materialism, really?

Well today, we were given an informational meeting on purchasing class rings. which i really think is ridiculous. if the administration really thinks were going to look back on high school and retrieve all of our fondest memories through an over priced piece of low grade metal, they really have misinterpreted our generation. and my mother being my mother ordered one, which i think is cool in a sense though. its very obscure, how i see it as a large example of materialism but find it exhilarating in a sense. materialism is a very obscure view in general. it can be viewed in such a variety of ways the possibilities are endless (cliche' adjectival phrase). i find seeing how other people view the world very interesting. being able to compare it to my own views and understanding where the other person is coming from makes me think, and i like to think, ponder is a better word. I like to ponder. but when defense comes into place, all civilization is lost. a teacher today was trying to explain to our class how without civilization, a evil face of human beings would be released. but we are civilized aren't we? government, economy, common sense, rules-stated and implied. but we take the items for granted. Defense takes away that mask and shows that evil. today a had an encounter that removed that mask, but thats beside the point. and this goes back to observing other people's views. is our society civilized? I really can't answer that question. i mean, yes, we are under control, but is that civilized? people everday are coming up with abstract ideas and pursuing them, and what does society see? they see freaks, wierdoe, abnormals, psychos. but who is abnormal? is normal abnormal? abnormal normal?