Do you think the world has become more materialistic?

1. 93

   jpcmcposted 11 years ago

   Do you think the world has become more materialistic?

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2. 74

   Cre8torposted 11 years ago

   Not at all. It may seem like it because of changes of the world over time but people themselves have always loved material things. The desire to have gold and diamonds that served no purpose of need powered mankind to do a great many things. Now, it's the same just with more people. Same gold and jewels smothered in a power sauce and sprinkled with a lot more toys.

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3. 68

   conradofontanillaposted 11 years ago

   WE should qualify what we mean by "world." You have the west, maybe consisting of USA, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc. What is their combined population? Then we consider the Middle East, and its population. Then we consider Asia, China, India, Philippines. Malaysia, Indonesia, Fiji, Japan, Korea including their populations. Would you consider the Chinese, Mao's China, materialistic?
   Now we have to define "materialistic." Is it being non-Christian? Is it belief in Confucianism? Buddhism? Hinduism? Is is lack of religious morals? Is it lack of secular morality? Or simply owning and using a cellphone? radio? tv? gas stove?
   I don't have the populations of all countries. I am still to define "materialistic." I have to separate peoples who are materialistic, whatever it means, from those who are not. Then I will have to make a survey of peoples and their thoughts, beliefs, possession of "materialistic" properties, their philosophies and practices using statistical tools. After that I will be able to answer your question.

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   Lizam1posted 11 years ago

   No, the world hasn't, but its populace in various countries has.

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5. 87

   parrsterposted 11 years ago

   Speaking only of the society I live in, I think consumerism is more widely adopted as an avenue of life satisfaction than in the immediately preceding generations. In part this is due to greater affluence, but I think also to a moral shift. Sometimes I wonder whether greed and avarice are not now considered virtues by many; so much of their lives revolve around it.
   Though this has been true during periods of past civilisations, it seems to have reached critical mass in society today (mine at least).

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   Rebecca Furtadoposted 11 years ago

   The westren would is more materialistic because technology has advanced so quickly and many countries have economies based on mass consumerism to keep them going. We have far more than we need to survive in the west, and a need to constantly attain new things in order to to keep the whole affair moving.

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      Mklow1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Western world, eastern world, northern world and southern world are all materialistic. I don't think anyone gets a pass.

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7. 63

   Sundeep Katariaposted 11 years ago

   To provide a very precise and accurate answer we first need to define the parameters. Such as we are comparing it with what and what is the yard stick of measurement etc.
   
   Talking generally, yes there is now a bigger choice to the world under the  umbrella 'consumerism' and at the same time there is a bigger rush of people towards 'spirituality'.

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8. 73

   electronicianposted 11 years ago

   Yes, I definitely think it has. Partly this is because of the massive power of the entertainment industry and pervasive advertising which just want to distract us with bright, shiny consumer things.
   
   But I think it is also because we have become disillusioned with idealism, and for good reasons - we see its dangers now more than in the past. The twentieth century was a century full of dangerous ideals, from Nazism and communism to the crazy religious cults of the 60s. We are also educated enough to question things and see different perspective - and all of that makes us wary of grand ideals and turn instead towards immediate material concerns.

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9. 73

   gitachudposted 11 years ago

   Yes. I would say more people are been empowered to be able to get things that they could not afford before. The world has always been materialistic. What is happening is that more people are getting the chance to be materialistic because economies that were not growing a few years back are now growing very fast.

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10. 31

    saisarannagaposted 11 years ago

    Yes, absolutely. Even the so called spiritualists try to build ashrams and gathers disciples, publish books, conduct many programs for self improvement and meditation etc. Baring one or two, other ashrams aims at becoming rich and influential. But there are a handful who undertake many philanthropic activities for the sake of welfare of common public. But most of the people in the world aims to earn and hoard more wealth and acquire properties both immovable and movable. People are unaware of the futility of hoarding wealth. Ultimately it will land us only in grief and pain. Neither we can carry a sand grain to the other world on our death. It is illusion which makes people to hanker after materialistic living.

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11. 60

    Darksageposted 11 years ago

    I think everyone ever since trade and barter, stuff like that, people became materialistic. It's normal for us humans to always want more, more than what we have right now. Since the world now has created more and more things, then people would want these things even more. So yes, the world has become more materialistic when it comes to quantity.

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    Seeker7posted 11 years ago

    Yes I do and I think that it makes us less happy and content with life. In addition, people are judged worthy or not by the powers that be on how much materialistic wealth achieved. It's a lop-sided and damaging state of affairs.

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    brittvan22posted 11 years ago

    Yes  a million times over. Quite a growing number of persons judge their overall worth by their wealth or what they have or lack. The more they have the better they feel about their self worth and the less the have the less they value themselves. It's not new, however, the notion is fed daily through our cultural values.

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14. 81

    sherrituckposted 11 years ago

    I do think we as a people have become more materialistic.  The mere fact that we run out to purchase the lastest piece of technology pretty much upholds this fact.  We are in a society that encourages its members to own or be shunned.  The sad thing is that we teach this behavior to our children at a very early age.  Materialism is a learned behavior and can be modified with the right mindset.

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    Dee aka Nonnaposted 11 years ago

    Absolutely.  Not sure if it is truly more, or just different.  For me personally, I think it odd when people stand in line for hours to buy the latest phone or other electronic device....some of these people really can't afford to do this but want to show their friends they were among the "first"  When we load our kids with expensive gifts and toys, but can't understand the importance of giving them our time and attention. 
    
