To many, materialist is a bad word. It suggests someone is obsessed with riches and possessions, and is likely quite selfish. They’re not interested in ideas, feelings, or kindness, these affairs belong to the domain of spiritual people.
At least, that’s what we typically like to tell ourselves nowadays. But there are few of us who fall neatly into one category or the other.
Most of us like material things and matters of the heart. That’s why we’re often apprehensive when we start wanting a fancy car, a designer handbag, or new sneakers—we’re afraid to seem shallow or greedy.
We prefer it if others see us as thoughtful beings who can enjoy deep conversation and see the meaning in the everyday.
But wanting to own things isn’t anything we should be ashamed of. For starters, money isn’t too shabby at buying happiness. George Carlin was onto something when he said he’d never seen anyone frown on a jet ski.
Plus, buying stuff we don’t need isn’t necessarily without meaning: our possessions can enhance our sense of identity. They can remind us of who we are and who we want to become.
A biker jacket can signify our rebellious personality and prompt us to stand up for ourselves. A first edition of Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude shows can express our love for intellectual thought and reading. And a luxury handwatch can denote our fondness for craftsmanship and punctuality, and drive us to pursue financial success.
Sure, we can live without these things, but having them around keeps us in tune with their message.
So if collected with care, our possessions serve the same purpose as the posters in the bedroom of a teenager, they encourage us to become better people.
Possessions, of course, only play a small part in bettering ourselves. We don’t automatically become confident by putting on black Louboutin pumps or a charcoal-coloured Armani suit. That would be mistaking the signpost for the destination.
Objects are merely an aid in our quest to become our better selves.
To be good materialists, means we’re thoughtful in our choices and mindful of the meanings we attach to our stuff.
But it also means recognizing that while objects can inspire and remind us of our aspirations, true growth comes from within. By integrating meaningful possessions into our lives, we use them as tools to reflect and enhance our personal journeys, not define them.