Redefining Happiness, Materialism Affecting Society

“Humans are more concerned with having than being.”

This line from the movie Lucy (2014) has carved itself into people’s minds because it reflects the harsh truth that has befallen humanity. As the world progresses, people’s desires have also changed. Before, there may have been a universal claim that true happiness was defined by belongingness. But now, with the need for survival joining the equation, people’s happiness is measured by something else.

Materialism affecting society is something that could’ve been seen hundreds of years ago. It’s forthcoming. With people’s constant demand for progress, it’s only about time they get absorbed by the worldly things they desire to acquire.

The more goods they purchase, the less they are to see of the future. The more they desire technology, the more distorted their vision of reality becomes.

What Is Materialism?

What makes people human? Is this measured in the things they own or the people they’ve associated with? Defining what makes humans genuinely human is quite complicated. It’s a game of introspection across billions of individuals, assessing what makes them alive—what they believe is the essence of humanity.

However, as time passes, people’s interests, preferences, and beliefs change due to civilization shaping their culture and identities. Humanness may not be measured by possessions, but happiness has surely gravitated towards that sphere. In the modern world, property has become an inevitable aspect. Everything has become a commodity, consumable, and a reflection of who people are. Now more than ever, humans are more concerned with having than being.

This is a clear manifestation of materialism affecting society.

How Is Materialism Affecting Society?

Author Chet Shupe tackles why materialism affecting society is problematic in his book Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature. He clarifies that owning things isn’t the issue. Since time immemorial, humans have already been acquisitive, whether in property or within tribes. Instead, he posits that the constant and bottomless desire to acquire makes materialism a problem.

Chet Shupe discusses that people’s priorities will change as civilization continues to prosper and progress unfolds. Now, they’ve reached the point where priorities align with materialism.

Even young people are already taught that to live, they have to afford it. Money may not bring happiness, but it guarantees people that they will be able to face the coming days comfortably. Wealth helps people live, a measure of their well-being and survival.

Materialism affecting society is inescapable. Development is something nobody can run away from, and this comes with the pressure for people to afford. Resources multiply, but so are their prices. People will require more to live, thus igniting how interconnected they are with worldly matters.

So, does this mean humanity should accept the ruin that civilization is leading them towards?

What Is the Main Problem With Materialism?

In his book, Chet Shupe also highlights human nature’s wisdom for self-discovery—that beyond these seemingly “primal” needs comes humanity’s search for more. There is more to life than materialism, and people understand this. The author points out that while civilization, caused by humanity’s own decisions, is slowly destroying what it means to be human, people still have the capacity to change their lives, progress, and conditions.

Destruction started with human nature, and it will also be exacerbated or diminished by human nature. The main problem with materialism affecting society isn’t the fact that people enjoy acquiring things—again, this has been deeply engraved in their nature ever since—but their indifference to it. They know how close they are to the edge of destruction, of unhealthy levels of materialism, yet no action has been taken to reverse the consequences.

Humanity has enough resources and wisdom to change the outcome of its choices, yet it remains unmoving about them.

Materialism affecting society isn’t the problem. It has always been about people and their inability to react accordingly to the changes of time.

People have built the social system from which materialism thrives. Hence, they will indubitably be able to rise above and beyond it. It may be evolutionarily wired within people to acquire and compete with others. But this doesn’t have to lead to chaos. What can be done?

How to Avoid the Trap of Materialism?

First, people must realize how times have changed. They no longer live in hunter-gatherer groups, where their worth is equated to the value and materials they’ve brought in. Times have changed, and there’s more to humanity than acquisition.

Social comparison is painfully human. It’s embedded deep in everyone’s system to compare oneself to others and subconsciously compete to prove themselves. However, it’s time to change the narrative. Life can be deemed beautiful even without overflowing resources. People can live with only having enough rather than an abundance of something. There is beauty in being content and not falling victim to insatiability. While survival is deeply grounded in materialism, there is a line between what it takes to live comfortably and what it is that leads to being greedy.

Materialism affecting society may seem like a problem that is not directed toward individuals alone. However, everybody suffers the consequences similarly.

If you’re interested in learning more about the possible consequences of civilization, grab a copy of Chet Shupe’s Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature.