[Discussion] ?How To Let Go Of Materialism?

[Waindo]

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theopenmind.com

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In this capitalist, materialistic world that we live in, we worship objects and derive pleasure solely from them. We want to possess more and more, thinking that only this way we can live in joy. Our thirst for more material things is never quenched, and we end up even more thirsty, addicted, sad, exhausted.

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The reason why our thirst is never satisfied is that substitutes cannot fulfill our needs.

What we are searching for cannot be found in material objects, but in how we relate with our ourselves, the people close to us, and our wider environment.

The prison of materialism is something that almost all people inhabit, but only a few escape from it, because most don’t even recognize that there is a prison and that they are confined by it, just like fish can’t discern the sea and understand that they live in it. Unaware of their slavery, how can they seek freedom?

If you sense that the prison of materialism exists and surrounds you, the following realizations might help you to escape from it and regain the freedom that you lost long time ago.

You have enough. If you are reading this thread now, it means that you have internet connection, a computer or another electronic device, and a house to live in, which means that you have enough to cover your basic needs and satisfy at least some of your wants. On Earth, however, billions of people don’t even have enough food to eat, clean water to drink, and a shelter to live under.

We, living in a materialistic environment, always want to possess more and more, not realizing what other people are lacking, and instead of finding ways to help them live like every human being deserves to live, we only think about our personal superficial gratification, which comes through the acquirement of material things that don’t actually make our life better in any way. Looking at your condition from a wider perspective will help you see that you have much more than you think, and you might start realizing what should truly concern us all.

What you own, owns you. Objects are good to use, but not good when we are being used by them. The more things you possess, the more you will want to protect your possessions, and the more attached to them you are, the more insecure you will feel, which can make you obsessed to acquire more without end, just in case you lose what belongs to you now. Having material things that are serving you to improve the quality of your life is perfectly fine, but if you let them take over your life, they can turn into harsh dictators that will never allow you to be care-free, at peace, and happy.

Joy is derived from sharing, not hoarding. To love and be happy means to give what you have and share your experiences with others. Studies have found again and again that helping others contributes to your happiness and overall well-being, and that healthy relationships with other people play the most important role in determining how happy we are. We believe that when we hoard things we are better off, but in reality this is only making us greedy and alienated, which is the sure-fire way to become depressed and unfulfilled.

Everything you have will one day be taken away from you. Physical death is approaching you, moment to moment, and everything that belongs to you–even you body–will sooner or later be taken away from you, whether you like it or not. Therefore, the more attached you are to material objects, the more difficult it will be for you to let go of what you possess, and one day you will find yourself losing everything you think is yours right in front of your bare eyes, causing immense anguish in you. In reality, nothing belongs to us–we are just visitors here, and the more we let go of the idea that some things are our own, the more free and at peace with ourselves and the world we’ll be.

Life can be lived in joy and celebration, only if we realize that happiness and security don’t lie in objects, but in experiences of love, creativity, and connection with our fellow human beings and the natural world.

Do you allow material things to take over your life?
How can a big bank balance substitute inner peace?
How can a shiny new car substitute loving attention?
How can possessions substitute our lost connection with people?

Discuss​

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[SIR HERDERP PRESIDERP SDO]

Nobody likes misers.

 

[Power Bottom]

I'm sure we all allow materialistic things to take control over our lives in some way in 1st world countries. In our society we need these things to "function" normally in society. In a lot of 3rd world countries, tribes and etc, they don't have the resources or technology to have the things we used daily every sec, min and hour.


A lot of values are based on how you were brought up. I think a lot of people value inner peace/socializing with the person they just met on the street. But all we see really is people walking with their heads down staring at a screen lol

 

[Scooby Doo]

While I agree that we should connect more with each other and be more grateful for what we have, and that we -or at least some or most of us- have become way too dependant on and obsessed with material things, I can't help but think that the questions at the end of the article pose a false dilemma (or dilemmas): you can have a 'big bank balance' and 'inner peace' at the same time, and having a 'shiny new car' does not exclude to have love at the same time...etc.

 

[Venomous Cobra]

material is life.

 

[~Ethereal~]

Life will be boring.

 

[Narushima]

While I agree that we should connect more with each other and be more grateful for what we have, and that we -or at least some or most of us- have become way too dependant on and obsessed with material things, I can't help but think that the questions at the end of the article pose a false dilemma (or dilemmas): you can have a 'big bank balance' and 'inner peace' at the same time, and having a 'shiny new car' does not exclude to have love at the same time...etc.

Perhaps, but there probably is a correlation between excessive material wealth (and existential security) and decadence, if not mental health. The history of plutocracies and wealthy aristocracies up to our day attests to this. Even the exceptions to this seem consistent with the general rule of thumb - it was the aristocrats who fought their own battles with weapon in hand that were prone to being the exceptions.

I suspect the confounder is the nature of goal-directed behaviour. Natural human existence, like that of most other organisms, is the struggle in the attainment of goals- until recently, this was the endeavour for physical sustenance for everyone. You were either hunting, gathering or breaking your back on a farm just to sustain your own existence.

Agriculture (and later technological society) may have furnished the blessings of civilization but the possibility of surplus production also made possible the accumulation of capital and wealth by individuals, and small groups of individuals. Unlike the masses (us), those individuals do not need to exert significant effort to attain the rudiments of sustenance - our daily bread etc.

Deprived of real goals in life, what do they do? Indulge themselves in things like meaningless sexual promiscuity, million dollar birthday parties, vacuous public display etc etc. Think of celebrity culture, if you will.

Of course not every wealthy person who is divorced from the need to struggle in life will become decadent. The philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein was born to one of Europe's then most wealthiest families and when his father died, inherited a considerable portion of that wealth. What did he do with it? Gave all of it to his siblings, volunteered as a soldier in WWI and found work as a primary school teacher (before eventually becoming an academic).

During the war, he wrote an incredibly poignant thing in his notebook: "Perhaps the nearness of death will bring light into life. God enlighten me... Now I should have the chance to be a decent human being, for I'm standing eye to eye with death."

I think Wittgenstein was on to something there - to struggle directly for one's life itself, can there be any other situation that tests one's own purpose, resolves etc in life so acutely?

Someone said of him that it was his habit of throwing himself into the real world of ordinary human life that disillusioned him from the abstract-obscurantist-arm chair variety of philosophy that he initially developed, and helped him frame his far more concrete and original later philosophy (the language games stuff).

 

[Deadlift]

Forget about the idea that materialism is a sin. Materialism is only wrong when it becomes obsessive, and if you're obsessed by the idea of getting rid of it, then you're still obsessed by it. Learn to accept materialism as a part of human life and you'll also become more independent from it