How to Reject the Toxic Materialistic Way of Thinking

Money is not something we should be focusing on

The dollar signs are all around us. We go outside and see a bunch of people carrying iPhones, dressed in Gucci, wearing Louis Vuitton belts and driving BMWs. We’re not going to mention the fact that many of those individuals bought those items using credit cards — that deserves a separate discussion of its own. The problem is apparent: the world around us became materialistic, and it affects all of us.

While owning a Calvin Klein jacket doesn’t constitute moral degradation; unfortunately, a lot of people are focused on the wrong things. THINGS! Materialistic items, which don’t make them happy, don’t bring them joy and don’t add any meaningful value to their lives. Way too much attention is being directed towards high-ticketed items that are meant to show off success and wealth. Not only it’s vulgar and ridiculous, but it also points out the problem of materialism.

There are ways to reject this toxic culture. If people around you adopted this way of thinking, it doesn’t matter you should do that too.

What is Materialism?

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, materialism is defined as follows:

“Materialism, also called physicalism, in philosophy, the view that all facts (including facts about the human mind and will and the course of human history) are causally dependent upon physical processes, or even reducible to them.”

We can think of many examples, including those around us daily. Everyone has a friend or acquaintance who races after possessions while not gaining value in their lives. Each of us encountered an individual who puts a lot of meaning into expensive and shiny objects, instead of focusing on people, spirituality and happiness.

Materialism is prospering thanks to our fears, and companies prey on our insecurities.

Why Do “Empty” People surround us?

One’s fascination with brands and motivation to buy expensive things aren’t necessarily equal to being “empty.” You may spend more money on a higher-priced item because it signifies higher quality. You might also support a local business or spend more money on an environmentally-friendly product. However, materialism is easy to define.

Prioritizing materialistic possessions and focusing attention on money-based lifestyle, while ignoring morals and spiritual concepts, constitutes materialism for me. And the worst part is, this way of living and thinking is quite toxic.

Where Did Materialism Come from and Why is It Toxic?

There are a few angles to explore on materialism: a historical angle, and a real-life one.

1. The Historical Materialism

Historically, German scientists, Karl Marx came up with the notion of materialism. To put this in simple words, once humans have their basic needs met, they start focusing on unnecessary “extras.” The prospering economy and capitalism should be the ones to blame.

Similarly to the Maslow pyramid, once we have our immediate necessities looked after, we shift thefocus onto “bigger” things. Unfortunately, some of us start chasing expensive items and attention, as opposed to something meaningful.

2. The Real-Life Materialism

Now, what is the reason behind so many materialistic people around us? Like with many other topics, there is one clear offender: money. Money rules the world, whether we like it or not.

There are thousands of companies that try to sell us useless items. We don’t need to own as much stuff as we do — but how would so many organizations make money? They need to convince us what they’re selling is absolutely necessary, and we cannot live without it. Their job is also to convince us that we are “unworthy,” unhappy, and our lives have no value without their stuff.

If the marketing campaign is successful, it convinces us we have to drop everything and purchase whatever they’re selling. Judging from how many people focus on worldly possessions, the marketing agencies are doing extremely well.

We don’t need to own expensive and bougie items to fit in.

Another goal is to provoke the desire to fit in. We all want to belong to a community, and that feeling is being exploited by companies and marketers too. Don’t you own the newest iPhone? But everyone around you does, don’t you want to fit in? Are you saying you don’t have a car? But it’s cool — everyone around you thinks so, you don’t want to be the only loser without one!

Materialism is prospering thanks to our fears, and companies prey on our insecurities. Had it not been the case, they would have starved.

How to Reject the Notion of Materialism

Certain items are essential in our lives, and some also bring us happiness. Rejecting the materialism doesn’t mean turning into a minimalist. However, we should avoid the toxicity perpetuated by marketing agencies that are trying to sell us the image of belonging to the community. We don’t need to own expensive and bougie items to fit in.

How do you reject the materialistic influence? There are a few simple steps.

1. Admitting the Problem Exists

Materialism negatively affects our lives. Period. We have to admit it in order to tackle the problem. The materialistic approach can result in emotional health decline, mental issues, and overall feeling of unhappiness. Everyone should be vocal about the negative impact of materialism around us. It’s an issue, and we need to address it.

Stuff doesn’t make us happy. Owning an expensive car, or hundreds of clothing items, or a luxury housing unit won’t add value to our lives. But meaningful relationships will.

2. Identifying the Negative Behaviour

How does materialism manifest in our lives? Owning the newest iPhone doesn’t constitute materialistic toxicity, but acting as if fancy gadgets make you successful does.

We need to identify the behaviour which contributes to the toxic influence of materialism. Simply put, we need to point out the poisonous individuals who entertain and perpetuate materialism.

3. Minimizing the Materialistic Interactions

I believe that removing ourselves from toxic situations is the best way to go. When I encounter a toxic materialistic person, I do my best to minimize the interaction and move away from them. The same approach is effective when dealing with any sort of negative or toxic people in general. When we cut out those who affect us badly, our life changes! The goal should be to surround ourselves with excellent people who add value to our lives.

Having that said, some of us choose a different approach. Changing someone is a waste of time, not to mention it’s not our choice to make. You may opt in to influence someone’s perception of materialism and what’s truly important in life, but that doesn’t always bare fruits.

I choose to end or at least minimize the communication.

We all deserve to be happy. Finding what matters is the ultimate goal.

4. Seeking Meaningful Relationships and Views

Surrounding yourself with non-materialistic people is the key. In fact, we should always look for individuals who can teach us something meaningful. Having a person who focuses on human relationships, kindness, care, and possesses the right values is crucial.

There are also ways to learn and educate ourselves on spirituality. We should consider looking for philosophic educational materials, as it’s as far from materialism as you can imagine. There’s always room for improvement, and every one of us can grow spiritually.

The Outcome is Life-Changing

What happens when we refuse the materialistic way of thinking? What happens when we remove toxic materialistic individuals from our lives? What happens when we learn what’s important and grow internally, instead of focusing on material possessions? The answer is simple: our lives become better, and we become happier.

Stuff doesn’t make us happy. Owning an expensive car, or hundreds of clothing items, or a luxury housing unit won’t add value to our lives. But meaningful relationships will.

We all deserve to be happy. Finding what matters is the ultimate goal.