    I could go on, but I think we have come to a sad place when we think spending money we don't always have is more importance than spending time with the people we say we love.

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    skgraoposted 11 years ago

    The desire  for the best and latest in everything by the filthy rich has flooded the market and banks give loans so why not have the best is a thinking.A cricketer and a Swamiji eat their food in gold plates and drink water in gold cups with food cooked in gold vessels.
    Kids play with IPods and Cell phones.It is unavoidable as long as man's desire does not stop.
    China wants a  piece of our land.

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       Gypsy Scribeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Unfortunately, people are too greedy to give up their desire for more more more. And China is already buying our water. A lot of what the U.S. has is owned by other countries. It's really sad if you think about it.

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17. 0

    Mklow1posted 11 years ago

    The world has become more materialistic. If one does not believe me, then see what happens when people stop buying things. After a week, corporations would fail and governments would shut down.
    
    Just look at the way we use credit. At one time in my life, I was a banker. People would come into my office crying that they don't have any money, their account was overdrawn, and they couldn't afford to pay their bills. When I would look at their credit card history, I would see $1,500 on TV's, clothing purchases on Amazon, so on and so forth. Their bank account history would show them eating at fast food restaurants everyday for lunch, bars on Friday and Saturday nights, movie rentals three nights a week, purchases at the Apple Store, and $300 of purchases a week at Wal-Mart. Then I would look at how much they got paid and it was usually more than me.
    
    I believe that credit is for emergency purposes only; for things you NEED not for things you WANT. If you cannot afford to pay cash up front and it is not life or death, then you should just do without. TV's should not be purchased with credit, even if it is 0% (which is a crock anyway). There are plenty of used TV's that are less than $100 and if you cannot afford that, then you should read a book or do something constructive that can improve your life.
    
    My first car, I kept for 10 years. My second car I kept for 12. My third car is a hand me down from my wife and we kept it because it is paid for, but it looks new because I take care of it and work on it myself. My house is the only thing that I maxed out my credit limit on because it is for my family. I do all of the work on it myself and take great pride in having a nice home. My children dress nice and are well groomed. When we do activities, it usually does not cost anything.
    
    Most people do not have their priorities in order because they put "things" first when they should put their family first.

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       Mklow1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Now, if anyone still doesn't think the world has become more materialistic after watching videos of black friday fighting, I would be shocked.

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       parrsterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Appreciate your post. Your conclusion reminds me of a friends favourite saying, "Love people and use things, don't love things and use people". So easy in our society to get this twisted.

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18. 77

    Thomas Swanposted 11 years ago

    No. There are simply more things to be materialistic about, and thus, more opportunity for us to demonstrate our inherent materialism. However, we're only demonstrating a trait that has always been there. I would say that some of us are beginning to react against it (your question for example), and the world is becoming less materialistic as a result.

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       Mklow1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Very good answer. I never thought of it in that perspective.

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    edhanposted 11 years ago

    I believe it is 50 - 50.
    
    I have witness people who are relying on materialistic stuff while others do not. So, those young days where people do not think much of materialistic things seem to be fading away.
    
    Anyway, I am teaching my children not to be materialistic and always share whenever possible.

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    IDONOposted 11 years ago

    Absolutely! and then some. People are so obsessed with "things" that they try to acquire much more than they can even afford to pay for. Why are bankruptcies so high? Foreclosures so high? Repos so high? Because people took major risks that they couldn't handle and made rash decisions for the sake of having "things" And women are the worst! (here we go) they not only want all the things they can get; they want the man's things too. Why do you think men drive Corvettes and wear "bling"? They call them chic magnets for a reason. That's why kids have Smartphones. Not because they need all those features but because it's cool and expensive.
            Things, things, things! It's all about things!

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    rohanfelixposted 11 years ago

    Absolutely and without a doubt. Nowadays people are more interested in making money and leading a pleasurable existence than with pursuing anything on a deeper level. That explains the rapidly declining involvement in religion and the phenomenon of families breaking through divorce and estrangement.

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    S-Roachposted 11 years ago

    Yes! Well, I can really only speak about us in the USA because I have not lived outside of the USA.  Take this past weekend for example an the beloved "Black Friday Sales."  I have never seen people act so animalistic before in my life,  they just can rip materialistic things from others hands just to save a few dollars for themselves. How pitiful and unbelievable!  What a nation have we become to fight and even on occasion kill to get a good sale on something? Shame on us! So, yes I certainly believe we have become more materialistic.  This would never happen had there never been always newer, bigger, better advancements in technology.  I'm just saying...

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    Gypsy Scribeposted 11 years ago

    Yes, indeed, my friend! Let's take Christmas, for example. Christmas use to be celebrated more "deeply" than it is now days. It's become commercialized. The mindless acts of stupidity on Black Friday will support this. Also, we have become too dependent on technology. We have lost respect and appreciation for our planet. We aren't in tune with our roots (nor each other as a people) like the past generations were.
    
    This is definitely worth a hub of its own! So much can be written on this topic. Very good question!

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    Hendrikaposted 11 years ago

    There is no doubt. Just have a look at what people are willing to do for money and they never seem to be satisfied with "enough" they must have "more"

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       Gypsy Scribeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Indeed! Humans have gotten way away from their roots.

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