"I became alienated from this religious upbringing, and started making music. I wanted to be a big star. All those things I saw in the films and on the media took hold of me, and perhaps I thought this was my god: the goal of making money"

This quote by Cat Stevens speaks to the power of media and its impact on our lives. He mentions his spiritual upbringing and how he became pushed away from it, and instead was drawn to the concept of becoming a star. He was captivated by the images of fame and fortune he saw in films and other media, and it became his new objective. He suggests that this objective of earning money became his new god, replacing the religions he had actually grown up with. This quote speaks to the power of media and its ability to form our lives and our beliefs. It likewise speaks to the idea that cash can become a god-like figure in our lives, and how it can end up being a powerful incentive.