Overconsumption: How We Were Tricked Into Thinking That Materialism Leads To Greater Happiness

Overconsumption is rampant in today’s society. It’s evident in our social media feeds, chock-full of influencers constantly promoting new brands and sporting new outfits. It’s present on our streaming services, the Netflix algorithm recommending dozens of recent releases. You see it at restaurants and their overwhelming portion sizes that nobody can finish. Every day we’re bombarded with advertisements selling us things, promising that a new outfit or cream is the solution to all of our problems. We’re told that by buying this product we’ll magically upgrade our lives and unveil better, shinier versions of ourselves.

Despite what the advertisements want us to believe, the saying that “money can’t buy happiness” may be correct. This constant pressure to buy more is detrimental to our wellbeing, finances and planet. We’re stretching thin our economic and planetary resources,  trying to add external value to our lives and impress an invisible audience or fill an internal void. But how did we arrive here in the first place? What triggered this loop of consumerism and what can be done to combat it?

The Roots of Over-consumerism

In her book “The Doughnut Economics” author Kate Raworth questions why the focal point of economics is growth and how it leads to unsustainable consumption practices.  According to the author, the discipline is now addicted to measuring how much wealth nations are generating using the GDP to gauge economic performance. The GDP measures the quantity and value of goods produced in a country during a set period. Consumer spending is one of the main drivers of GDP growth, so it makes sense why governments and economists are keen to encourage it. 

This system is flawed, however. As Raworth remarks in her book, GDP measures only one part of the nation’s wealth, ignoring other factors such as households, society, state and nature. Using one narrow metric of measuring value has resulted in over-exploitation of our planetary resources.

Economics further supports the link between happiness and spending through the idea of utility. Utility is defined as “a person’s satisfaction or happiness gained from consuming a particular bundle of goods”. The amount that people are willing to pay for an item is said to reflect the utility (happiness) gained by the consumer. This idea would have us believe that the more we spend on something the more happiness it brings. Raworth points out that this way of thinking is flawed however as “ billions of people lack the money needed to express their wants and needs in the marketplace, and that many of the things we value most are not for sale”. 

We can see how consumerism can be linked to GDP and utility and why it’s perpetuated in society. But as the author points out there are a lot of things left out of the picture that add value and wealth to our lives. We must examine the messages being perpetuated and come up with better systems of measuring our happiness and wealth. 

How Materialism is Linked to Our Identity

Today the world is more connected than ever, you can see your friend’s face pop up on your screen at the click of a button or discover what someone had for lunch by simply scrolling down your social media feed. And yet despite the technological advances that should bring us together, 61% of adults report feeling lonely. We’re stuck in a constant loop of comparison, measuring our reality against someone else’s highlight reel. It gives rise to feelings of inadequacy, isolation and even the imposter syndrome.

 Instead of sitting with ourselves and addressing these feelings, we seek out external validation. We think that buying a new outfit, jetting off on a holiday to an exotic location or redecorating our kitchen will somehow make us into the “worthy” and “successful” people that live on our social media feeds.

Brands recognize this need to externally validate our identities and market their products accordingly. Nike and Adidas sell the athletic lifestyle and Chanel and Dior offer the identity of wealth and luxury. They entice customers with flashy promises of improvement, convincing us that their products are the fix to the vacancies in our lives.

The truth is a lot more complex. No matter how amazing a product is, it will not heal those feelings of hurt. Materialism is not the answer to our problems, inner work is. Buying new clothes won’t help you reinvent yourself and gain confidence if you don’t address the internal problems first. A trip to Morocco will not lead to a revelation if you’re not prepared to be vulnerable and conscious of your emotions. After all, growth and peace come from within.

How To Curate Shopping Habits That Bring Us Joy

Materialism has been correlated with a lack of empathy and engagement with others and unhappiness. The more materialistic people become the more their happiness, relationships and sense of purpose diminish. It’s been linked to increased levels of depression, anxiety and stress.

But what is the solution? Never buying nice things? Giving up all of your possessions and moving to live in a hut in the woods? Don’t worry, you don’t have to become a complete minimalist to avoid the harmful effects of consumerism. The answer is a lot more simple: buy what you need.

Needs mean different things to different people. Some of us might consider a yearly getaway absolutely essential. Others prioritise a refurbished home or a more eco-friendly car. Sit down and make a list of items and experiences in your life. What things do you want to welcome into your home? What are some experiences that you want to have? What items do you think will pull your wardrobe together? Are you only looking to buy certain items to impress others? Will you gain something from buying these things?

Focus on things that spark your joy, things that genuinely will improve your quality of life. Next time when you go shopping do so mindfully, bearing your list in mind. It’ll stop you from getting sidetracked by sales or flashy advertisements. Conscious shopping stops your surroundings from getting cluttered and leaves space in your life for the things that really matter. It allows you to do your inner work without using external validation to mask the healing process. 

After all, it’s not money that brings us happiness but the quality of the experiences that we buy with it.