Is it ok to be materielistic in this world?

Question

Somehow I feel that this whole world is materielistic and everything looks loathsome. The more we achieve in our life and more our disires grow. But its difficult to be isolated from the world also.
I am a bit confused and you can sense that from this question also :).

Answer 1

There is nothing wrong in being materialistic but over affection or lust for materialism is one of the reasons for many evils in the present day world.

Fraud,cheating etc are because of lust for materialism.

Materialism brings only comfort but not peace. Human being cannot be happy without peace.

Meditation, prayer, kindness, sacrifice, ..... these are some of the qualities that bring us lot of happiness and peace which are much more enjoyable than many comforts for which we strive life long.

Answer 2

We live in a very materialistic world, and sometimes it is difficult to see what is important in life. We all get sucked into it at some point.

I still think that all the best things in life are free though. E.g. going for a walk by the sea, in the woods etc. with friends is a great way to spend a day.

It's a cliché, but giving really is better than receiving. Seeing someone benefit from my help gives me a warm fuzzy feeling, where as receiving an expensive gift, while pleasant, just doesn't compare. I am not one of these organised people who go around organising charity events etc., but I try to make myself aware of what is going on around me, and if I see someone in difficulty, I try to make a point of offering to help. Often it is the little things which will brighten up someone else's day.

I have my faults like everyone else. I have a need for financial security, and need to have some rainy day money put by. I have helped out family members financially, but I am too selfish to dig into my rainy day money. I guess I am a modern day scrooge!!!

I watched a program a few months ago on people who had had near death experiences. They came from all walks of life, but they all had one thing in common. Every one of them changed as a result and became less materialistic. Some gave up lucrative careers and huge houses. They were all much happier with their much simpler lives.

At the end of the day, we are all a little confused!

Answer 3

I think everyone needs, wants and desires their "creature comforts". To my mind its about "degree" and "levels of excess."

Its not materialistic to covet certain things, things which make life happier, easier, more pleasant, nicer...

I see it as a "problem" when it reaches of point of constantly wanting more and more... newer, bigger, faster, better....

If you have a car and its one or two years old, decent, reliable, reasonable... its materialistic to buy another one for the sake of it... just to show off and let everyone else see how affluent you are.

Its the same with property, clothes, shoes, gadgets... etc. You can only live in ONE place at a time... why have half a dozen property's? You can only drive ONE car. Wear one pair of shoes at a time....

Being materialistic is about showing off to other people, bragging. Telling everyone how much you have. How much it cost... what you are getting next. Its being a slave to your possessions. Needing them to define who you are, how you are and what you are about. Its superficial, shallow and based on how things LOOK.

Its having fake nails, spray on tan, hair extension costing £500. Gucci hand bag costing £1200. Having half a dozen cars parked on the drive way.... Having things for show....

Its similar to saying does money buy your happiness? Well obviously you need to have enough money to meet your basic needs. Its always the people who have a lot of money who say money doesn't buy happiness. You never hear the homeless person saying money can't buy happiness. Because lets face it, how can you be happy if you have NO money and no home? You need to have ENOUGH.

Its about whether things are ABSOLUTE or RELATIVE. Absolute meet no enough to meet basic levels. Relative changes over time.... in this country what we expect as a "norm" is different to what someone in Africa would expect as their norm. Its relative to what everyone else has.

I don't think the whole world is materialistic, its just the WESTERN WORLD. You are forgetting all the millions of people in the third world, Africa, Asia etc who have absolutely nothing.... and are not materialistic.

If the earth’s population could be shrunk into a village of precisely 100 people, with all existing human ratios remaining the same, then:



· 70 would be non white



· 52 would be female



· 70 would be non Christian



· 89 would be heterosexual



· Six people would possess 59 per cent of the entire worlds health



· 80 would live in substandard housing



· 70 would be unable to read



· 50 would suffer from malnutrition



· Just one would have a college education



· One would own a computer.



If you have food in the fridge, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep – you are richer than 75 per cent of the worlds population.



If you have money in the bank or your wallet and spare change in a dish somewhere – you are among the top eight per cent of the worlds wealthy.

Answer 4

If by materialistic, you mean only believing in the existence of this material world as opposed to a spiritual one, then I think It's more than OK.

WE didn't ask for any of these occurences (growing desires etc) because that's how, whatever is the cause of the existence of our hearts, be it evolution of some god, we were programmed to behave. We can't help it!

We can however rationally control the growth of these desires in a sane way.
Everything, whether it's consciousness or soul or spirit is nothing but complex activities of the material world (brain). Without matter, there is no spirit or soul or consciousness!

Answer 5

I think it is realistic to be at least somewhat materialistic because we live in a material world. Love, friendship, compassion, peace and all of the other intangibles in life are nice to have, but you can't live in love or eat empathy. Survival is the first need that must be served and it depends on the material things we acquire from the outside world. Now, I'm not advocating a totally materialistic view of life. But unless you have the material things to survive, you'll never be in a position to serve those higher purposes.

Answer 6

That question can only be answered by yourself. If it is your true desire that keeps growing with more things, then you are materialistic. The term "ok in this world" is broad. It is okay in the sense that you feel better with more things. And it is not okay in the sense that if some of these materials are unnecessary and cause harm to others (but no real material causes harm to someone directly) And it is too much to ask someone not to feel better so that they can affect .0001% of the world.

Answer 7

We can be materialistic but not at morality expense, as is the case more and more; in a business world of competition many people get trampled upon without mercy. That has to change.
Capitalism is not the ideal economic system; and we have to find a better alternative.

Answer 8

The world does not exist as such - only human beings exist and we mistakenly or purposely blame world, god, Satan, wars, politics, etc for everything.
To be materialistic or not is your choice - a free person has at least that; to make choices!
But it is said and I agree that materialism does not bring happiness but often sorrow.

Answer 9

We re a composition of material and spirit. Confusion arises when we do no discriminate between the two. To sustain our material part of life, we have to be materialistic and to attain our true self have to strive for spirituality. We can not ignore one for the other.

Answer 10

The problem is not materialism ,
But making materialism the ONLY thing ,
Making it the center of life .

Materialism should be a supporting player ,
Not the center stage star .

>