A Guide to Escaping Materialism and Finding Happiness

Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city. - George Burns

Every Thursday is Happiness Day on Zen Habits.

Money can’t buy you love. It can’t buy you happiness either.

Today’s materialistic world often urges us to buy the coolest gadgets, the trendiest clothes, bigger and better things, but research shows that possessions and purchases don’t buy us happiness. According to an article on CNN:

By and large, money buys happiness only for those who lack the basic needs. Once you pass an income of $50,000, more money doesn’t buy much more happiness, [according to a happiness studies].

So while we are being pushed towards materialism, it’s for monetary gain by corporations, not for our own happiness. Unfortunately, it’s hard to escape the trap of materialism, and find happiness in other ways than buying stuff online or finding joy in the mall.

But it’s possible. Here’s a guide to finding a materialism-free life and discovering true happiness.

Escaping Materialism
All around us, there are messages telling us to buy stuff. On the Internet (blogs included), we see continuous advertising trying to get us to purchase a product or service. It’s the main reason for television, and movies are continually made with products placed throughout, so that we aren’t always sure what is advertising and what was put in there by the director.

Flip on the radio or open up a newspaper or magazine, and you’re bombarded my more advertising. Go to a shopping center/mall, and the urge to buy comes from every direction.

This message to continually buy, buy, buy … and that it will somehow make us happpier … is drilled into our heads from the days of Happy Meals and cartoons until the day we die. It’s inescapable.

Well, almost. You could go and live in a cabin in the woods (and that actually sounds nice), or you could still live in our modern society, but find ways to escape materialism.

Here are some suggestions:

Limit television. Do you really enjoy watching TV for hours? Think about which shows you really, really love, and only watch during that time. When the commercials come on, go do something else. Or use Tivo to watch TV. You can even give up cable TV entirely, if you’re brave — I have, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.
Eschew the news. Journalists will never tell you this, but if they’re completely honest, they’ll confess that the most important part of any news company, from TV or radio news to Internet or print new, is the advertising division. It’s the division that pays the paychecks of the rest of the company. The news is important in driving traffic to the advertising. So when you’re watching or reading news, you’re really being sucked in to advertising. Try this instead: boycott the news for a week. I’ve done it for about two years, and it hasn’t hurt me a bit. In fact, it’s helped me a lot.
Limit Internet reading. I’m not saying you should cancel your cable Internet subscription or anything. I love reading blogs. But find just those that you truly love reading, that give you the most value, and limit your reading to those. And just do it once a day, for 30 minutes or so. If you can do that, you’ve gone a long way towards tearing yourself away from advertising.
Give up magazines for books. Magazines are also designed with advertising in mind. And they rarely give you much value. Try reading an ad-free book instead. It’s a much better use of your time.
Don’t go to the mall or Walmart. The only purpose of these places is for you to spend money. If you just want a place to spend your Saturday afternoon, find a place where you don’t need to spend money to have fun — a park or a beach, for example. If you need to buy something, go to a single store (not the mall) and go in and get what you need. Don’t browse and walk around looking at stuff. You’ll get sucked in.
Monitor your urges. When you’re online, or watching TV, or at a store, keep track of the number of times you want to buy something. Keep a little notebook or index card, and just put tally marks. Once you become more aware of your urges to buy things, you can start to control them. If you could control them, limiting your consumption of media (see above tips) isn’t really necessary — although I would argue that it still gives you a better quality of life.
Use a 30-day list. If you still really want to buy something, put it on a list, and write down the date you added the item to the list. Now tell yourself you cannot buy that item for 30 days. It might be difficult, but you can do it. When the 30 days have passed, if you still want it, then buy it. But you can’t buy anything (besides essentials like groceries) without putting it on the list for 30 days first. Many times, our urges to buy something will pass during this waiting period.
Declutter. I find it pretty amazing to see all the crap I buy over a period of years, when I go through my closets and other possessions and start getting rid of stuff I don’t use or want anymore. It’s a gratifying process, and at the same time, it makes me realize how useless all our consumer shopping is. I don’t need any of the stuff! When you do this, you may be less likely to buy more stuff. Especially if you enjoy the decluttered look of your house as much as I do.
Find other forms of entertainment. There are other things to do besides watch TV or movies or read magazines or newspapers or the Internet. Try playing sports or exercising, or playing board games or creating art or writing or reading a book. Try doing fun things with your kids or visiting relatives and other loved ones. Try volunteering with a charity. I’m sure you could come up with 100 free or cheap things to do.
Buy used. When you get the urge to buy something, and you’re convinced that it’s needed, try finding it used instead of new. Look in thrift shops or garage sales or flea markets or similar places.

