Why is materialism important?

Highly materialistic people believe that owning and buying things are necessary means to achieve important life goals, such as happiness, success and desirability. Research shows that highly materialistic people tend to care less about the environment and other people than “non-materialists” do.

What are the positive aspects of materialism?

Materialism can play important positive roles in the lives of some people, such as identity builder (Burroughs & Rindfleisch, 1997), self-esteem booster and satisfier of the need of distinctiveness and belonging (Wong et al., 2011).

Is materialism a value?

Researchers have defined materialistic values as “the importance a person places on possessions and their acquisition as a necessary or desirable form of conduct to reach desired end states, including happiness” (Richins and Dawson, 1992, p. 307).

Is materialism a good thing?

Materialism doesn’t make you happy. But in all things, there is also nuance. While psychological studies show that empty materialism leads to negative feelings, there’s also the concept of good materialism—an intentional type of consumerism that can make us feel fulfilled, connected, and happy.

What is the advantage of materialism in attaining good life and happiness?

Material objects can therefore be said to play a positive psychological (or spiritual) role in our lives when higher more positive ideals are ‘materialised’ in them, and so when buying and using them daily gives us a chance to get closer to our better selves.

But other research shows that materialism is a natural part of being human and that people develop materialistic tendencies as an adaptive response to cope with situations that make them feel anxious and insecure, such as a difficult family relationship or even our natural fear of death.

How do you tell people to be less materialistic?

Telling people to be less materialistic is like telling people that they shouldn’t enjoy sex or eat fatty foods. People can learn to control their impulses, but this does not remove the underlying desires. As such, efforts directed towards eliminating materialism (taxing or banning advertising activities) are unlikely to be effective.

Are materialistic people more susceptible to mental health problems?

They were then given a standard diagnostic test to identify mental health problems. At the ages of both 18 and 30, materialistic people were more susceptible to disorders. But if in that period they became less materialistic, they became happier.

Is social media making us more materialistic?

One study of American and Arab youth found that materialism is higher as social media use increases. The findings suggest that, just as television use is associated with more materialism, so is use of social media. That makes sense, since most social media messages also contain advertising, which is how the social media companies make a profit.