Do material things make you happy? Cuz they sure make me happy

I'm not sure.

I don't crave possessions but I like having a reliable car.
My house is small and I would like more space.
I would like to have enough money to have a secure old-age and to see more countries while I can.

In those ways I'm materialistic.

But I don't need nice things, I don't buy things for myself very often and I don't spend a lot on luxuries. In fact, I get angry at the world for being so materialistic sometimes.

I really don't know whether I'm a materialistic person or not ... it's all a case of perspective I think.

material things provide short term happiness....

im not materialistic at all. the only things i want are what i need. i don't panic when im broke unless i'm in real need of something important.

no.

TheCatWoman said:

unless i am truely happy before i buy a material object

there is no way said object can make me happy

so, no ...material things do not make me happy

guess I'm the only materialistic person here..

Interesting

when i was under 20 ... i did find myself to be very materialistic

as i grew and had a family my energy just shifted to another place

toys are fun

but now they simply can not make me happy if my life isnt happy without them 1st

Yes

Not at all..

The only thing I really like to buy are flowers..

Everything that I had up until I was 30 was given to me.

Then I purchased my house, which isn't really mine. Other things like vcr's, tvs, are not important to me.

TheCatWoman said:

I buy things in hopes they will make me happy or that the use of them will somehow make me happy. They don't. They make me feel heavy in life.

sag10 said:

good reminder Sag

i really buying myself flowers

is that materialistic ?





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[Edited 1/4/06 11:10am]

I'm very fond of certain inventions like the phone, the car, the camera, the videocamera, etc. If I just have those things on my list, I'm happy to give up the rest. Right now my whole apartment is packed up in boxes and so far the only box I've felt compelled to open again was the one with Donald Duck comics. Go figure.

"turns out, materialism is, immaterial" citibank ad.

for me, yes I am. Not as much as I once was, but still more than I aspire to be.

Only when it comes to shoes, purses, CDs and books.
In fact, I have little else.

They can be a good distraction but I dont think they can make you truly happy.

Mach said:

you know what really makes me happy? cleaning out my years worth of hoarded stuff and getting rid of it, that makes me feel much better than acquiring new stuff.
I can't live without my computer though

Just about EVERYONE is materialistic, to varying extents. It's a part of our humanity.

Materialism is at the very core of our capitalist, consumer-driven societies.
We all want "things"; jewelry, autos, electronics, & nice clothes.

It's only bad when it becomes excessive.

PurpleJedi said:

Oh cool! So I'm okay

TheCatWoman said:

bkw said:

I guess for those of us who aren't truly happy yet, those distractions are nice

I like my shit but I don't think I'm excessive w/ it. Never had much growing up, so now that things aren't SO tight I find myself feeling guilty about buying things. I think I do okay though - don't care that my car is a little old, I just want it to keep running. Decent place to live, I like the things in my house to be visually pleasing but I don't go overboard. My worst habit has to be clothes but that's forgiveable too - I have so much old shit in my closet so it looks like a ton of clothes but I could probably find something from high school up in there

Whatever, I think liking "things" is okay. LOVING "things" is not...

I don't know. But they do turn me on, however.

Probably not. For example, I have a toilet with no flush, only a trough and bucket, which suggests not. I have a TV, cable, ps2, hi-fi, computer, but they all serve a simple purpose of enjoyment (and TV I could do without), and I have nothing bought primarily, or indeed at all, for status and appearance. I have no mobile phone, no mp3, no laptop, no new expensive clothes, no expensive jewelry.

Does tea count? I buy tea, but it's not to show off to others. I sit on my balcony and drink it while I watch the people across the road get their fruit ready for the market.

I will buy a ps3 when it comes out, and I'll upgrade my PC soon, and although I have air-con and lots of modern conveniences, I don't think I could say I was materialistic. I'm all about experiences. That, and I'm financially a genius (yet, a currently lazy one) who is willing to live the simple now in the knowledge that I'll waste all my money on expensive crap in the future.


p.s. That was a joke. I won't waste my money on crap. I'll buy a house by the sea.

I've had to simplify my life due to some events that were out of my control.I find that I like it a lot and I am getting good at living well without a lot of possesions.
I do love to travel and I buy flowers too, but I think those things feed your spiritual being so I don't think that's materialistic.