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Thread: How High is the Price of Materialism?

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[quote=LEONARDO,242725]Quotes form the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu warning people of the dangers of materialistic beliefs:

Chase after money and security
And your heart will never unclench
Care about people’s approval
And you will be their prisoners,
Do your work, then step back..
The only path to serenity

These six lines come from an American psychologist’s Tim Kasser’s book “The High Price of Materialism”. Tim Kasser is an associate professor of Psychology at Knox College in Galesburg, IL. This book is instructive and thought-provoking. When I did my graduation paper, I really benefited a lot from this book. This book explores the danger of materialism and how it affects our well-being and happiness.

Are you a materialist? May I take the liberty to say that nobody dare say ‘Nay’? In this consumer society, we are surrounded by flashy advertisements hawking dazzling consumer goods. Our consumer culture repeatedly tells us that money and material possessions can bring us happiness and well-being. Just like the quote from Kasser’s book says “Happiness can be found at the mall, on the internet, or in the shopping catalogue.”

However, some critics may argue that we have to pursuit money and material possessions in order to survive. Certainly, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need, the basic physical needs must be met. While in this global consumerism culture, there is seemingly an underlying principle held by millions of average mass consumers: if you have more money and possessions, you are happier than others.

How do our well-being and happiness relate to material possessions? What is “a good life’ or “a meaningful life”? Does personal fulfillment equal to material possessions and money? Will the pursuit of money and material goods lead to a decent life? These questions continue unresolved. 
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