I have a problem with the word materialistic. The problem stems from my belief that 99.9% of people are or would be if they just had the chance.
Of the three general definitions, one is philosophical and doesn't apply. The second is 'the attitude that physical well-being and worldly possessions constitute the greatest good and highest value in life'. The third is 'a great or excessive regard for worldly concerns.'
The word materialistic does not apply only to those who value material things over non-material things such as love, faith, and humor. The word applies to those who really like material things and if they had the where-with-all would move up or collect more things. That just about describes everyone.
I am a materialistic person. One of my greatest loves is my home and I treat it with love. My wife feels the same. I could write a several part post on what 'home' means to me. If we had no home, we would be lost souls. We want the home to be full of things - nice things - they feed that soul. You have heard the saying 'there's no place like home' and there is no greater truth than that.
I have a great love for vehicles. They take us places, do our shopping, haul us on vacation, and quite simply give us our freedom.
I give materialistic gifts to my materialistic family and friends. They love the electronics, the chocolates, the money or the gift certificates to go buy more material things.
I would rue the day that I gave my wife or kids a kiss for Christmas. They would say 'that's nice', then hold out their hand for the goodie.
Am I so different? Are they so different? I don't think so. Who isn't like this?
A musician plays his music on a material instrument. An artist paints with material things. And after they are successful, those instruments and brushes probably won't be good enough, or they won't have enough and they will go to the material store and buy the ones that work best.
Did you have all the clothes, all the jewelry, all the things you wanted several years ago? You had some of each and they carried you. Do you want more even though you don't need them?
I'll bet you are materialistic. I bet you want more things even though you could do without them. I bet you bought more in the last month.
But don't worry.
You are normal.
Just like the other 99.9%.
So what is it to be materialistic?
The world has been this way since the first caveman killed a great big animal and decided the old hearth 'wasn't good enough'. If I'm not mistaken, the constitution and state laws of many states placed property over life itself on occasion.
hmmm...who should I call materialistic?.......
beyondtheveil posted on Jul 21, 2008
| views: 200
Comments
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uniquely-ironic said on Jul 21, 2008....
I think we're all materialistic up to a point. I think, like everything else, that the problem comes in when people come second to material possessions. It's not wrong to like material things. Just wrong to put them ahead of people. -
Me-Myself&I said on Jul 21, 2008....
you are on a roll, the last post and now this....well, i think they are great, great reads .... makes me think and feel.huh....you are totally correct. we all are materialistic.i lost so much materialistic "stuff" in the fire, now i am plain jane....less is best!i know what i "need" now instead of "wanting" it. there is a freedom in not having clutter in my life.but i love my truck, metal detector, four wheeler.... *smile* -
secretlife said on Jul 21, 2008....
well, if i won the lottery, i have a list of material things i'd certainly buy-so i guess that puts me in the materialistic category....that list, and all the damn shoes!but still at the end of the day, if you asked me what my most prized possessions are, it wouldn't be the house or the car or the jewelry or even the shoes----it would be the things money cannot buy. -
wombat said on Jul 21, 2008....
Fantastic post! I have always counted myself as "non-materialistic" in that I understood that there were higher values than a million dollar home, six new cars you never drive, a boat you never use....and so on and so on....But on a smaller scale---of course I am materialistic. I like my "things" around me---chosen wisely, of course. I am referring to my personal items such as my book collection, my certain knick-knacks and relics of the past....I like my "stuff." and I like to be able to buy more "stuff." I want above all to be comfortable enough financially to be able to buy that stuff---especially the stuff that helps me be more creative and balanced. I am being so unclear here.....let me just say this:I remember a time when I had no where to go for several days and my meager "stuff" was on someone's porch being rained on. I was at the bottom of the barrel on hope. When I finally got it together,(and out of a bad place litterally and figuratively) and got the money together, I checked into a motel room for one night until I could get into a place I rented.I spent a good chunk of the evening going through my purse--laying out my little amount of "stuff" that I had. I shed a tear or two and decided I would never let anyone else ever take my "stuff" again.I don't need a mansion and a limo---that would be nice--- but I am grateful for my own "stuff" and hope I can get more and more of it.What a sad tribute to my life....ha. -
beyondtheveil said on Jul 21, 2008....
unique- I agree, nothing ahead of people. In fact, I would have a lot of trouble putting a material thing above my dogs. I love them too.
me-myself- I'm really happy you liked the two posts. As to the fire, I was in one of those also long ago. Took a long time to come back. And yes, needs come first.
secret- Ha Ha, women and those damn shoes. Being a man, one of the things I don't understand. I have my cowboy boots, tennies, and a pair of house shoes from walmart. But don't talk to me about tools and trucks, different thing there. As to most prized possessions, one is being loved, I couldn't sell that.
wombat- When I left home I had a few clothes and an old car and thought nothing about it. It took a long time to have my home and a book collection. Its not a sad tribute, but one sad time in your life. You have your priorities straight, you know what's important to you. Wanting stuff along the way is what I'm talking about. We all want stuff. Its important to us all. If we get a windfall, we get more stuff. Nothing wrong with that.
