Why does Materialism and Low Self Esteem go Hand in hand?

Question

Well Said Pat K!

Answer 1

Your question reminds me of the saying "Money does not by happiness." Sometimes people with low self-esteem focus their existence on accumulating material things just to make themselves temporarily happy. Its like the small child who is brimming over with excitement over opening his Christmas presents. But then he opens them, and a few days or a week later, they mean nothing to him.

Another example of empty materialism is trying to "keep up (or surpass) the Joneses." If we have low self-esteem, we feel we must prove that we are just as successful as our friends or neighbors, and we do that by buying a bigger boat or a bigger RV or a bigger TV. If having these things gives you and your family great pleasure, and you can afford it, that's terrific. But if things are acquired just to prove how successful you are, it does not work and you find yourself struggling to pay the bills. Sometimes even bankruptcy is the result.

Buying many material things is an external "quick fix" for an internal emptiness. When we are truly happy with ourselves, we find that many of our things are just clutter, and they end up filling our garages and our storage units.

Answer 2

Because sadly we live in a materialistic society where people's social status is not governed by who they are as an individual, but by what they do for a job and how much they've got in the bank.

To be seen by your peers as doing well, you have to "work in the city", have a big house, a car, 2.5 kids. You need to take at least two holidays a year once at your beach home in Florida or LA and the other preferably in Europe. You need to be a member of the best Golf Club, Gym etc etc etc.

If you don't have these things you are perceived as not doing so well and so become socially unacceptable amongst your peers. Even though you are probably a damn sight happier than most of them.

Because you're not welcome at the Golf Club because you don't drive a German Car you self esteem falls.

Because your job doesn't pay enough that you'll ever be able to buy the German car, you constantly feel somehow not as good as those who have the big BMW or Mercedes.

Its is a sad fact of life and even sadder because it is completely misguided and misconceived that society should be this way.

Some of the happiest most confident and richest people I know have very little in material terms.

Answer 3

In our society, no longer something is unfastened and we've built a sort for the alleviation or time-saving aspects that fabric gadgets carry into our lives. in basic terms image going returned 200 years and having to stop your fancy kitchen and bath or having to stroll throughout you presently stress. some persons do take it slightly farther. In a simplified state, people who you seek for suggestion from with better half the concerns funds buys with happiness. money buys the concerns required to stay a secure existence, nonetheless, some persons truthfully have an emotional attachment (funds buys happiness). It promises a fashion of success which would be obtrusive, touched, smelled... somewhat. This sort of individual with low self well worth buddies actual salary with wellness and extremely resembling an addict, will keep with extra and extra "fixes". i spotted a bumper decal i've got faith sums up that contributors attitude: the single with between the main toys wins My attitude is that funds is maximum suitable nicely in spite of if that's being spent, in the different case it is in basic terms parts of paper or a quantity on a ledger. I truthfully have below no situations heard of tat's being with regards to lack of self assurance, nonetheless, i'm noticing a fashion with the adolescents over the previous decade. it is artwork. in basic terms once you think approximately that it is placed on the physique does now no longer make it extra or less than that.

Answer 4

Oh crap, do you mean those with high self-esteem will not be doing any holiday shopping this season? Close the malls, and may everyone now have a very, very merry Christmas.