Excessive Materialism

[Rainbow Mage]

Hotep everyone

Is today's society in America and other countries too materialistic? I'll explain why I say this. Sure having nice things can be nice, but are they really more important then your fellow man or spirituality? I see people in this country act like material objects are more important then the life of a fellow human being. Is there a point where enough comes to enough? I am not speaking against materialism, but excessiveness in it, no balance. I like things myself, but I never obtain them by wrongful means such as hurting other people to get them, or using them to divert me from the reality around me. Material objects are nice, but they're fleeting, they don't last. The thing inside the person is more important.

 

[Spiffy]

It's hard to imagine any honest American disagreeing with this premise. But this materialism is a moral-based value; I thought the thread was about philosophical materialism.

 

[bobhikes]

By buying things we are supporting whole countries economies. If we stop buying and gave our excess to those who need it, there will be more people who need it and world economies will crash. It has been said that americans drive the world economies because of there need for stuff.

 

[Valjean]

This was much discussed by corporations back in the '20s. Why would people buy new products when the ones they had were stull functioning acceptably?
Thus was born the advertising industry. It shifted value away from utility and made novelty a cultural value. Industry took off, but are we burning our candle at both ends? Is this degree of resource consumption sustainable?

Psychologists and anthropologists report no real or psychological benefit from affluence/consumption much beyond comfort and security levels. "Things" don't really seem to improve our happiness or quality of life, and they certainly degrade the environment and encourage conflict.

Personally, I think materialism is an overrated marketing scheme promoted by business interests.

 

[Madhuri]

Yes, I think that our contemporary societies are overly materialistic. I also think that materialism is continuing to spread across the world in developing countries.

 

[Self]

Materialism arises when we look for happiness and peace outside, or in the external world. These two things can only be found on the inside in the Heart. So, i look at american materialism as natural and something that was going to happen from looking outside for all that we want. we want happiness because it is apart of our true nature, but we are wrong when we look outside for it. That is the fault and materialism it what it has spawned.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Yes I agree that it is a dangerous notion to try to fufill our need for spirituality with material stuff. Really materialism is like a void that people can keep filling and filling, but it never gets full. We should all try to be grateful for what we have more.

 

[enchanted_one1975]

We are definitely more materialistic than previous generations. I know many people will tell you that 30 years ago, when they moved out of mom's house, everything they owned fit in one suitcase. When I moved out in the 90's I needed a medium sized U-Haul.

 

[dust1n]

It has been said that americans drive the world economies because of there need for stuff.

And destroys individual economies in the process.

 

[dust1n]

This was much discussed by corporations back in the '20s. Why would people buy new products when the ones they had were stull functioning acceptably?
Thus was born the advertising industry. It shifted value away from utility and made novelty a cultural value. Industry took off, but are we burning our candle at both ends? Is this degree of resource consumption sustainable?

Psychologists and anthropologists report no real or psychological benefit from affluence/consumption much beyond comfort and security levels. "Things" don't really seem to improve our happiness or quality of life, and they certainly degrade the environment and encourage conflict.

Personally, I think materialism is an overrated marketing scheme promoted by business interests.

I just couldn't agree more.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I certainly think we focus too much on material gains rather than actual improvement of quality of life. We should look more closely at Gross National Happiness.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Right, and material goods can't improve a person's life, especially if their life is already mired in misery. The remedy is not hoarding material goods, all that does is get a person a lot of stuff.

 

[BelieveMe]

And destroys individual economies in the process.

And of course all of the high-ranking people of the countries (mainly america and not all countries) do not care about them or others. If it gets them money, why wouldn't they tell people they need to buy this new item. "It isn't a want! It is a need! You must buy now or the world might end!"

 

[Reverend Rick]

This was much discussed by corporations back in the '20s. Why would people buy new products when the ones they had were stull functioning acceptably?
Thus was born the advertising industry. It shifted value away from utility and made novelty a cultural value. Industry took off, but are we burning our candle at both ends? Is this degree of resource consumption sustainable?

Nothing is sustainable Seyorni. Such is the flow of life. Myself, I stick to the utility values and detest shopping.

Psychologists and anthropologists report no real or psychological benefit from affluence/consumption much beyond comfort and security levels. "Things" don't really seem to improve our happiness or quality of life, and they certainly degrade the environment and encourage conflict.

Yes and No. My new appliances use less electricity and service me better.

Personally, I think materialism is an overrated marketing scheme promoted by business interests.

I think many people by nature are materialistic. I have to agree with you that material things do not bring lasting happiness. There is always a faster car or a bigger boat or a nicer airplane. Getting new things is like a drug for some folks.

Myself, I like value. You know, something that has served you well for many years and still works like new.

 

[MSizer]

...Psychologists and anthropologists report no real or psychological benefit from affluence/consumption much beyond comfort and security levels. ....

Yup, research shows that people who have too little to live comfortably do indeed become much happier if they increase their material wealth, but once a person passes the threshhold whereby they have enough to be comfortable, the happiness/materials co-relations drops exponentially.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I think the more materialistic our society gets, I'm noticing, the less and less human it's people seem. Some people are so absorbed in materialism they totally lose their sense of humanity. They care more about some material object then they do about other people.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Over-emphasizing the importance of materialism is as dishonest a focus on what makes people happy, as is discounting the importance of materialism. Not being able to understand the connection and balance between all aspects of what we need/want, and why, is a sure way to remain feeling unfulfilled.

 

[MissAlice]

I think America is very materialistic and I think its's very rooted in our culture. We are attracted to status thereby judging a person by what they own and how much. I had a family friend tell me how sad it was that we couldn't afford anything. What he meant by that was not having a house, a television, an expensive car. I'm pretty happy without tv as long as I have the internet. We use to get this a lot from people. I think too many americans equate materialism with status and success. I see so many people who are in debt because they had to get that expensive looking car or that big new house for a family of 2.

Anyway it's pretty funny what most people take for granted.