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There was a time, when the American dream symbolized freedom, the opportunities to succeed, and happiness. Today, more than ever, it has dwindled down to the mere pursuit of material happiness. Making a lot of money, and having the best things in life, is the ultimate goal of many of our hard working, successful people.
Making a lot of money is not a bad thing. After all, it entails working hard in school, getting a college education, doing well professionally… It is our hard work and efforts that bear fruit in the form of material wealth. Surely, a goal that makes super achievers out of us cannot be a bad thing? It is not, if we don’t lose perspective of our goals.
It is only when we equate material success with happiness, and become slaves of consumerism that our problems start. Is there ever such a thing as enough money? Are we ever content with the things we have? Today, greed has overtaken our will to succeed. Look at our children. You buy them the best video games and toys- they’ll still want something ‘cool’ they’ve seen on TV. Ask them what they want to become when they grow up, and they’ll tell you they “want to make a lot of money.” Sadly, we give in to our children’s whims, and indulge in their fancies, because after years of our own struggle, we have convinced ourselves that by giving them everything we can or cannot, we are ensuring their happiness. Nothing can be further than the truth. By teaching kids that happiness is dependent on what they have, we are ensuring that they are never going to be happy, because they are never going to have everything!
We adults are no different. We no longer just keep up with the Joneses. While the burgeoning middle-class back in India scrimps and saves to buy a Santro, and take the kids to McDonald’s on weekends, we Indian Americans take pride in bigger accomplishments. Our neighbor recently bought a Lexus; we want it too. A family friend moved to an upscale five bedroom home; we need to get a bigger house to prove our superiority. We have become a society that measures man on the basis of how much he has. We have made happiness a chimera! And chasing this chimera is stressing us out. Materialism is causing us to lose our peace of mind. The result is a stress-laden life- an invitation to health problems, a deep-rooted sense of dissatisfaction, and chronic unhappiness.
So, is there a middle ground? A sense of detachment is possibly the answer. Refusing to give in to our innate yen to acquire more might ensure us better peace of mind. Most importantly, never measure happiness in terms of material acquisitions.
Surely folks, there can be no nirvana in materialistic goals! Happiness is a state of mind, irrespective of whether
we have or not. It is NOT all about money. Let’s not forget that.
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We sure live in a materialistic world ― in a world where millionaires are lauded as self-made heroes, and a person’s life is measured by what he possesses and how much he earns. The more you earn; the better person you are.
Men of faith or god-fearing people often decry and remind us that we are indeed living in very decadent times. Man’s greed is insatiable…No matter what we have, we are not satisfied. We are always looking towards the next best thing. In spite of all the technological and medical advances we have made to make our lives happier, we are still very unhappy. Our needs and desires have become voracious. Yesteryears’ luxuries have become today’s necessities, and our needs have become endless. We are hungry for more and more!
But the moot question is ― is living in a material world bad? Sure, this world would be a very different place if man had no desires. There would be no modern-day inventions; there would be no technological and medical advancements. Who would have discovered the arctic wilderness, for example, if man had no desires? Our civilizations and societies are built upon desires and quests ― scientific, technological, intellectual or simply creation of wealth. The great stride man has made in all walks of life was only possible because man has desires and passions to live a better life.
The materialistic man has found a way to acquire things, enjoy life, and seek fulfillment. Who doesn’t like beautiful things the world has to offer. Today we enjoy so many creature comforts. But again, where do we stop? What is the bottom line?
At a more personal level, having a beautiful home is a normal aspiration. But the problems start when what we have is never enough, or we acquire material things to simply show off. In my opinion, here we cross the line.
Can man be happy by just acquiring material possessions? To live a fulfilling life, we need love, family, friends and time to enjoy. The matters of the heart are as important as money. To be truly happy, we have to strike a balance between materialism and other things.
And, what is life without compassion for our less fortunate fellow human beings. Even if we are successful in making money, we have to have empathy for the poor and contribute towards the betterment of society. The princes among men are those who balance passion with prudence and pastoral care. More is better if it’s going eliminate many challenging ills that we face today. |
