Modern Society Has Become Too Materialistic | The Odyssey Online
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Modern Society Has Become Too Materialistic

"The best things in life aren't things." - Art Muchwald

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Modern Society Has Become Too Materialistic
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This quote speaks for itself, but there is so much that could be said about this simple, true statement. We all live in a materialistic society where the majority of people are more worried about what we have than who we are. There is an emphasis on what brand you are wearing, what car you are driving, and just how many things you have in general.

People will look at someone with a lavish lifestyle filled with expensive things and think that they are living a much more blissful life than themselves. This is a view that society embeds into our brains to the point that people spend their whole lives striving for money over happiness. And this is a major flaw with our world.

There are people who spend a lifetime spending money they don’t have because of the belief that an object will bring them more gratification. A main problem with this concept is the perception people have. It’s a dangerous cycle of seeing others with something and thinking they need the same thing to be happy or to fit in.

Our society is constantly brainwashing us to buy more of this or that, because we live in a society that works if people are constantly spending. But if every person thinks about what they essentially need in life I think this cycle can stop.

Society wants people to strive to become so wealthy when, in reality, the wealth inequality is much more extreme than people realize. So, people are striving to be in a place that is virtually impossible. Though I’m not saying it’s bad to have nice things, but if these are where your priorities lie, I think it is time to reevaluate. Our society puts value into our money and materials rather than accomplishments or people. Our accomplishments are measured by what we have, but why? If all this energy was put into making the world a better place, I could not imagine what kind of peaceful world we would live in.

Unfortunately, people will always be chasing money and power, and if they already have it they will do anything to keep it or to gain more. “People were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. The reason the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used.”

Things are replaceable; people are not. But, I am not going to tell you what exactly the best things in life are, that’s for you to decide.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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