Photo by cottonbro studio
The world is an oyster, but we must work for the pearl. And on the way there, we find ourselves wanting more than we should. Is it a trap?
Humanity has significantly advanced in civilization, technology, and culture, as evidenced by history. However, along with them comes the disparity of amassing endless wealth, which makes us spiritually untrustworthy. How do we return to our senses and free ourselves from the tight grasp of materialism?
Society has reached a point where we divide ourselves according to socioeconomic status. More than half of the world’s population continually strives for material things that claw their way into a person’s desire. Even if you say you’re not the type of person to want more than what you have, the world has ingrained its subtle influences of wanting to fit in.
Peer pressure is not just a teen’s problem. Seeing people around you enjoying and flaunting their privilege makes you want to be like them. It creates an ever-growing desire for status and respect by gaining material wealth and climbing the social ladder.
Getting caught in the worldly current
While aiming for status and respect is partially correct, too much of anything good must be corrected. The contrast in priorities becomes blurry, and we will inevitably forget what it means to be spiritually trustworthy, making us more miserable than ever.
Materialism has become a tangible way of life we couldn’t live without. As it’s not widely considered a negative attribute, materialism is heavily associated with shallowness and greed. Built from the foundation of capitalism, we learned to attach ourselves to money and possessions.
The falseness of the institutional life of materialism can be found in the book ‘Spiritual Freedom Press’ by Chet Shupe. Because of today’s technological advancement on our planet, we are coerced into participating in this capitalist society. It is an irrefutable establishment that won’t change until this world fades.
And when we try to look back, life was genuinely simple, especially for our ancestors. The simplicity of their lives was not only about hunting and gathering but the lack of greed, which created spiritual distrust. By distancing ourselves from that life, we become liars in our own right, ultimately paying the price: the isolation and destruction of our planet.
The shared vision of a successful life
An individual’s purchasing power has become the standard of success today. The more you can afford, the better disposition you have in life. Having massive amounts of material possessions also affect one’s self-esteem, ingraining that prosperity is synonymous with happiness and fulfillment.
While that may be true, such a mentality contributes to the fast deterioration of humanity and the planet. We keep building a house of cards that may fall apart with a small gust of wind.
Civilization made us think materialism is a matter of being better than others. It also entails a cry for acceptance in a competitive society that forces us to burn everything that hinders us from getting to the level of material wealth and success.
A closer look into the issue
Experts often argue that people are motivated by materialism because of rejection, fear, and the fleeting limit of life. While it’s a lot to digest, desiring extravagant things can be good or bad depending on one’s motive.
Our fast-paced environment doesn’t help in the growing extrinsic motive for materialism. We should look at ourselves and ask if we want to buy the most expensive and latest things for the sake of bragging. If the motive points inward, you risk falling into the rabbit hole of materialism.
Taking back the essence of our humanity
Materialism is a complex trap, with some people complicit in its perpetration and others developing it over time. Because we are too caught up in clawing our way to the top, we lose our sense of wonder, unable to trust others and reinforcing the desire to want more unnecessarily.
We must recognize and address the issue internally, one step at a time. Imbuing such awareness will create a sense of belonging and simplicity – something our ancestors once had. Severing our codependency towards amassing wealth may help sustain our planet’s lifespan, eventually trickling into a brighter and better future for humanity.