We Are Being Bought and Sold

Imagine stepping into a bustling marketplace. Signs everywhere, voices calling, colors popping. But here’s the twist: you are not there to buy anything—they are there to buy you. This is where we are today. In 2024, advertisers in the U.S. alone are spending around $373 billion, all directed toward capturing our time, emotions, and, ultimately, our choices. That number was significantly smaller a few years ago, and now, global ad spending is expected to hit $1 trillion within the following year. This marketplace is not built to serve our needs; it is designed to hook, shape, and keep us invested.

Consider the recent election cycle. Nearly $16 billion was poured into ads from campaigns and political groups. These ads were crafted to evoke, to stir something deep in us—hope, fear, loyalty, resentment. This spending is not about providing unbiased information. It is about shaping what we feel and how we see each other. Jesus spoke of this when He said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Our society’s treasure has gone to those who aim to buy our attention, stirring up feelings that can influence everything from how we vote to whom we trust.

Some might think, “I avoid mainstream media; I am safe.” Others turn to niche sources, believing them to be free from manipulation. But here is the danger of echo chambers. It is a subtle trap where curated content becomes a blanket, numbing us rather than sharpening us. The Proverbs warn, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice” (Proverbs 12:15). When we close ourselves off to other perspectives, we lose sight of wisdom, settling for what feels comforting and familiar instead of what challenges and grows us. Surrounding ourselves with voices that only echo our thoughts is like walking blindfolded through a landscape full of warning signs.

In this marketplace, every click, headline, and ad is designed to buy a piece of us. It is no longer simply about staying informed; it is about guarding our hearts. Paul’s words in Romans stand out: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Transformation means seeing through the smoke and mirrors and choosing what is true, what is good, and what actually aligns with God’s heart.

So, we are left with a question: What is the cost of allowing our emotions to be bought and sold this way? And what if, instead of feeding this emotional marketplace, we directed those billions to needs that heal and build up? Imagine a world where those resources were used to lift people out of poverty, help pay down debt, and restore broken communities. Real change comes not from manipulation but from generosity, justice, and love. Instead of living as products, what if we lived as stewards of our hearts, with treasure that aligns with the Kingdom that Jesus described?

Living outside the echo chamber means embracing what Proverbs tells us: “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it” (Proverbs 22:3). It means being courageous enough to renew our minds, stand for what is true, and let our actions reflect a Kingdom that values people over profit.

~PW 🌮🛶