Materialism creates a lifestyle that one simply cannot maintain, it usually makes us forget that at the end of the day, true wealth is people not things.
Popular Nigerian Celebrity, Charly Boy Oputa talked about materialism and why it should be ousted in this new article.
He wrote
I need a new bag, new shoes, a new car..may be I build me a new house, buy me the dream bike I have always wanted.
Hmmmnnn, all we do is want, want and want some more.
The other day I was cleaning out my walk-in closet, such a shame; I had clothes that I have not worn in five years and over, yet am buying more, only to end up wearing a set of the same old things most of the time, ignoring the hundreds that are just there gathering dust.
Worst still, every morning as I step into my closet to pick out my wear for the day, it’s always a problem finding anything, as if there is a limited option.
Am I the only one infected with this virus? Did I hear a chorus answer of “no, we all are o”?
We’re all materialists in lotta ways, some are severe while some are mild. For some, they have just gone overboard. Yea, there are people who acquire so much of what they will never need.
The Psychiatrist would tell you this condition has a name in mental health. That go be madness abi.
How about people in government who steal money their generations can never exhaust, to the detriment of the rest of us?
We all use and enjoy material goods in our daily lives, and most of us simply cannot get by without them. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as the desire for material goods doesn’t control us and our actions.
The trick is not how we stay focused on things outside ourselves but rather, on things that would be truly beneficial to us: such as our spiritual development, our relationships, our learning, and our peace of mind.
No one should say to me that we’ll reach a level of peace and contentedness by having more things. We have evidence that tells us that the feeling of contentedness that comes from buying something fades rather quickly after the purchase is made, leaving us feeling just as empty as before.
Many people feel that by acquiring just the right things, they can make other people see them in a positive light, or as having arrived. In other words, they buy their new car or clothes to impress others.
They’re often setting themselves up for great disappointment especially when people don’t give them the desired reaction. How can we ever think that material things would be what define or give value and respect to us?
It is not so much about what we have, but who we are!
Since this year, I’ve been working at getting rid of things that I’ve had for a long time, but simply have not used or needed. I will encourage everyone to do same, though it is most times difficult to decluster but we all just need to find the courage.
Each time I get rid of something, I feel it because it’s a very good lesson to me about just how much crap I’ve acquired, and the much time and money spent, when the resources could have been invested (not spent) in more productive and valuable venture.
The truly important things in life, however, are those which cannot be encountered by the physical senses, purchased with money, or placed on a shelf.
At the end of the day, when we take a look at what we value most in life, we generally find family, friends, health, peace, contentment, laughter, helping others, and communion with God foremost on our list of priorities.
Abi I lie?