A True Path to Happiness
So, if you’re able to escape materialism, how can you find true happiness? There are many ways, and each of us is different, but here are some things I suggest trying:

Grateful list. Make a list of things about which you’re grateful in your life. Give thanks for them daily.
Think positive. Try eliminating negative thinking from your life, and thinking positive instead.
Small pleasures. Make a list of small things that give you great pleasure. Sprinkle them throughout your day. Notice other small pleasures as you go through your day.
Kindness. Practice random acts of kindness and compassion. Do it anonymously. Help those in need. Volunteer. Make someone smile.
Love. Make an intimate connection with your loved ones. Develop your friendships. Spend time with them, converse, understand them, make them happy.
Health. Exercise and eat healthy — it sounds trite, but it can bring great happiness to your life.
Meaning. It’s often useful to find meaning, either through a church or spiritual way, or through those we love in life or through the things we’re passionate about. Give yourself a purpose.
Flow. Eliminate distractions, and really pour yourself into whatever you’re doing. If it’s writing an article, like this one, really put yourself into it, until you forget the outside world.
Know yourself. Become attuned to what brings you happiness. Study yourself. Learn about what you love, and about your ability to love. Increase your capacity for compassion.

What brings you happiness? How do you feel about materialism, and is it worth trying to escape it? Let us know in the comments.

See also:

If you liked this article, please bookmark it in del.icio.us. Thanks!

A Guide to Escaping Materialism and Finding Happiness

Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city. - George Burns

Every Thursday is Happiness Day on Zen Habits.

Money can’t buy you love. It can’t buy you happiness either.

By and large, money buys happiness only for those who lack the basic needs. Once you pass an income of $50,000, more money doesn’t buy much more happiness, [according to a happiness studies].

But it’s possible. Here’s a guide to finding a materialism-free life and discovering true happiness.

Flip on the radio or open up a newspaper or magazine, and you’re bombarded my more advertising. Go to a shopping center/mall, and the urge to buy comes from every direction.

Well, almost. You could go and live in a cabin in the woods (and that actually sounds nice), or you could still live in our modern society, but find ways to escape materialism.

Here are some suggestions:

Limit television. Do you really enjoy watching TV for hours? Think about which shows you really, really love, and only watch during that time. When the commercials come on, go do something else. Or use Tivo to watch TV. You can even give up cable TV entirely, if you’re brave — I have, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.
Eschew the news. Journalists will never tell you this, but if they’re completely honest, they’ll confess that the most important part of any news company, from TV or radio news to Internet or print new, is the advertising division. It’s the division that pays the paychecks of the rest of the company. The news is important in driving traffic to the advertising. So when you’re watching or reading news, you’re really being sucked in to advertising. Try this instead: boycott the news for a week. I’ve done it for about two years, and it hasn’t hurt me a bit. In fact, it’s helped me a lot.
Limit Internet reading. I’m not saying you should cancel your cable Internet subscription or anything. I love reading blogs. But find just those that you truly love reading, that give you the most value, and limit your reading to those. And just do it once a day, for 30 minutes or so. If you can do that, you’ve gone a long way towards tearing yourself away from advertising.
Give up magazines for books. Magazines are also designed with advertising in mind. And they rarely give you much value. Try reading an ad-free book instead. It’s a much better use of your time.
Don’t go to the mall or Walmart. The only purpose of these places is for you to spend money. If you just want a place to spend your Saturday afternoon, find a place where you don’t need to spend money to have fun — a park or a beach, for example. If you need to buy something, go to a single store (not the mall) and go in and get what you need. Don’t browse and walk around looking at stuff. You’ll get sucked in.
Monitor your urges. When you’re online, or watching TV, or at a store, keep track of the number of times you want to buy something. Keep a little notebook or index card, and just put tally marks. Once you become more aware of your urges to buy things, you can start to control them. If you could control them, limiting your consumption of media (see above tips) isn’t really necessary — although I would argue that it still gives you a better quality of life.
Use a 30-day list. If you still really want to buy something, put it on a list, and write down the date you added the item to the list. Now tell yourself you cannot buy that item for 30 days. It might be difficult, but you can do it. When the 30 days have passed, if you still want it, then buy it. But you can’t buy anything (besides essentials like groceries) without putting it on the list for 30 days first. Many times, our urges to buy something will pass during this waiting period.
Declutter. I find it pretty amazing to see all the crap I buy over a period of years, when I go through my closets and other possessions and start getting rid of stuff I don’t use or want anymore. It’s a gratifying process, and at the same time, it makes me realize how useless all our consumer shopping is. I don’t need any of the stuff! When you do this, you may be less likely to buy more stuff. Especially if you enjoy the decluttered look of your house as much as I do.
Find other forms of entertainment. There are other things to do besides watch TV or movies or read magazines or newspapers or the Internet. Try playing sports or exercising, or playing board games or creating art or writing or reading a book. Try doing fun things with your kids or visiting relatives and other loved ones. Try volunteering with a charity. I’m sure you could come up with 100 free or cheap things to do.
Buy used. When you get the urge to buy something, and you’re convinced that it’s needed, try finding it used instead of new. Look in thrift shops or garage sales or flea markets or similar places.