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wombat said on Jul 21, 2008....
If you were my hubby, you would now know why I love my book collection.....Thank you for understanding. -
woman said on Jul 21, 2008....
Of course you are right. We do like our creature comforts. We like to be snug in our cozy homes. We like to have nice things to look at and nice things to wear (Secret, read shoes here!). We like to give gifts to those we love and sometimes to receive them too. But most of us really know that these are just things. Things that decorate our lives that are made rich from the nonmaterial. -
dailyachesandpains said on Jul 21, 2008....
Man...this is tough.I don't believe I am a materialistic person at all. I have the things that I want, and don't want much more of anything.I would rather put gas in the car to get Little D. to where she needs to be, or, if she wants an extra day of daycare I'd pay for that instead of a small item. 5 B.C. (Before Child) I would have blown money on anything I wanted, but didn't need. Mr. Daily, on the other hand, he's still concerned with useless purchases to keep up with the Jones' or be a step ahead of them. It drives me nuts!Daily -
queenparanoia said on Jul 22, 2008....
calling yourself not materialistic is just plain arrogant...
what wrong with having things when you know you could handle it?
besides, everyone has a different view on how stuff affect them...for example i may be excited for a new pair of shoes than most people are...
nothing wrong for appreciating stuff... just as long as that this stuff would not change your values and the way you view your life... ;-)
dude your posts really get the serious side of me... ;-)
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silverwhisper said on Jul 22, 2008....
beyond, you're as thought-provoking as ever, i see. :>
in some sense we're all of us materialistic as materials are indeed necessary to live in our world, as you note: a home, food, clothing, a car & the attendant irritation at gas prices...
so sure, we all budget for these things, knowing that on some level, we need these things.
here's the thing: i think we're really talking about a matter of degree here--aren't we? you work, you get paid, all in furtherance of being able to live, being able to afford [big ticket item], such as perhaps paying off one's mortgage, children's education, retirement nest egg, etc, right?
but look again at the definitions you cited: an excessive regard for these things, one of them notes.
but everything you've described, and that i've included in the foregoing, represents to my eye a perfectly reasonable regard.
ed -
curmudgeon said on Jul 22, 2008....
If our materialism simply stopped at liking the nice things with which we surround ourselves and bestow upon our loved ones, that's one thing.But what if our materialism leads us to cause others to suffer? How does it make you feel to realize that the beautiful diamond necklace you've given your wife was wrought from the Earth by slave labor? How does it make you feel to know that the oh so comfortable shirt you're wearing was sewn by a child's hands? Might the house you love so much have been built by day laborers, working for less than minimum wage, living fourteen to a two bedroom house, all to give their kids a chance at a better life? How does that sit with you? Do you not care to know that the tasty treats you feed your kids were picked and processed by people desperate, landless and starving? Do their kids not deserve to eat tasty treats too?And quite frankly it's a bit sad that a kiss wouldn't be a good enough present for Christmas. The meaning of Christmas is not found in the goods we trade, but in the time we spend together. The only reason why a kiss wouldn't be good enough is because we've been socialized to expect materials rather than simple expressions of love.Yes, we are materialistic in the sense that we need material resources to survive and provide for our health, safety and general well-being. Materials are God's gift to us. However, when our attachment to material things causes us to harm our neighbors, if out of our own desire to indulge ourselves, we deny that we are a part of far greater wrongs that take place in furtherance of our materialism, that's when materialism becomes problematic for me. -
beyondtheveil said on Jul 22, 2008....
woman- I really like the line 'Things that decorate our lives that are made rich from the non-material.'
daily- I know a few people who are quite satisfied with pretty much what they have, but most are older. I think if these people had more they would buy more for others. As we grow we learn and some learn earlier, as in your case.
queenie- I agree. If a person goes to the point it changes values or swamps them in debt, they have gone too far. This is rather common.
Ed- All true what you say. In fact, after looking at the post more closely yesterday, I realized the point should have been expressed differently. We tend to spend what we make and what we don't make meaning debt. When people move up financially they normally move up materially. That means a larger home, another car, more toys or more expensive toys.
Not only now, but historically as far as I can tell, need factors in only partially. With almost everyone, more bucks means more things, need or not. Anywhere in the world, now or ever before, a growth in the economy means more things. I stand by my statement that its a normal human condition to be materialistic. People don't meditate about the finer non-material aspects of life with more money, they buy.
curmudgeon- I understand what you are saying, and yes, I think about these things. But I also buy Adidas or Nike shoes because I wouldn't have any otherwise. Slave and child labor have been with us always and we haven't advanced far enough to do anything about it. The world is run by corporations and corporations are socio-pathic, meaning they have no conscience. The problem is that they provide almost everything and people with a conscience are going to buy from them, usually at the lowest price. This is problematic for many people and none of them know what to do about it effectively. And it seems its getting worse, not better.
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eurekame said on Jul 22, 2008....
no one will dare touch my stuff! or they shall be one arm less, or a hole it a place to be unmentionable...*side note-in fact I had to do almot that -
eurekame said on Jul 22, 2008....
no one will dare touch my stuff! or they shall be one arm less, or a hole it a place to be unmentionable...*side note-in fact I had to do almot that -
eurekame said on Jul 22, 2008....
