5 of 25

Write now Article Tools

At some point in our lives most of us will struggle to try and understand materialism. It may be that we will wonder why we strive ourselves for material goods. Or it may be that we will sit back in despair as we witness others fighting between one another in order to acquire wealth, hurting each other in the process.

There are some wise souls among us though, who know that material goods mean nothing in the end. They can, of course bring comfort and what we have come to believe is luxury, but they cannot fulfill inner needs.

The need to love and be loved. The need to have good friends with whom to share experiences and the need to engage ourselves spiritually can never be satisfied by materialism. So why are some people so materialistic that they forgo other, more simple pleasures in life so that they can spend time collecting that which is expensive, not just to their purse but to their soul?

Perhaps it is because we are taught that the more money we have the safer in life we will be. If, as children, we witness others around us struggling to survive because they are so poor that they can hardly cover their needs we decide never to be like that ourselves. In such a case, it is a fear of not being able to survive which would drive us toward materialism.

There again our need for material goods may be an illusion that we have come to believe. We are told that we need the latest gadgets and goods and that without them we are failures. No one wants to be viewed as not having made the grade.

Which brings me to what may be the most common reason for materialism. Everyone has an innate desire and need to be accepted by others. It is likely that if we are accepted we are more likely to be able to form relationships and then fulfill one of our other important needs which is to be loved.

The paradox here is that wealth can give you acceptance in some areas of society but it isn't the type of acceptance that naturally breeds love, ffriendship and joy. An individual may be lucky and achieve these goals, but it wont be material advancement which helps them do so.

It would seem that the driving factor behind materialism may not be the obvious choice of greed, but fear. Fear of not having enough to survive. Fear of not being good enough to be accepted.

It is a incomprehension of what in-fact, 'enough' refers to which can guide people to attempt to get what they need in an unfulfilling direction. If we interpret having enough as meaning having enough money then we miss the point which our inner selves have been attempting to tell us.

What our inner, or higher, selves actually push us toward once our basic needs are fulfilled, is to find and receive enough love, not money. Could it be that those who hear this message from within incorrectly constantly chase the magic dollar as though chasing their tails, instead of realizing the true meaning of life?

Learn more about this author, Bridget Webber.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Understanding materialism?
We want to hear your view. Write now!