Materialism has always been a part of human nature. It seems to you that today the materialistic aspect of everything is more pronounced than ever.
You can’t help but wonder, is it wrong that you don’t want to be a part of that materialistic world? The short answer is: It is NOT wrong that you don’t want to be in that vicious circle.
Kudos to you for thinking like that, unless you’re some Buddhist priest.
How did you get to that state of mind? Do you sometimes want to give in and fall under the influence of materialism?
Keep reading this article because we will explain why material things will not make you happy.
When you read them, it will be clear that your decision is correct and that you are on the right path.
10 Reasons Why You Are Not a Materialistic Person
Let us first explain the concept of material things.
We already mentioned the Buddhist priest above, but that priest also has to drink water, eat, and wear clothes.
Food is bought with money, clothes too. It’s impossible not to worry about those things.
These are essential things: food, water, clothes, a roof over your head, and even that car you use to go to work. Are you materialistic because you want them?
Even if you want something better for yourself sometimes, it does not mean you are still a materialist.
And when are you a materialist then? You are a materialist when your main preoccupations in life become money, shiny things, and all in the desire to confirm your status symbol.
Here are the reasons why you are not a materialistic person:
1. The Trap of Materialism
The whole system works that way to take our hard-earned money.
It sounds a bit paranoid, but that’s the simple way the world works.
All these messages have been sent to us for a long time and are all around us.
As technology advances, materialism evolves.
We must mention advertisements, which have been around for a long time, and their goal is always to take money out of our pockets.
Today, they are so advanced that there are algorithms to think for us and always send us an advertisement while scrolling on the Internet.
2. Consumerist Culture
The consumerist mindset is dominant today.
Look around you. Everyone brags about material things.
They brag about cars, designer clothes, and the most expensive vacations in exotic destinations.
All because some super cool trendy influencer told them that’s how it should be.
Why even thinking what we need when others tell us what we need? Because if everyone is chasing something, then you have to too.
The first thought on holidays is shopping instead of spending time with family.
An example of pure consumerism can be Black Friday, when people fight to buy a slightly cheaper television.
This consumerism starts when we are children.
Children want their parents to buy them new sneakers that everyone has or a better phone than the rest of the class, just to be better than the others.
3. There is Always Something Better
No matter how much something you buy is the latest and best, know that an even newer version will come very soon, with the same tagline that goes through every time: “New and improved.”
You bought the latest iPhone model, and now you think that’s it.
Wait, your phone will be out next year because of a new version.
There is always something new and better, and your old one loses its value. Unless you’re a collector of retro things, one particular topic of materialism.
4. Someone Always Has More
You can’t win the mouse race of materialism.
No matter how much you have, someone will always have more.
Maybe you “win” and have a better house than your colleague, but that’s why he has a much better car.
Now that there’s the Internet and social media, you can be jealous of some random guy on Instagram showing off his wealth.
There is no ultimate winner in materialism, and you don’t want to participate in such a pointless competition.
5. Collector or Hoarder
The word collector sounds kind of nice and refined.
As if it explains and justifies materialistic behavior. A collector sure sounds more admirable than a hoarder.
To be honest, there is a difference.
A hoarder collects random things and mostly lives in a mess.
In contrast, a collector gathers his collection carefully and treats it with great care.
It’s a nice hobby, but collecting can go too far.
As long as our collections don’t control our lives, it’s tolerable.
We mentioned the term retro above.
Valuable things from the past have always been the target of collectors.
You probably think of lavish works of art known throughout history.
But everything can be collected from the past and have a considerable price from video games, comics, clothes, etc.
It’s essential to understand one thing: Just because you don’t like new things and collect some retro stuff from the past doesn’t make you some outstanding sophisticated art connoisseur by default.
We are also part of the materialistic world by spending huge amounts of money on retro things.
As long as our collections don’t control our lives, it’s tolerable.
6. Others Don’t Care That Much
Yes, jealousy and envy exist because you have something that someone else doesn’t have, but sometimes others won’t care.
Usually, others don’t care when we want to impress them the most.
Maybe you expect too much from others to compliment your new overpriced designer jacket.
If you are in such a circle of people, they are probably too busy to pay attention to you because they want to tell you about what they bought.
If you flaunt your shiny things too much, it can also negatively affect you.
Instead of advancing on the social ladder, you are regressing.
Others can perceive you as arrogant because you expect everyone to admire you for your new things.
7. Material Things Require Care
All things fade with time.
They are beautiful and shiny, but they lose that shine over time.
It is necessary to clean and maintain materialistic things so they can function as long as possible.
That can only create additional burdens and distance us from more important things.
8. The More You Have, The More You Can Lose
Have you noticed how paranoid and stressed people are when they have a lot?
If you have a lot, you are afraid of losing it because you can’t even imagine being without all that possessions.
This behavior is justified because various dangers lurk, from breakdowns to thefts.
Of course, you should protect your property, but there is no point in spending your whole life in fear.
9. Material Things Can Be a Distraction
The first distraction that comes to mind may be how much money you spend on things you don’t need.
Along with the material comes more superficial qualities, such as greed, jealousy, and dissatisfaction.
The material distracts us from the spiritual and establishing the true values in life.
Also, with material things, you may try to mask a life problem instead of dealing with it.
That dopamine rush when we buy something is highly addictive, but it can’t be a substitute for solving something that’s bothering you.
10. Hedonic Adaptation
We must also mention the concept of the hedonic treadmill of hedonic adaptation.
Every new thing you buy makes you happy at that moment, but over time you get used to it and have to buy a new one.
We get used to new things very quickly. Usually, as soon as we achieve something, we chase something new.
Old is normal for us, and normal is boring.
Why Are You Not a Materialistic Person?
Since you didn’t find yourself in all of the above, what are your qualities really:
- You are aware of all the traps of materialism and successfully avoid them.
- You are focused on yourself, and your confidence does not depend on the things you own.
- You avoid being in the company of people focused only on money and materialistic things.
- You know how to separate the important stuff from the unimportant. That’s why unnecessary things never surround you.
- You enjoy the moment, and you are grateful for everything.
- You choose healthy hobbies instead of compulsive shopping in the mall for fun.
- Instead of materialistic, you choose spiritual virtues, such as love, kindness, and humanity.
To Conclude, You Cannot Buy Happiness
“Life is not about getting more. Life is about becoming more”
— Tonny Robbins
It’s nice to buy something sometimes, but you don’t allow material things to distract you from important things.
We cannot live in isolation from civilization and systems, but we do not necessarily have to be slaves to materialism.
You realize that as soon as material things are not in your first place.
In the end, we can only praise your attitude because thinking for yourself in today’s world is a great virtue. Well done!