As a teenager do you ever feel you have enough of the coolest and newest stuff? Even though you just went on a huge shopping spree at the mall, are you ever completely satisfied? You might have the hottest brands of clothing, the most recent edition of the iPhone, and the newest car, but for some reason you still want more. You would think that having all of these great possessions would make us happy, right? Then why do we always want more?! The world is twice as rich as it was in the 1950’s. Compared to our grandparents as teenagers, we have grown up with much more wealth; however, we are also slightly less happy and teen suicide, depression, and social pathology rates are higher (Myer). As a society, even though our wealth has increased greatly in the last 60 years, levels of happiness have stayed the same (Easterbrook 1).
With this exponential growth in wealth, which has resulted in today’s modern conveniences, you would assume that this would be the happiest era on earth. But amazingly even with our new TVs and iPads, happiness levels have not risen at all. As teenagers, we always want to be happy. We are always looking for ways to better our lives, make ourselves more comfortable, and satisfy our wants. One of the main ways that we do this is through buying more and more stuff. We think that by getting the best or most recent things, that our longing for happiness will be fulfilled. This can lead to materialism. This is a big word that you have probably heard thrown around quite a bit lately. But what does it mean and how does it have anything to do with us teenagers? Merriam Webster dictionary defines materialism as “a way of thinking that gives too much importance to material possessions rather than to spiritual or intelle...
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...eel the satisfaction of finally fulfilling something worthwhile and useful.
How much money or possessions we own does not define who we are. There is so much more to life. In today’s world it is easy for us teenagers to get caught up with the world and think that materialism really does bring us happiness. Consequently, when we become too focused on materialism and consumerism, we tend to become addicted and distracts us from our more important and worthwhile goals. We must learn now to not let materialism take over our lives. If we successfully do that, we will have a lot happier life. But we must not waste time and start now while we are still teenagers. Jim Rohn said, “Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” Don’t waste you precious time now while you are still young. There is so much more to life than materialism.
Our society today depends on money and material objects. It is a popular belief that money makes happiness. Although this is believed to be true, transcendentalists around the world live with the idea that living with only what you need is the prime lifestyle. Chris McCandless, a transcendentalist, did not support this lifestyle. Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer, helps support the idea that people do not need luxury to be happy. Becoming used to comfort and luxury leads to apathy and boredom because people become dependent, become predictable, and lack work ethic.
The article “High Incomes Don’t Bring You Happiness” verbatimly states, “Beyond $75,000, money is important for life evaluation, but does nothing for happiness, enjoyment, sadness, or stress” (Kenney 4). Those who spend prodigal amounts of money disdain plebeians because they claim that money is the foundation to living a great life. However, money only helps one meet certain needs and does not contribute in instigating true happiness within oneself. Happiness comes naturally by one’s actions and accomplishments. Although, money helps buy the commodities which satisfy one’s life, it is not the direct source for obtaining glee within a
The industry rapidly establishes consumerism in Americans. For instance, Disney since the age of three drives children to own collections of films and merchandise in order to fulfill satisfaction in the idealistic fairytale living. Americans do not realize these material goods are not necessarily important, instead, it becomes a routine of material objects to have a sense of completeness; these buying habits are perpetual. America is now defined as materialistic rather than over-consumption. People deliberately purchase material goods constantly and frequently without needing it. Shopping has become a lifestyle, there is no appreciation or sense of value to what we own, and instead it is depicted and seen as a “retail therapy.” The consumption of materialistic goods is what makes America feel happy and complete.
In our contemporary American life we have the desire for things that we do not really need to make us happy. Our commercial world intends to sell us substitutes for the things we truly need in order to be happy. We replace our real needs with things like clothing, furniture, cars, nice houses, and many other unessential items. Many individuals place the blame for an unhappy lifestyle on their occupation, and search out alternatives such as material items. We are happy when we receive things fast, because of our lack of patience, and because we simply enjoy the hassle free lifestyle. Our technological advances have made many things easy for us and it brings us some joy. Examples include that we rather drive than walk, and eat from unhealthy fast food restaurants than cook a meal ourselves. We see advertisements everywhere selling us products to make us happy, however the happiness from sex, food, and excitement are pleasures that are short lived. If we took away all unnecessary items for survival from our society today, could we still be happy? ...
He further shows us that the people of today are richer than their grandparents but are not happier in their lives (from National Statistics of social pathology). Even with these facts, people in the United States still believe if they had more money all of their problems would be solved, but once they reach that next income bracket they are not satisfied and try to reach the next one. Myers et al tells us, "even if being rich and famous is rewarding, no one ever claimed material success alone makes us happy. Other conditions like - family- friends- free time - have been shown to increase happiness" (Csikszentmihaly 145). therefore we must find balance in our own lives, and not just focus on making money. Instead we need friends, family and even free time, as aforementioned doing an activity you enjoy such as listening to music or
...s? Just like the Once-ler and his family value financial success to obtain happiness, the same goes for contemporary society. Society is convinced happiness is achieved by acquisition and financial possessions rather than a state of mind. According to Rider “Despite increasing material wealth, Americans are not happier” (Rider). Happiness does not come from fortune and many people make the mistake in perceiving it that way. True happiness comes from one’s self and their outlook of life. In the “The Lorax” Dr. Seuss not only spread an important message about taking care of the planet, but also helped his readers become aware that wealth does not lead to happiness. Every person has their own perspective of what it means to be happier and to live a happier life, but it is important to realize that happiness comes from within and not by something obtained.
