Stuff makes you anxious and depressed

I stumbled upon an interesting article in the UK’s Guardian newspaperyesterday. Its quite a depressing read to be honest.

The end of the article summarises with this

This is the dreadful mistake we are making: allowing ourselves to believe that having more money and more stuff enhances our wellbeing, a belief possessed not only by those poor deluded people in the pictures, but by almost every member of almost every government. Worldly ambition, material aspiration, perpetual growth: these are a formula for mass unhappiness.

Now if that wasn’t a wake up call, I don’t know what is.

A picture of materialism, and the consumption of stuff as not only bad for the individual, comparing themselves to others, but of it having an impact on society as a whole. Materialism forces us into comparison with the possessions of others, affecting both the richest and the poorest in society. Your stuff starts to control you. You are dehumanised by your possessions as if ownership has gone into reverse.

The article was based on a number of research studies, and whilst there’s always going to be layer of creative interpretation, the facts remain.

But there is hope in this summary of doom,

Becoming less materialistic increases your wellbeing, sense of purpose and social responsibility, and makes you happier. It also diminishes your susceptibility to anxiety and depression.

I encourage you to take a read for yourself, the article is here.

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