Why can’t I stop thinking about MONEY?
Being the child of a working father and a homemaker mother, it was only at university that I realised I must ponder over money. All the times before, I had been unconsciously preoccupied with it, not realising the constant attention it demanded. This was the case for nearly all my friends and, indeed, the vast majority of people around the world.
Yet, some friends seemingly ‘should’ think about money, as opposed to feeling like they ‘must’. They were thinking about money so sparingly that their parents felt compelled to advise them to give it more thought. It didn’t dawn on me that this difference in perspective was the catalyst for some disagreements I had with my girlfriend, as she would make plans without giving a second thought to the financial implications. I considered money, taking it for granted that it influenced all my decisions, without realising it was a conscious concern.
It was around this time that it struck me that I prioritised money more than others did. This revelation came about when our political culture professor began discussing post-materialism by Ronald Inglehart. It represents a shift in individual values from material-centric to non-material. From what I gathered, materialist culture stems from an individual’s belief in prioritising material well-being and securing one’s livelihood as the purpose of life. This notion prominently surfaced in the period immediately following WWII. Families, over time, could offer better material conditions to their children, allowing the latter to prioritise their opinions and beliefs. Unlike their parents, they criticised the standardised lifestyle more vehemently, a divergence that also fuelled social movements. They did not have to obsess over money.
What intrigued me was the delineation of post-materialism in the late 1960s and 1970s, primarily in developed countries like the USA. Born in 1996 in a different part of the world, I found the materialist description proffered by my professor applicable to both my parents and myself. Moreover, this wasn’t universally true among my peers. While some remained ensconced in materialistic perspectives, others had transitioned to a post-materialistic worldview.
This discrepancy raises several questions. Is post-materialism a phase to transition into? Can we claim the existence of a harmonious post-materialist culture in the U.S. or Europe? Is the theory still pertinent, or has it lost its explanatory power?
Why does inter-regional and intra-generational variation exist when the theory primarily posits inter-generational differences? One possible explanation could be the following: The observed discrepancies between inter-regional and intra-generational variations, despite the theory’s principal focus on inter-generational differences, could potentially stem from disparate economic developments globally and, at times, within individual countries. Different stages of economic growth and development can significantly impact the prevailing values and priorities of the respective populations. This aspect aligns with the Hegelian and Marxian debate over whether the base structure defines the superstructure, or vice versa. Evidently, arguments surrounding post-materialism tend to favor the Marxian interpretation.
After all these years, having recently finished my master’s and about to start a full-time job, I find myself wondering about ways to get rich and make sure my family can live comfortably. I’ve lost track of how many pretend companies we’ve started and then ‘closed’ during chats with friends! [Do I have an elitism obsession?]
I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and reflections on this. If you have read anything related recently, please do share.
The final question remains: Can you stop thinking about MONEY?