Have you ever wanted something, an item or material so badly that you would do anything or give up anything for it? Well, guess what? Materials are not a necessary thing in your life. Materialism is ruining people's lives to the point where it is their occupation. In today’s society materialism take part in every person’s life, no matter where they are from or what social class they are.
What is Happiness? Well that’s a question that everyone asks to themselves. Happiness is not something that you can trade; it’s honestly what people find. They want happiness and want to know they will always be happy. But Happiness is like air and water it is a hard emotion to grab on to in one’s hand. How do you know you have happiness? Can you feel it? Does it just happen? These are questions everyone wants a answer to.
We live in a materialistic culture that thrives on having "things." Yes, we must have things in order to live (shelter, food, water, etc.), but the word is misused. Our culture has become so materialistic that we forget what is really important. The "have" mode has almost become the norm, especially with our generation. Even though we subconsciously practice the mode of “being,” many people do not realize it which makes it difficult to appreciate life and all the aspects of “being.” “Because the society we live in is devoted to acquiring property and making a profit, we rarely see any evidence of the being mode of existence and most people see the having mode as the most natural mode of existence, even the only acceptable way of life” (Fromm 25). Majority of people want to be as successful and rich as possible that this idea takes over their mind and eventually lives. Every young person is obsessed with “fitting in” and having the latest and greatest items. This attitude causes adolescents to lose sight of what is important and lose touch with their emotions. Our culture needs to begin to think less about material items and being rich and more about his/her emotions and what it means to be truly happy. It is important to focus on the “bigger picture” and how one must become the best person he/she can be to benefit
Early Modern Europe experienced several tragedies in which the citizens sensed that there must be a better way to live where happiness was more familiar. Alterations for what truly defines absolute happiness in a society during these times of catastrophe were expressed through utopian literature. Thomas More’s Utopia, Tomasso Campanella’s City of the Sun, and Caron De Beaumarchais’ The Marriage of Figaro together attempt to answer what truly creates a happy civilization during different periods of crisis within Europe. Each of these utopian literature’s suggest a different origin that happiness derives from, soundly signifying that change in Europe would be beneficial. The revolutionary ideas of change in Europe proposed by Utopia, City of the Sun, and The Marriage of Figaro through their individual utopias, demonstrated their beliefs that such change of social classes, the expression of pleasures morally, and a more unified government would lead to a happier, less corrupt society.
A happy relationship is based on realistic expectations? Real relationships take effort, time and commitment. A happy relationships doesn’t just happen because two people love each very much, but because they also value one another and are willing to make an investment of time and energy into building a happy relationship day after day. Throughout time, people have constantly attempted to seek happiness through relationships. In “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz” by F. Scott Fitzgerald and “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin shows how happiness in relationship can be found in different ways. I think you can find happiness in freedom. Happiness is being free to do the things you want to do and to let go of fears and the judgments that other people might have and that’s how some people can find happiness in relationships.
For several decades, as if, a typical undergraduate dream has been characterized with few major steps – getting prestigious high education, taking or buying a diploma, and consequently becoming a successful rich careerist with intuitively main goal to consume as much as possible in order to boost one’s utility at highest potential level. In this way of thinking, development of personal individualism and pursue of human values are left behind the curtains. Everything that can be seen on the scene of our being is mass consumerism, which slowly, gradually, but surely is transferring us into a hedonistic consumer society. According to an article in European Journal of Marketing, “A consumer society is defined as one directed largely by the accumulation and consumption of material goods. The term "consumer society" is used in a pejorative sense, coming from the perception that such a society will inevitably be hedonistic. It is the search for instant gratification that we traditionally associate with hedonism….”(41 Issue: 2007). In our way to gain deep pleasure, we are over purchasing items and gadgets which once were thought to be extreme luxuries. Most of the times, we are interested in what kind of IPhone we possess, whether to buy a tablet or a laptop, are we are driving more expensive and fancy car than the others, what is more fashionable – a pair of Armani jeans or a pair of Dolce and Cabaña trousers.
A century or 2 past, our society’s hierarchy was supported cash and land. Today’s new materialism determines your placement on the social ladder. In many high schools, if you don’t have an iPod or any other cool device, a replacement automotive or lots of cash, then the cool crowd typically doesn’t even notice a person. In nearly each organization, cash and things are the entire foundation, thus it is sensible that Americans would be thus materialistic.
Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, said in his book “Nichomachean Ethics” that "happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the aim and end of human existence." (Aristotle). He means that happiness is a central purpose of human life. It is true when we all wish to be happy. However, when we are asked what happiness is, we cannot define happiness in a general concept because it means something different to each individual person. For example, for one person, happiness is a sense of satisfaction from success in career, whereas for others, it may be a feeling of being loved by other people. Meanwhile, philosophers indicate that happiness has two senses. The first one is psychological sense related to a state of mind (Haybron). The other sense
...wo influences: “scarcity and socialization hypotheses”. The scarcity theory explains how "an individual's priorities reflect one's socioeconomic environment: one places the greatest subjective value on those things that are in relatively short supply" (1990, p.68). Thus, people who are less economically advanced focus a greater importance on material acquisition then the more affluent people. The socialization hypothesis explains that "one's basic values reflect the conditions that prevailed during one's pre adult years" (1990, p.68), and these values are persistently stable over a long period of time. Consequently, the people whom experienced a lack of possessions in previous years are more likely to develop an obsessive desire for material goods, while people who originated from wealthy families may focus on personal fulfillment at the expense of higher incomes.