Practising gratitude has made me focus on other matters and much less on material things. I have found that I am far less worried about ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ or experiencing FOMO (fear of missing out). I think less about things and more about people.
There is a place for materialism in our world. I appreciate nice things. I am not an ascetic who disavows material goods or worldly possessions. But I don’t feel the need to strive for them madly. I also understand and appreciate how materialism works as a driver for so much of our economy. After all, I work each day with businesses who come to me for advice and help on how to sell better. I understand how markets work and the emotions and desires that drive people to buy things.
However, research has shown that while materialism encourages entrepreneurship and economic growth, along with wealth creation and status signalling, it has also been shown to harm psychological well-being.
In their paper ‘Is Gratitude an Alternative to Materialism?’[1] the authors Emily L. Polak and Michael E. McCullough showed that while economic motivation is a prerequisite for a financially secure and stable life (e.g. the unemployed do have higher rates of depression), high economic motivation (e.g. materialism) is strongly correlated with reduced wellbeing and even increased rates of mental disorders.
They argue that “positive other-oriented emotion such as gratitude may have the power to change social cognition, motivation, and social relationships in precisely the ways that are likely to reduce materialistic strivings and their deleterious effects on psychological well-being.”[2]
Interestingly, several researchers have noted how insecurity, both emotional and financial, drives materialism. It can be very hard to practise gratitude when you are fighting for survival, feeling insecure, especially when you don’t have the assets, support, skills or knowledge to get you to a better place.
However, fighting for survival is relative. Other research has shown that pursuing material gain in and of itself makes people more selfish and less grateful, even when they have more than enough to go around and keep them secure.
Academic and senior lecturer at the School of Political Science and International Studies of the University of Queensland, Frank Mols and Professor Jolanda Jetten have done extensive research in this area and written a book called ‘The Wealth Paradox: economic prosperity and the hardening of attitudes’ which shows, in general, the wealthier people get the meaner they get.
While the West is currently in the grip of a perfect storm: a lingering economic recession, a global refugee crisis, declining faith in multiculturalism, and the rise of populist anti-immigration parties, these developments seem to confirm the widely held view that hardship and poverty lead to social unrest and, more specifically, scapegoating of minorities. However, this book and it research presents compelling evidence to show that prejudice and intergroup hostility can be equally prevalent in times of economic prosperity, and among more affluent sections of the population. Integrating theory and research from social psychology, political science, sociology, and history, the authors systematically investigate why positive factors such as gratification, economic prosperity, and success may also fuel negative attitudes and behaviours. The Wealth Paradox provides a timely and important re-evaluation of the role that economic forces play in shaping prejudice.
Contrast this with others who are less fortunate: those who have very little can be some of the most generous people around. We see this in the types of people who donate more often to charities; it is usually the less well-off that will donate more often or give a higher proportion of their income to charity. [3]
If we look into social media, especially Instagram, Facebook and even LinkedIn, we also see the malaise of materialism in those people who use their possessions as a kind of psychological shield to deflect from their frailties. For these people, materialism ends up feeding the black hole inside; they keep throwing gadgets, cars, clothes, properties into the void hoping it fills up, hoping they can buy their way to some peace and contentment. Or at the very least, hoping they can gain the respect, admiration and even envy of others.
Paradoxically, though, when we place ourselves front and centre in the world, we seem to diminish our sense of self. As we magnify ourselves, we only get smaller. It’s as if the more material objects we accumulate, the less room there is in our lives for the real substance of people and relationships; the things that indeed make us happy.
Another factor worth mentioning is the environmental impact of rampant materialism.
Can the planet afford our hyper-consumption?
How much do we really need?
Would we all benefit from concentrating on experiences and relationships rather than the shiny things that so often beguile and distract us?
Clearly these are difficult questions that are confronting us daily at every level.
And greater minds than mine are working towards helping us find better pathways forward.
It begs the question ‘What are we selling now?’
More to come…
Author: Sue Barrett, www.salesessentials.com
[1] Emily L. Polak and Michael E. McCullough, ‘Is Gratitude an Alternative to Materialism?’ (2006) Journal of Happiness Studies
[2] Ibid
[3] Paul K. Piff, Michael W. Kraus, Stephane Cote, Bonnie Hayden Cheng and Dacher Keltner, ‘Having Less, Giving More: The Influence of Social Class on Prosocial Behavior’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2010, Vol. 99, No 5