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“Money buys external stability, not internal growth,” writes Shelburne essayist Madeleine Connery. While the tactile feeling of a new iPhone in our palm or fourth pair of boots on our feet will always provide us the instant gratification we crave, this week’s featured writer addresses the limitations of material comforts on our quest for happiness.
The consumerism cycle
By Madeleine Connery, 15, of Shelburne
The feeling of new is sickeningly addictive. From a young age, we quickly discover that new stuff makes us “happy.” New toys and foods and places and clothes bring us so much excitement and temporary joy that, for a moment, we forget all other worries. This feeling brings a rush of excitement and light into our lives, yet the feeling fades quickly into boredom and dissatisfaction, thus calling for the cycle to repeat.
Consumerism is a plagued mindset that feeds profits in the wrong direction. The fuel for so much of our economy is people’s dependence on the idea and feeling of new. Whether through new experiences, new items, or new changes, we are taught to live our lives by absorbing as much of the world as possible, as if we are a sponge designed to soak up every ounce of chance.
Perhaps not all new is bad. In fact, new experiences and new people can shine a light on new parts of ourselves. However, many people seek it out through the extremes of materialism, which often only conceal our identity. Society breeds insecurity and then sells empty promises. Yet no one ever teaches us about how the root of so many of our issues can be solved from within ourselves – because why would they? If you fix the whole problem, you can no longer sell the temporary solution.
The impacts of consumerism are deadly. From these low-quality fixes, we create larger problems. Take a look at our polluted planet, healthcare system, substance use normality, and crumbling infrastructure, and you see that this system does not have our best interests at heart. Our existence has become dehumanized all by numbered pieces of paper.
The truth about satisfaction is that it cannot be bought or sold. It cannot be obtained through tangibility. Once you stop being so dependent on objects, rushes of adrenaline, and validation, and start listening to your own heart, gut, and mind, you will become infinitely more satisfied with your life and the person you are becoming. Money buys external stability, not internal growth. At the end of the day, the only cure for dissatisfaction is hard work toward what is meaningful to you. Find what you like, and use it to grow.
