8 July

Anti-materialism is a philosophy only the rich have. About a billion people in the world live in slums, and for them material comfort, or the lack of it, dominates their lives. I think material comfort, and the basic love of material well-being and material things, is the most unifying thing on our planet. Civilisations in history who have made the love of material things central to their societies have been peaceful. Those who put ideals or principles first have always been violent.