A True Path to Happiness
So, if you’re able to escape materialism, how can you find true happiness? There are many ways, and each of us is different, but here are some things I suggest trying:

Grateful list. Make a list of things about which you’re grateful in your life. Give thanks for them daily.
Think positive. Try eliminating negative thinking from your life, and thinking positive instead.
Small pleasures. Make a list of small things that give you great pleasure. Sprinkle them throughout your day. Notice other small pleasures as you go through your day.
Kindness. Practice random acts of kindness and compassion. Do it anonymously. Help those in need. Volunteer. Make someone smile.
Love. Make an intimate connection with your loved ones. Develop your friendships. Spend time with them, converse, understand them, make them happy.
Health. Exercise and eat healthy — it sounds trite, but it can bring great happiness to your life.
Meaning. It’s often useful to find meaning, either through a church or spiritual way, or through those we love in life or through the things we’re passionate about. Give yourself a purpose.
Flow. Eliminate distractions, and really pour yourself into whatever you’re doing. If it’s writing an article, like this one, really put yourself into it, until you forget the outside world.
Know yourself. Become attuned to what brings you happiness. Study yourself. Learn about what you love, and about your ability to love. Increase your capacity for compassion.

What brings you happiness? How do you feel about materialism, and is it worth trying to escape it? Let us know in the comments.

See also:

If you liked this article, please bookmark it in del.icio.us. Thanks!

Spewed into the world on 28 June 2007 in Happiness |
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Brilliant comments (70)

Tom Says:

June 28th, 2007, 7:36 am

One thing I’d add to the list - is to revisit your everyday activities.

For years I’d be stuck cooking and eating very similar meals every day. Then I finally broke the habit, invested in some cookbooks (though you could avoid the materialistic element and find some free online recipies - there’s loads out there!) and started to experiment.

Now I love trying out new things and experimenting with salads/roasts/baking.

In short - by taking a closer look at your everyday activites you can usually find something to take pleasure in and by doing this you improve every single day!

Richard Osenga Jr Says:

June 28th, 2007, 8:57 am

Great post. It amazes me how many times your articles touch heavily on Biblical principals. Your true happiness list is all principals that the Bible teaches.

Materialism today is driven by those that would sell their own soul to make another buck. We as individuals need to realized that there are some things that we do not have to take part in or places we don’t have to go. This is were true freedom is found.

Simply staying away from the things that taint us, WalMart, Cosmo, Sex in the City, and CNN, can set us free.

Keep up the articles, good stuff.

Bram Says:

June 28th, 2007, 8:59 am

Although there is some merit to eschewing the news, I think your recommendation is also a bit selfish. I think it’s quite important to follow what is going on in the world and to be an informed citizen. Too many Americans are woefully ignorant about the world, and this situation is often a result of not following the news. I am an avid news reader, and I find that it is quite humbling. I’m more aware of the incredible privilege that I have, and it makes me more content with what I already have in life.

Leo Says:

June 28th, 2007, 9:21 am

Hi Bram … I respect your point of view. I also think the most important part of your comment is that the news makes you aware of the incredible privilege that you (and I) have. But I think reading the news every day is not necessary for accomplishing that. The news, for example, only highlights sensational stuff going on in third-world countries. But if you want to get a real perspective of what’s going on there, it’s better to talk to those who actually live there. There are websites created by those people … there are amazing documentaries made by them … and some great books that give you a much more realistic picture of those countries.

You can see what I mean. The news is only one way to accomplish what you’re talking about. If reading the news gives you value and joy, and doesn’t make you want to spend money, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. But my recommendation is based on my experience, as a news reader, as a former journalist, and as someone who has boycotted the news and hasn’t suffered a bit because of it. My worldview has not shrunk … just my consumption of sensationalist news, and my consumption of materialistic advertising.

