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Every day, Americans are bombarded
with hundreds of messages
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suggesting that “the good life”
is attainable through “the goods life”,
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by making lots of money
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and spending it on products that
claim to make us happy, loved, and esteemed.
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On the news shows, we hear a
near-constant refrain from economists and politicians
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about the importance of
consumer spending and economic growth.
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And around $150 billion are spent most years
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to embed consumer messages
in every conceivable space,
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from TV shows and websites
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to public bathrooms and escalator handrails.
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Lately, marketers have even been
paying actors to drop sales pitches
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into conversations in bars and city parks.
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But commercialization and consumerism
also reach deeper,
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worming their way into people’s psyches
and encouraging them to organize their lives
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around higher salaries
and owning more “stuff.”
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Unfortunately, this can come at a high price
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for the well-being of both people
and the planet.
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Research consistently shows that
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the more that people value materialistic
aspirations and goals,
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the lower their happiness
and life satisfaction
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and the fewer pleasant emotions
they experience day to day.
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Depression, anxiety, and substance abuse
also tend to be higher
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among people who value the aims
encouraged by consumer society.
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Strong materialistic values
also influence our social relationships,
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and thereby affect other people’s well-being.
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Scientists have found that materialistic values
and pro-social values are like a see-saw:
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as materialistic values go up,
pro-social values tend to go down.
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This helps explain why people act
in less empathic, generous, and cooperative ways
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when money is on their minds.
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When people are under the sway of materialism,
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they also focus less on caring for the Earth.
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The same type of see-saw is at work here.
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As materialistic values go up,
concern for nature tends to go down.
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Studies show when people
strongly endorse money, image, and status
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they are less likely to
engage in ecologically beneficial activities
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like riding bikes, recycling,
and re-using things in new ways.
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Clearly, if we hope to have a
happier, more socially just,
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and more ecologically sustainable world,
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then we need to develop ways
to diminish the power of materialistic values
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in our personal lives and in society.
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Two basic principles for change
can help frame the way forward.
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First, we need to understand
what causes people to prioritize materialistic values.
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For instance, studies show that
people focus more on material things
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when they feel insecure.
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So, instead of buying a new handbag or power tool
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the next time you’ve had
a blow to your self-esteem,
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consider a different coping strategy,
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like spending time with friends
or taking a walk outside.
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Scientists also know that
the more that people are exposed to the media,
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the more they prioritize materialistic values.
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A couple of ways to diminish the onslaught
of consumer messages
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are to use Ad-Block to hide ads on the Internet,
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or to hit “mute” when commercials play on TV.
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But these steps can only take us so far.
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We also need to get active
and start to remove advertising from public spaces
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and from our children’s schools,
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so that people aren’t exposed to
materialistic messages so often.
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The second principle for change
involves promoting intrinsic values
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for growing as a person,
being close to one’s family and friends,
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and improving the broader world.
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The research shows that intrinsic values not only
promote personal, social and ecological well-being,
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but can also act to immunize people against materialism.
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It’s that see-saw again.
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As intrinsic values go up,
materialistic values tend to go down.
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So part of the trick is to build a life
that expresses your intrinsic values.
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That might involve spending more time
with people you care about,
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finding meaningful work--
even if it pays less--
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and taking part in volunteer opportunities
for causes you care about.
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But, again, changing our lifestyles is not enough.
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We also need to advocate for policies
that promote intrinsic values.
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For example, countries like France and Bhutan
have recognized that
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they can’t only focus on GDP
and other measures of economic growth.
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Now they are starting to regularly assess
citizens’ well-being
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and sense of connection
to their communities
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so as to develop policies that
truly encourage these intrinsic values.
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Similar efforts are underway
in some parts of the United States,
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but they need more support.
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The grip that consumerism and commercialism
have on our world can seem inescapable,
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and there are certainly powerful forces
that push materialistic values on us.
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But by making changes in our personal lives,
and by working for broader societal changes,
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we can break the hold of materialism
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and be freer to live our intrinsic values.
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That, in turn, would help us take important steps
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toward greater personal well-being,
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a more humane society,
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and a more sustainable world.
