great fitting t is all the free advertising you would need. 

[Sahil Pandit]

@Nahm The main thing for me is, I feel that my audience as of right now is pretty low level consciousness - I want to do more things along the lines of showing them how increase their vibration via running, yoga, visualization (before races) ALL the inner game of what it takes to run well, and live a great life 

But as Leo says, you gotta change first before things start to change 

[Nahm]

@Sahil Pandit do both

[Brandon Nankivell]

21 hours ago, aurum said:

@Brandon Nankivell

 I just feel way more passionate about promoting the conscious community. It has deeper personal meaning and connects more with my values.

But hey, I buy watches and nice clothes. I stay in nice hotels. So somebody has to do it, it's just not going to be me.

If everyone were to be conscious which is what you teach, then perhaps there would be 'nobody to do it'. This presents a paradox. But I'm only coming to learn to harmonize with paradoxes thanks to Leo and Dostoevsky's influence 

[aurum]

@Brandon Nankivell

Why do you associate being conscious as being some sort of monk?

Why don’t you associate being conscious to being wealthy and prosperous? 

Somebody could be highly evolved and still choose to promote those products. 

[Joseph Maynor]

I think you should do Leo’s Life Purpose Course and then compare the results you get with that with the ideas you have for business now.