Leo Says:

June 28th, 2007, 9:23 am

Sorry … I’d like to add one more thing to this discussion of news. I would highly recommend that you stay away from corporate media (even though I quoted CNN in this article!) … look for independent media, that gives you a less corporate-centered view of the world. Consider, for example, that the media are owned by the same people who are profiting from the war in Iraq … and consider what that does to the coverage. I think what Americans need is not more corporate news, but more independent news. It exists, but it isn’t known by most.

Shannon Says:

June 28th, 2007, 10:07 am

I think these are great tips, especially the 30-day waiting list tip. My downfall is online shopping, and it’s so easy to make an impulsive buy. So if I see something online that I like, I make myself add it to my delicious wishlist instead and let it sit there for at least 30 days before I return and buy it. Most times, I completely forget it was there! Also, if I do come back, it is easier to pick one thing I really need or want rather than buy everything I see that I like.

As for the news, consider NPR/BBC for sources. I agree that corporatized television “news” is really nothing more than a long commercial and actually detracts from my happiness with its lopsided reporting.

matt Says:

June 28th, 2007, 10:10 am

I gave up T.V. 100% about 2.5 years ago. I have notice my urges to buy things has dropped drastically. I also gave up all forms of news (online, offline) and noticed that my anger and overall hatred toward other people has dropped drastically (and whenever I do stumble across news on the internet I start to get angry again…) 2.5 years after giving up t.v. I hear people talking about the same crap that was on it 2.5 years ago… I’m not missing anything at all. And on top of it all now I have time to try new things (now that I’m not throwing my life away to the T.V.)

I’ve also given up tech news (slashdot/digg..etc ). All the articles are just “THE NEXT XYZ KILLER” or “WHY SOMETHING SUCKS!”; again just gI find that the front page of del.icio.us is a much better way to get actual factual information if you are trying to keep current.

matt Says:

June 28th, 2007, 10:12 am

“Great post. It amazes me how many times your articles touch heavily on Biblical principals. Your true happiness list is all principals that the Bible teaches.”

Actually the bible teaches you to kill everyone that doesn’t agree with you. That isn’t very zen. I would try giving that thing a read before you tell people how great it is.

bushidozen Says:

June 28th, 2007, 10:15 am

To me, happiness is living in the moment; those little pockets of awareness where I truly understand my presence in the universe. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I smile.

Garry Says:

June 28th, 2007, 11:56 am

A great article. I think Televsion is the biggest problem. I’ve been so much happier since I stopped watching it about 10 years ago. I’d strongly advise everyone to try it. For great news with no corporate agenda and ads, I’d recommend BBC. It’s not just UK focused, they have a wonderful world news service as well as sections for different regions and countries. Have a look at the BBC website, and tune your radio into BBC World Service :-)

elv Says:

June 28th, 2007, 12:52 pm

Regarding TV, the CEO of the french biggest TV channel once said that from a business perspective, their real job was to sell available brain time to Coca-Cola :)

gerryc Says:

June 28th, 2007, 13:29 pm

i love tv! one day maybe i can add it to my 30 day challenge.
i have already incorporated a lot of these suggestions. I don’t watch the news or read newspapers and i do check independent news outlets. i also use something similiar to the 30 day wish list, and do a gratitude list throughout the day. i moved from a 2 family house w/garage into a 450 ft studio and gave away most of my possessions- it was very freeing.
i really like the suggestion to look at every day activities from Tom- that’s seem doable and something to look forward to, I tend to not stick with things when i feel deprived.
thanks for this site and post
g

Richard Osenga Jr Says:

June 28th, 2007, 13:37 pm

Well Matt, “Actually the bible teaches you to kill everyone that doesn’t agree with you. That isn’t very zen. I would try giving that thing a read before you tell people how great it is.”

Condition of man:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jer. 17:9).

Nature of God:
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

God’s call for our lives:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Gal. 5: 22-23, 26)

Much like the truth in the statement “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people” so the truth is that man’s nature is inherently evil and will continually seek it out. Our responsibility as individuals is the step up and say, “I can and I will be better than my born-nature within me.”

If we weren’t iherently bent toward ‘the bad’ we would not be talking about our materialism because we would inherently be philanthropic!

