The amount of stuff we own these days is shocking. Reports indicate we consume twice as many material goods today as we did 50 years ago. The number should cause us to start asking some difficult questions of ourselves. For example, why do we buy more stuff than we need?
We think it will make ushappy. But in reality, we buy bigger houses, faster cars, cooler technology and fashionable clothes, hoping that we will become happier. Unfortunately, the actual happiness from excessive physical possessions is brief at best.
We are more susceptible to advertising than we believe. Every advertisement carries the same message — your life will be better if you buy what we are selling. We begin to hear this message so many times and from so many angles and begin to believe it. This is not a complete condemnation of the marketing industry. This is simply a call to realize their message affects us more than we realize.
Comparison seems to be a natural state of our humanity. We notice what other people are buying, wearing, and driving. We admire them. And all too often, we buy stuff we don't need just because people in our friendship circles have done the same. A culture focused on praising excess will always misdefinetrue success.
Extra material possessions do not enrich our lives. We would be wise to realize the cause and overcome it.
A. We are hoping to impress other people.
B. We envy people who own more stuff.
C. On average, we see 5, 000 advertisements every day.
D. Here are several reasons why we buy more stuff than we need.
E. Nobody would admit they search for happiness in material possessions.
F. We seek to recover from loss and loneliness by purchasing unnecessary items.
G. Actually, buying unnecessary things keeps us from experiencing something wonderful.
