In the society we live in, a word I hear all too often is "more."
Materialism is a disease that has spread across the country into too many communities that thirst for a bigger house, more friends, and a nicer car. Some would say that using the word "disease" takes things a step too far, but let's think about this.
A disease is defined as a particular quality, habit, or disposition regarded as adversely affecting a person or group of people. If materialism is the "habit" or the "disposition," then we, the people who define the future, will be affected.
Call it what you may, but our society is in trouble.
All diseases have an origin just as they choose a victim. Let's start with the origin.
The media spews body image all over our everyday lives to such an extreme extent that we've been infected with the fear of not being good enough. Advertisements for diet pills and other weight loss supplements tend to target the most vulnerable group of people: the insecure. Keeping track of what your body is supposed to look like gets exhausting after a while, which is perhaps why materialists can be spotted with symptoms of neediness, lack of confidence, and lack of fulfillment.
Victims often find themselves spending their money and self-worth on products they won't get results from. Once they feel that their body image is hopeless, they'll turn to things like a new phone or name-brand clothes to impress their friends. The problem is that once the victim is prioritizing these items, they'll stop prioritizing things that really matter.
The good news about this disease is that it does have a cure, and it's relativity simple.
Finding beauty in all the small things is an acquired skill that helps keep your feet on the ground and your eyes on the sky.
Materialistic things are incredibly finite. They will eventually whither and wear away with time. Focusing on what you'll have left if all those things went away is the cure.
Rather than worrying about how big your house is, focus on the sun. It came up today in a blaze of glory presenting you with another opportunity to see the world grow right before your very eyes.
