I come from a very material society where people are judged by their material possessions and not the quality of their character or thoughts. It is quite perplexing to me. I cannot claim not to understand this towards people and things, but I find it silly.
There was once a time in my life when I fell prey to the trap of materialism. I was young, I just got into university and I had a little money. So I was a little lavished, I won't lie. I spent money acquiring things I did not need.
In retrospect, I won't say I was materialistic per se. I just wanted to be comfortable but the people around me made it seem like a big deal and I started seeing things the same way.
The root of this mindset I believe is poverty. The most materialistic people tend to be poor. This might sound strange but it is true. The poor man cares more about his stomach than his integrity and he is willing to make compromises. This makes sense because they have little material substance and those do know how to use their possession as bait.
WHY DO YOU WANT MORE?
If you have enough to take care of everything you need, anything above or under that will not significantly alter your set of mind. A little too much/little might stir you in the wrong direction.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting more (money), but why do you want it? For me, it is all about completing my house right now. That secures my family. I won't have to worry about them and I can go on to achieve the things I want (most of which have little to do with money).
For most people, I believe their need for more serves no purpose. Most people just want to have more because they think it is the right thing to do. Well, I think those who deserve more are people who have a lot to do.
The other day I was reading @caluman's post about being a whale. Although our views are a bit different on the subject, I do understand where he is coming from when he says being a whale is overrated.
I have no intention of being one. I cannot manage resources of that magnitude. It is not something I want on my conscience. Most people would look at that money and say, 'yeah, I want that sort of problem,' but not me. It is in the end all vanity.
If there is anything I want so desperately it is the condition of the place and people I care about and fortunately money solves that problem (but not a lot of it).
There is a lot that comes with having a lot. One of such things is how people treat you. People who never accord you any form of respect start licking your arse. It is comical and sad at the same time.
Money changes everything, even you. People tend to say money reveals your true nature but I tend to disagree. Just like poverty, being wealthy influences your attitude towards others and that can be either a good or bad thing.
Your true nature reveals itself when you do not have undue advantage over anything or anyone. In those situations, although rare, you realize who you truly are…
So these are just my thoughts on the issue of money and how it influences our behaviour. If you do have something to add to the conversation, please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.