Marilyn Luis Dias
When was the last time you posted something on Instagram or Facebook? Was it last week? Yesterday? How about just a minute ago? We exhibit ‘larger than life’ characters of ourselves on our social media networks than what we are in real life. It seems to be a sort of addiction, posting pictures of our new shoes or curtains, fabulous holidays, fancy cars, done-up houses and so on. We buy and then we display as a way of validating ourselves through the number of likes we get. Advertising only further fosters this habit by feeding into our desire to show off.
Consumerism is like this big black hole that sucks up everything in its wake without ever getting filled up. Buying your way into a “good life” isn’t a lasting way to feel better. It will take you on a downward spiral that depletes not only your wealth but also hurts your dignity. When you buy things to show off or merely as retail therapy, you may soon find your expenses exceeding your income. To cover this deficit, you take out loans and when those loans can’t be paid, you take out new loans to cover the old ones, thus plunging yourself into a circle of debt, which takes a heavy toll on your self-esteem.
Just like junk food never quite satisfies our hunger because of its poor nutritional value, misplaced values of accumulating stuff to make us feel good and to show off will never really see our desire for more quenched.
Our needs go deeper than merely gathering money and accumulating stuff that we don’t really need. The purpose of money is to smooth things over to the extent that it offers you room for maneuver, a variety of choices. It’s not an end in itself. After satisfying all our basic needs and providing for long-term goals and a few short-term ones here and there, the marginal utility of money diminishes and our needs become more social and psychological than just physical. As social beings we need to be part of a community where we interact with other humans, caring about needs other than our own and contributing to a greater purpose. In so doing we will find more meaning and motivation than money could ever buy. It will nourish our souls without burning a hole in our pockets.
With today’s low cost buys, easy EMIs, all available at the click of a button, self-control is hard, especially if you are feeling low and depressed. It would nicely do to remember that the purchases made in these moments would only leave a bigger hole in you than what you started with. Take stock of how you’re feeling (they are signals of something vital that needs to be addressed) and what changes you can make to bring some meaning into your life.You might need to change some habits or drop some social acquaintances or even tweak some environments. Think about the moments when you felt most joyful and useful and dedicate your life to pursuing those moments. It could be anything from playing music, writing, painting or gardening to helping others. Don’t neglect what is important to you and use your money as a tool towards that end.
Remember, on your deathbed you will never think about all the money you earned or purchases you made but rather about the connections you created and the lives you touched. Our future is predicated on what we do now and that’s what gives our lives a sense of purpose.
