Finding Happiness Outside of Materialism
To a certain extent, they're both right. After all, it The Light Code Reviewcan be really hard to be happy if you don't have the bare necessities of food on your plate, a roof over your head, a warm place to sleep, and the ability to take care of your dependents. It's hard to be overwhelmingly happy if you're always concerned about debt, or are one paycheck away from disaster. And sometimes the things and experiences money can buy do bring us some happiness. However, it doesn't take much or very longer before the happiness that money can buy runs out. Studies show that after a certain annual income we stop getting appreciably happier. The number isn't even that big- it's surprisingly average. It only takes an annual income of about $50,000 before the money-buys-happiness hypothesis hits some serious diminishing returns. After that salary more money doesn't make us appreciably happier, even though most of us consider a six figure and up income the goal.
So now that you know the limits of what the material can bring you, how do you escape the trap of attempting to buy happiness? First, it's a good idea to cut yourself off from the messages that tell you spending equals satisfaction. This includes limiting your intake of television, magazine, frivolous reading on the internet, and even the news. All of these are information sources that tend to sow dissatisfaction or fear, and shows like "Cribs" and most lifestyle magazines are all about promoting the idea that you won't be happy without the best items life has to offer.
While you're at it, you should stop going to giant shopping outlets, malls, and big box stores. These spaces are actually designed by psychologists to put you into a zombie-like trance that makes you more compliant, and more susceptible to their advertising laden layouts constructed to confuse you into purchasing more than you need or want. Overall, the best way to escape the materialism trap is to continuously remind yourself what really buys happiness- satisfaction at following your mission in life, positive relationships with other people, a feeling that you're contributing positively to the world, laughing. All those things bring far more happiness for far longer than any $20,000 watch.