No one will dare touch my stuff! or they shall be one arm less, or a hole it a place to be unmentionable...*side note-in fact I had to do almot that the other night; I believe someone tried to break in my home...freaked me out!I agree whole heartedly with you, because I'am the same, and most people surely are! -
curmudgeon said on Jul 22, 2008....
beyond - I'm not saying I don't like things too. I love all kinds of gear. But I regard these as tools which I use to create meaningful life experiences, hopefully for others as well as myself, rather than having stuff just for the sake of having it.Great post! -
beyondtheveil said on Jul 22, 2008....
eureka- I think I'd blow a hole in the same place. We all love our stuff, don't we?
curmudgeon- I like to think I have a use for every item of my stuff. But alas, I go overboard on books and those darn tools. I was taught that there is a tool for every job and took it to heart. I honestly don't need about 25% of them.
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eurekame said on Jul 22, 2008....
lol, what's with my 3 comments...I need to figure this out a little better! my newbieness is showing... -
gingersoul said on Jul 22, 2008....
BeyBey.......simple.....don't touch my books, don't touch my computer...don't touch my phone...don't touch my car.....don't touch my pens....See...all those things are vital and absolutely life altering for me....But....are they so only because the specific circumstances in which i live?...Would i live in a situation in which i wouldn't need any of them (well..beside the books) would I be this possessive about them?......This to say.....materialistic possessions are subject to the law of transient....Changing the context do we still long to possess them? -
moonriver said on Jul 22, 2008....
Caveman Moonriver wake to cold dawn in his cave, wrap warm skins while fixing nice breakfast of rice and omelet, build fire in hearth, say good morning to his son and frisky dogs, feed them, boot up caveman computer to send smoke signal to next valley, and set aside his hoard of cowrie shells to pay caveman bills, and say, "Ugh ugh ugh I need materialism to survive from day to day!" ... :-)
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beyondtheveil said on Jul 22, 2008....
eureka- Messed up comments used to be more common, but still happens. You'll get used to it.
ginsoul- My, my. You are making me think again and my brain's getting tired. I think possessions are subject to the law of 'I want, gimmie it now'. Times people live in change possessions with technology. Location changes items such as ginsoul in a boat off the coast of Italy would be desirable, but beyond trying to row in the sand of the desert? - 4wheel drive pick ups work better. We still want, we still buy with our circumstances, don't you think? I'm hopeless, I'll never stop buying things.
moon- See? I told you in the post cavemen were materialistic. I must admit, however, that I've never heard rubbing two sticks together for a fire and smoke signals a computer. At least they were cheaper and didn't crash (well, unless a wind came and messed up the smoke).
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dailyachesandpains said on Jul 23, 2008....
Beyond:Well, I think in my case I watched how my Grandparents surviving the depression inked their lives forever.For the longest time growing up, I didn't know what an actual "bank" was. Both sets of Grandparents hid their money at home. I not only watched how it hit them, but also the lasting effects on my Parent's. My Mother was one of over 10 children and my father was only one out of two, but the son of an alcoholic (might as well count him as one of 15 children because of that alone). My Mother always buys what is needed, my Father on the other hand will buy what he wants...needed or not. My Father was taught back then that if they had the money to just get it. My Grandfather was telling them that the world was going to end, to just get whatever they wanted while they could. My Grandmother on my Mother's side took in borders and the older children worked if they could in the mills.I wonder if being materialistic is something we're just born being or learned...Daily -
beyondtheveil said on Jul 23, 2008....
daily- I have heard so many stories about the depression. My grandfather was employed and worked at a newspaper office through the depression. I remember my mother telling me how lucky they all felt he had that job. Another man told me he and his wife had orange and apple crates for furniture. I noticed that these people spent later in life, but were careful with money and didn't go into debt.
As to your question, I imagine materialism is learned. But then again it centers around desire and we are born to desire, aren't we?
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dailyachesandpains said on Jul 23, 2008....
Beyond: My Grandfather on my Dad's side worked a very well paying job, and drank almost all of the paycheck. He was lucky too. They paid their $12 a month mortgage (can you imagine being so lucky having that mortgage?) and then he got his booze, cigars and what was left, if anything was blown or stored in the walls or mattress. My Grandmother used to wait outside of the bar so he would stop drinking if he saw her through the window. She along with the other wives. Women were not allowed in the bar. The bar was "The L Street Tavern" in South Boston, it was in the movie, "Good Will Hunting" if you saw it (just so you can get the visual).Yes, I do agree with your answer, we are born to desire and the moment we are born, what do we desire? We need our Mother's immediately, but do we desire our mothers? I would think so spending so much time growing with her. However, your first point is true, IMO, as well. MAN...you are making me think SO hard!Daily -
dailyachesandpains said on Jul 23, 2008....
Oh, and a follow up to the $12 mortgage...I realize that the pay scale was a LOT less back then along with the price of housing. :-) -
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