Article Written by Arianne Goode
Materialism is contagious: it seems to spread like a disease. Today’s society has become one that centers on the materialistic ideals which have arisen over past decades. Most who live in the modern world desire what they do not possess. While one cannot deny that it is a difficult task to restrain from the hold of materialism, it is not entirely impossible. The hungry craving of “stuff” is not one that needs to plague society for eternity.
“This is the dreadful mistake we are making: allowing ourselves to believe that having more money and more stuff enhances our wellbeing…” claims The Guardian’s George Monbiot in his article “Materialism: A System That Eats Us from the Inside Out.” Monbiot highlights the factors that are causing this downfall in our traditional values: “worldly ambition, material aspiration, perpetual growth: these are a formula for mass unhappiness.”
One hundred years ago, materialism was not an issue that the world faced. It is likely that the word materialism had not even existed during those times, for it did not pertain to the majority of people. America’s most strenuous years had called for every individual to try and make ends meet; nobody expected to earn more than what was required to live. Today, though, it is easy to become enthralled with desiring more and more material items. There seems to be no end to this ongoing struggle, but there is still hope for our society, however small it is.
Everyone must learn to be content with what he or she has. While there is no problem with wishing for new things, this wishing cannot grow into perpetual obsession. A fine line exists between these two states, but every individual in this world can strive to keep from crossing it.
For more articles written by NHS students, see the December 2016 Panther Newspaper!
