Sorry, that was supposed to read, "...before spouting off."

Uh...40Yrs? Did you see that some of his "precious things" include the ashes and fingerprints of his deceased son? I understand your concerns about rampant materialism, but I don't think ashes and fingerprints are a symptom of this problem. Please read the entire article for spouting off. Mr. Bradshaw probably understands that people are what matters. He has already lost his son, and these treasured mementos cannot be replaced.