Materialism

When we worship that “strange god” of materialism – getting things simply because there are things to be gotten – we leave the course of our heart’s desire. – John-Roger & Peter McWilliams

When is enough stuff enough? How many pairs of shoes are enough? I am an American female. I own 2 pairs of shoes. That’s it. I don’t mean that I have 2 pairs of shoes and x number of sandals and y number of half boots. I mean I have 2 pairs of footwear of any type or sort. I don’t understand other women’s need for a different pair of shoes for any different type of situation. But, then, I doubt if a good number of women would understand why I have over 30 dice. Or, over 50. I haven’t bothered to count.

Is there something in your life that you must have more of? A collection that you keep going just because you have the collection? It used to be that you loved the Wizard of Oz, and that’s why you picked the stuff up. But now, you have a Wizard of Oz collection, and you get the stuff to make it grow. Not because you love the stuff, but because there’s one more thing in that category that you don’t have.

Or it’s a new car every three years. Or a bigger house than you really need. Or another leather jacket. Or designer clothes when regular clothes would do. Or every tool made by Sears.

A lot of people are materialistic to some degree. The trouble comes in when you pay more for something that you get back. An old friend had a guideline. For every hour of enjoyment you get from something, multiply it by 2. If you pay more than that for it, it’s too much. That is too strict for some people and for a lot of situations, but it is something to consider. Are you buying to enjoy or are you buying to have?

When you take your focus off increasing your things and back onto everything else, it’s amazing what you can do with your life.