Are We Drunk on Materialism?!

As the great poet and philosopher Rumi once said about materialism and wealth, "You may know the value of every merchandise, article or your wants, but if you don't know the value of your own soul, it's all foolishness."

As the years roll on, and the miles rack up, one thing I’ve noticed is that nowadays, everyone of us appears to be drunk on materialism. While the desire to “acquire escapes” seem to bring happiness, what we do not understand, is the actual difference between short-term pleasures and the 'true' happiness. We seem to be so hooked on the Dopamine rush; it appears this particular desire to get high, has become the principal incentive in our lives, and our very definition of so called "progress."  

While this isn’t to suggest that we shouldn’t have ‘wants’, but as we get older, and look back over our lives, careers and many of the decisions we've taken to get us to, where we are today; we realise that all of our possessions combined, cannot bring back that time with our family, our health and above all the purity of our soul, and the legacy we leave behind to our children and the world. 

Of course like many, I too have had desires and wants of my own. But the principal incentive for progress for me, always lay in the desire to make something of myself -- to transform myself and people around me, and possibly even change their lives, for the better.

It was about the money but it was never about the money, if that makes sense? It was never about driving the latest car, or wearing the most expensive Rolex, it was about proving to myself that I could achieve the pinnacle of whatever it was I set out to do. One of the few advantages of belonging to a middle class family, is that, growing up without these little luxuries, I never grew up to be dependent on them. There’s a great line by Vincent Chase from the hit HBO show Entourage, he says, “Don't forget I came from nothing, and as much as I love all the toys, I really don't need them.”

Carl Marx or Edward Bernays: What’s Your Poison?

Edward Bernays, aka the father of Consumerism & PR, transformed American culture - later adopted by the world, from a “need-based” culture to a “desire-based” society; in order to increase the consumption of 'goods'. Bernays did this by linking products to the irrational forces in the human subconscious based on the works of his uncle Sigmund Freud.

I find the word ‘toys’ to be particularly appropriate, for isn’t that what everything has become? This consumer-led culture with Capitalism at its core.

One lesson I learnt early on in my career was never to chase the money, but to go for enrichment of experience in every aspect of our lives, To make my mark, and create a place of my own in the society through hardwork and the “Hierarchy of competence.” Create an impact and the money will most surely follow. But if today’s obsession with materialism proves anything, it’s that no one wants you to look at the deeper levels of subconscious, manipulated by corporations, and the pre-programmed dopamine rushes, to which we have become so accustomed.

Billionaire business magnate and philanthropist Warren Buffett, who is notorious for his frugal lifestyle, says two things: On spending, Buffett says, “If you buy things you do not need, soon you will have to sell things you need.” And on savings, he says, “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.”

The logic here is ironclad. True happiness vs. Dopamine rush. The world’s third richest man, who can buy anything his heart desires, chooses to live in the same house he bought in 1958 for a little over $30,000. He doesn’t wear fancy suits or drive a fancy car, instead he chooses to lead a simple life. A grounded life. In an odd contrast there are those that spend more than a month’s salary (and then some) buying the latest iPhone the same week it releases.

I’ve always wondered, is it a generational thing? One thing I do know is that as we get older, the desire to acquire material possessions 'either decreases or increases' at a steady pace. And if we do not take stock, the obsession continues till our last breath. If you do not confuse your pleasure centres with the happiness centres in your brain, and discover what brings you true and lasting happiness it’s wildly liberating! Believe me I say this from personal experience. Ponder over a concept where you approach a point, where the pleasure derived from acquiring material objects is rather short-lived, Money and material things become our dreams and yet in a sad twist of irony, it's only after achieving those dreams we realise that they’re hollow, and the rush was rather short-lived.

You will be hollow. We shall squeeze you empty, and then we shall fill you with ourselves.” ― George Orwell on Totalitarianism.

We must each of us uncover what it is that brings us true happiness. We should pursue it relentlessly and never give up, because in many ways, the journey itself is the destination. That being said, we should also accept that there’s no such thing as 'perfect happiness'. We should aim to pursue true happiness for ourselves and lead a life where we are not defined by our material possessions but rather the legacy we leave behind.

What is Your True Purpose?

We will conclude with the brief 5-step exercise below. This exercise should help evolve the thought process beyond the ‘Materialistic view’ and delineate our Purpose from our wants and desires. Never confuse the two. If you are confused, the below exercise is for you.

Step 1. List down the top ten material items you wish to acquire in your life below.

No Objects of Desire ($)Value

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Grand Total: 

Step 2. Assume that I just wrote you the cheque for that exact amount. Now you have all the money you need.

Step 3. Having acquired everything you want in life please answer the questions below:

1)  Do you still have a purpose or mission after receiving that cheque? What is your purpose or mission in life now?

2)  Do you feel lost? If so, why?

3)  If you don’t feel lost do you know exactly what it is you want to do now?

4)  Are you predominantly a dopamine-driven person or a serotonin-driven person?

5)  Do you have regrets in life? What is the Neuro-Physiological impact from the source of those regrets?

Step 4. What is your definition of having a life worth living? (Try to write at least 250-words on your mission statement).

Step 5. What kind of legacy do you wish to leave behind? How would you like people or the world to remember you? What is the impact you want to leave behind?

Idols of Happiness

Ask yourself, have we created idols of fake happiness (pleasure) and has consumerism gotten the better of our psychological responses? Do we live our lives from one pleasure to the next? One gadget to next? One model to next? Have we tested the effects of pain and adversity on our sense of happiness?

I'll leave you with these questions to ponder over and finish with a quote I came across earlier:

Hollow body with a shallow mind is a foul soul in hanging gallow!! A monk overcomes worldly pleasure and realises realities of real life, through his thoughts and a provocative mind.