why do people look after thier car better than themselves?

i watched my niegbour today. she washed and vacuumed her car for over an hour. it was a beautiful day and so why not? it is a brand new jeep and she`s quite proud of it. it`s midnight black with chrome wheels and leather interior and i bet she`ll never take it off road in a million years.
so where`s the problem?
the problem is that she looks after that car far better than she looks after herself. she can`t be more than 30 but she`s way over weight and smokes and i`m quite sure she got her weeks exercize washing the car.
so why does she behave this way?
it`s the way our society places it`s value in consumer items. she gains pride and status via the type of vehicle she drives and how clean it is. this isn`t directed at my niegbour as cricitism on a personal level. it is a comment on how we discount the spirit within us and focus that energy into material possessions as a society.
our culture is industrial.
our religion is work and it`s rewards are the things we can buy.
our soul goes begging for a walk in the woods or to sit on a hill and watch the hawks soar.
but we end up in the mall with our credit cards, our eyes filled up with advertising and pretty things on sale. the feeling of joy with our new purchase lasts about as long as the walk back to the car in the parking lot. then we are on to the next thing. the next purchase. it`s like taking a drug or drinking alcohol. temporary pleasure that takes permenantly.
i won`t go to the big malls anymore. i can`t take the visa card zombies and thier empty stares. i know we haveto spend to keep the economy going, i hear what the politicians say. but how did we get to the point where we are responsible for the economy? why can`t we just buy less and work a bit less and spend some more time with our friends and families and our spiritual focus, the meditation that heals and rests the soul?
we can.
we can just find a quiet place. and sit. and let go. the purple colour. the vibrant yellow. the nurturing green..... the red..... the blue, in our mind`s eye. now. breathe in the colours and with each breath we heal. maybe a tear will come, for a moment, then the release of the tension and the realisation that we are all joined together as one here. no rush. no panic.just peace. and smiles. any time we wish to. we decide.