Fundamentalist Consumerism

a term coined by Bruce Levine to describe the mindset of a group of people who "are singularly attached to cheap stuff."

The term describes a culture that "creates increasing material expectations" that often can not be satiated, "devalues human connectedness," "socializes people to be self-absorbed and selfish," "obliterates self-reliance," "alienates people from normal human emotional reactions" and "sells false hope that creates more pain."

Fundamentalist Consumerism is demonstrated en-mass on every Black Friday. On Long Island, NY in 2008, Wal-Mart employee Jdimytai Damour was trampled to death by customers stampeding into the store when the doors were opened. Police attempting to clear the scene were met with hostile reactions from customers, some insisting that they "had been waiting in line since yesterday morning" to get into the store. Fundamentalist Consumerism devalues all life in pursuit of 'stuff.'