Those who have faith or trust in their religion are likely to have resolute strength and energy. Consumerism functions, up to a point, in the same way that religions do, starting with answering physical needs. People today are obsessed with accumulating wealth and property. There are loads of people who are willing to spend 100,000 baht on a Rolex watch, and invest millions in a Mercedes Benz. This is all because of their basic insecurity.
Consumerism gives purpose to life as well.
And the businessman has his sights set unwaveringly on the billion baht house. There are all kinds of things that obsess people, even to the point where they work so much that they sleep less than strict meditation monks. When it goes this far, we can rightly call it religion. What should we call this kind of strong faith, if not religion. There was a period when communism performed this function for many people, who treated the Party like God, committing their lives to it.