by Kevin Schwendeman

Created on: September 05, 2008

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. In today's materialistic world this classic saying rings as true as ever. As a whole, we do not look at what we have, but at what we don't. Instead of counting our own blessings, we count those of our neighbors. What causes this very human phenomenon? How are we conditioned to fall into this trap? Though these questions could be analyzed and debated on a philosophical level, the true answers are much more human.

CAUSES
How many times have your eyes turned green with envy? These days it's hard to avoid. Modern day consumption has created an environment for constant and rapid advancements in consumer goods. Everything from mobile offices to five star amenities at home have fueled a chain reaction of want, need, have. We can spin this any way we like, but at the very core is a basic human trait: greed.

At a very instinctual level, humans strive for power. However, since we are not animals, this struggle manifests itself not in the bucking of antlers but in the hoarding of possessions. We need the newest and the best of everything for the world perceives that as power. A game of Global King of the Hill.

Already susceptible to greed, our wills are tested again and again by corporate and media propaganda. Television ads and celebrity magazines promise us we can attain star status if only we drop our hard earned money on the latest gadget or lifestyle. It's a predatory world and it will eat you alive.

EFFECTS
This desire for riches and power, driven by greed, can only lead down a destructive path. In order to purchase the goods we will rack up credit card debt. We'll spend more time working to pay them off and less time at home. Just looking at the crash of the housing market is enough proof for me. People purchased homes that were well out of reach leading to a financial crisis as shady lenders adjusted the rates. People needed the luxury home, banks needed the money.

This dichotomy has ruined families and jobs, rippling out to the broader economy. People feel helpless and depressed. We long for better days and shout at each other how to get there. We are divided. For a race that draws strength from community, this division is our Achilles heel. It breeds resentment and anger tearing us further apart.

SOLUTION
The cure is very simple. Count your blessings. Don't live comparatively. When you find yourself glancing across the fence, stop and take stock of the positives of your own life. Remember that true happiness is not measured by wealth alone. Measure it by each breath you take, by smiles and laughter, by lending a hand in need or teaching a child.

Be realistic about where you are in life. Common sense will dictate what you can and cannot afford. Don't fall victim to shopping spontaneity by saving money for what you want and paying cash. Play the hand you're dealt and you'll come out on top. After all, in the end, we're all playing with house money.

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