In this essay titled A Modest Proposal to Destroy Western Civilization as We Know It: The $100 Christmas, Bill McKibben is forwarding a radical proposition. The author is of the view that too much consumerism has taken over the true essence of Christmas. Therefore, the author and other members of his church congregation have come up with the idea of a $100 Christmas. According to the author, even though this proposal might seem like an impossible fete to some or just a simple gesture to others, its implications are far-reaching. To some extent, the author’s radical idea has the capacity to shake the core of Western Civilization, which is partially built upon wanton consumption. This essay is a reading response to McKibben’s essay on the notion of a $100 Christmas.

The Genesis of the idea of a $100 Christmas as described by the author warrants a closer look as it stirs up some intrigue. The author reveals that the idea was started several years ago, as a church campaign (McKibben 320). This means that there was at least some religious basis for the idea of a “Hundred Dollar Holidays”. What is intriguing is whether this drive sought to protect the members of the United Methodist Church, or it was a radical idea that wanted to improve the plight of the current society in general. First, the author’s arguments appear to support the idea in its capacity to change the society. However, the church probably started this initiative to unburden its members off the stresses that come with holiday consumption. The missing link in the essay is how far the Church and other people have gone with this radicalism. On the other hand, the author is quite clear about his family’s progress in their quest to be radical. In the given context, the genesis and drive for this radical idea seems to converge to one person, the author.

There are very many interesting things that are part of this essay, and they act as evidence of the author’s prowess of communicating radicalism to common folk. First, the author tries as much as possible to retain the authenticity of Christmas whilst subtracting the element of consumerism. At one point, the author claims that traditional Christmases are just a way to make consumption “sacred” (McKibben 320). This interesting tidbit has the capacity to make the reader look at this issue critically. Indeed, looking back at the numerous Christmas adverts that ran on different media outlets last year, there is usually a forthrightness when companies are urging individuals to take part in collective consumerism. However, towards the end of the essay the author redeems himself by reiterating that his family still partakes in holiday routines, only they try to make theirs meaningful. Therefore, the reader is able to see sense through the author’s out-of-the box presentation of this idea.

The viability of the claims that are made in this essay remains to be seen because as radical as they are, the author and his community have managed to put them into practice. In my view, the author’s idea is only partially practical. The calls for lower holiday spending are welcome, especially in this juncture of human civilization when runaway consumerism has led to a myriad of problems, some of which threaten the very existence of humanity. The chain of events that would originate from a $100 Christmas would solve a variety of problems including inequality and environmental pollution. However, the current world is still run by the capitalist class and it is unlikely that they would steer the world towards this course or even allow anybody else to do it.

The highlight of this essay is the author’s enticing argument about a simpler life. The genesis of this argument is made to look like the Church. However, all indications are that the author has a lot more to do with this idea than he would care to admit. The viability of the ideas in this essay remains a distant dream but they are a sure way to save humanity from possible doom.

 
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