How Does Materialism Affect Our Happiness And Psychological Well-being?
Do you think you are very materialistic? Do you feel that the more you consume, the sadder you feel? Discover why materialism can affect you psychologically.
We measure our concept of happiness with the same criteria with which we evaluate the quality of a new television. This assessment of materialism As a philosophy of life, it contributes to greater widespread frustration in our population, according to different scientific studies.
The assumption of materialism As a rule, it is one of the causes of what the French sociologist Gilles Lipovetsky called ‘Society of disappointment’: subconsciously, we think of happiness as something that can simply be acquired or obtained in exchange for something. Verifying that this is not true leads us to a constant feeling of frustration. But that is only one of the aspects in which we confuse the rules of material mercantilism with those that measure our personal well-being.
It is common to talk about ‘full happiness’, complete. This concept is also related to the materialism By contemplating this possibility, we are giving happiness, which is a purely ethereal concept, a physical characteristic such as plenitude, which only bodies possess. In other words, we hope that happiness comes like a new car: whole and pristine, without scratches, with all its standard elements and also with several options.
The quality of an appliance is previously tested with a guarantee that assures us of a repair or replacement in case the object fails. In our daily lives, we also very often seek to ensure that well-being is guaranteed forever: we want indefinite employment contracts, properties to secure our assets, and life insurance to guarantee that we can solve future problems.
Another practice we fall into is, in some ways, similar to putting a price on our well-being. We monetize our effort: if one option is going to cost us fewer hours of dedication than another, our mind conceives it, a priori, as the most pleasant. It is similar to when we go shopping during sales periods: a product on sale usually attracts us more than another at the usual price. In fact, accounting is one of the properties that we most tend to transfer from material consumption to the spiritual. We are obsessed with analyzing quantities, or rather, with achieving measurable values.
Are these comparisons useful to us? On the contrary, they lead us astray and harm us. Try to cross the material logic Being sentimental is one of the errors that causes the most frustration in our society. We feel disappointed because we do not understand the reason for not acquiring that level of well-being that we long for, and what happens to us is a diagnostic error: well-being has no levels, nor is it acquired nor is it healthy to try to measure it.
A social change in this materialistic way Taking stock, according to Lipovetsky, is unfeasible: according to him, psychosocial problems have always been generated and have been conditioned by the context in which one lives. As long as material consumerism rules in our daily lives, the ‘Society of Disappointment’ will continue to be a reality. However, an individual solution is not so utopian: it is enough to accept the unpredictability and abstractness of our sensations to put aside that discomfort so typical of our time, even if it is personally.
He materialism It governs most of our lives. Although being materialistic does not have to be bad, the reality is that being an excessively materialistic person can affect your well-being, your relationships, and even your quality of life.
In this way, the materialism in psychology It is understood as consumer culture, referring to giving value to the matter that surrounds us. This thought is not bad in itself, it only ends up being harmful when there is a tendency to overvalue everything materialistic. So much so that this can end up damaging our individual well-being.
How does materialism affect us psychologically?
Various psychological studies show that those people who seek wealth and base their happiness on materialism They tend to be less satisfied and experience fewer positive emotions each day. So much so that there is also research that has found that life satisfaction correlates with being less materialistic.
1. Promotes competitiveness and ambition
Although being ambitious and competitive is a good trait if it is in a balanced way, when this occurs in a pronounced way it ends up harming your life in various aspects. He materialism For its part, it encourages this type of social interactions and that is why it can make us feel frustrated by comparing ourselves with our competitors.
2. Money does not buy happiness
Having a lot of money doesn’t make you instantly happy. So much so that various research has shown that there is no direct correlation between income and a person’s happiness. Despite this research, it is true that continuous effort to achieve your goals (and that these can be linked to a greater amount of money) does produce more emotional well-being.
It has been shown in various studies that couples where the materialism is more present they have a lower quality in their relationship. So much so that in relationships where materialism between the two was less, people felt more connected to their partner.
4. Narcissistic personality
When you give too much importance to materialism In a culture, people tend to develop a narcissistic personality. The desire to find validation from others increases, causing more importance to be placed on a person’s superficiality (both physically and personally).
Materialism fuels people’s insecurity and low self-esteem when comparing themselves to others who have more. In this way, if there is a excess of materialism In people, they can end up suffering from a mental disorder such as depression, anxiety, among other conditions. If you think you may have one of these problems due to materialism, it is important to have the help of a psychology professional.
As we have mentioned, materialism is a current to which we are all subject. Although balance is not bad, it is necessary to know how to value the non-material things that surround us to be happy.
