Vicious Cycle of Materialism
Open your wardrobe and contemplate for a moment about the good you own. Do you ever pondered why you tend to buy what you buy? Do you really need that shirt, that pants, that bag, that jewelry e.t.c. Most of the times our shopping list is filled with wants not needs. We’ve been taught that economics work on the principle of demand and supply. Suppose if people demand 1000 shirts a day than manufacturer will be manufacturing shirts accordingly. Whereas in this capitalistic world order this principle has a reverse function. You don’t want to buy an extra shirt but you are tricked and trapped to buy that.
The capitalists will create demand for their products through advertisements and promotions. They have got the freedom to influence your minds, thinking and choices. We’re exposed to variety of platforms and in this digital world materialists got the edge to keep us enslaved to our materialistic desires. We’re in a vicious circle of our desires where we are becoming slaves to our wants and to fulfill these never ending wants we worK 24/7. We can survive at bare minimum but the social structure that promotes materialism enslaved us to these petty desires.
We subconsciously believe that possessions and acquisiton of possessions is the key to happiness and success. Weighing success through material possessions is the cause most of us are dissatisfied with our life progress. Psychologists find a link between neuroticism and materialism. Neuroticism is the trait associated with negative thinking. When materialism shapes personality than it left individual vulnerable who rely on outside sources for validation.
Breaking free from this vicious circle of materialism is crucial. How are we suppose to free when we are slaves to our desires. Foucalt talks about ‘Freedom from’ means one should attain satisfaction within himself and free from the desires of self.
Its time to reflect on our actions and I’m leaving you with the question of meaning of success.