Bram Says:

June 28th, 2007, 15:04 pm

Leo,

I’m actually writing this comment from Beirut, where I’m spending the summer studying Arabic, so I definitely am talking to the people themselves. (When you’re a teacher, you get the incredible luxury of ten week summer vacation.)
I do agree with you that it is important to read independent news sources. I actually read a variety of sources from around the world, especially lots from developing world countries. I also read many blogs, watch numerous foreign films and documentaries, and I read books extensively.
I was not suggesting that your own worldview has shrunk because of your decision not to read the news. But for many people who choose not to follow the news around the world and reach out to understand truly how the world works there is still some selfishness to it. For many people, the decision not to follow the news reflects a notion that knowing about the world isn’t important. And as I said before, I’m not suggesting this attitude applies to you. I’ve been following your blog for a while, and I have a sense that you think about things more than the average person. I would just be careful recommending to other people not to follow the news. As a teacher, I’m often amazed by how naive students can be about the world, and it leads to a more me-centered worldview.

Peace.

matt Says:

June 28th, 2007, 16:17 pm

Well Richard:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odour for the Lord (Lev. 1:9)

If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as menservants do (Exodus 21:7)

For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. (Exodus 35:2)

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? [17] If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God&’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. (Corinthians 3:16-17)

“Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to” thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”

Not to mention the many flaws in the bible:

Adam and Eve came into existence knowing everything a fully grown adult would know. They could speak, they could identify objects, they could walk with perfect motor skills; they acted like adults. Since it takes many years of development and learning for a human child to learn these skills, we can see that GOD had pre-programmed their brains, otherwise they would have been crawling around (no motor skills yet) the garden, crying at each other and pissing themselves.

Thus, when Eve picked the apple, it was not Eve picking the apple, but the program that GOD had put into her that picked the apple. God had created Eve for the sole purpose of picking that apple.

The “Original Sin” is not man’s sin, but God’s. According to the EXACT TEXT of the bible.

So your saying the perfect person, GOD, would write something as unclear as this?

Wow, your god is stupid.

rohit Says:

June 28th, 2007, 16:18 pm

great article leo, u continue to amaze me with such wonderful articles keep up the good work

Armen Says:

June 28th, 2007, 16:27 pm

Firstly, I’m really enjoying your writing Leo. The posts on copyblogger and northxeast were quality, and you’ve just gained another subscriber.

Matt - Just because God gave Adam and Eve the ability to think, communicate, and discern, doesn’t mean when Eve was “programmed” by God.

In fact, I find it interesting that you boldly proclaim your statement as being in accordance with the exact text in the Bible, when in fact you put words into the Bible that are not there. For example, where does it say Eve picked an apple??

Leo Says:

June 28th, 2007, 16:41 pm

Hmmm. I’m not sure how this became a debate about the Bible when it’s supposed to be about happiness and materialism … but all I ask is that you guys keep things civil. :)

Richard Osenga Jr Says:

June 28th, 2007, 16:47 pm

Leo, I hope this line of discussion has not deterred from your good writing and well established points.

Matt, there is no need to attack things that we can not control. Humans need an understanding that there is a lot out of our control. God would be one of them. I don’t know why a lot of things are in the Bible or why terrible things happen all over the earth every day. I do know, in a position to make a choice, I’ll be on the side of an almighty God.

I don’t think that your beliefs are stupid and sure they make sense in your mind.

matt Says:

June 28th, 2007, 16:50 pm

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and ate, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he ate.

Are you going to debate that since the bible said fruit and I said apple the argument must be thrown out? Man you people have some wacky debating skills.

“Matt - Just because God gave Adam and Eve the ability to think, communicate, and discern, doesn’t mean when Eve was “programmed” by God.”

Um… actually it does. ……

oh.. i forgot, the earth is only 1000 years old, and people don’t learn things, they just magically know them and based on that magic thought that pops into their head they are judged for all eternity! I forgot I was supposed to debate this in the land of make believe.

Sorry… Without mention of dragons and fairies sometimes I forget to debate in make believe

“but all I ask is that you guys keep things civil. :)” oops.. shit.. screwed up again :)

Sorry…

JamesN Says:

June 28th, 2007, 18:00 pm

I’m not an atheist, but I do believe Christianity is grossly misunderstood. See http://www.truthbeknown.com/origins.htm for a better understanding of where Christianity comes from.

Many people have an idealized picture of their own religion - and since they believe in it - to them it is the truth. When they are confronted with differing opinions, they engage in a “just” battle. Truth vs. Falsehoods. It is as though they are Knights battling for the honor of their Lady. Of course, this can be just as true with atheists…

This is the problem with belief. Spirituality doesn’t require belief. It can be pragmatic - it can simply be lived. There is no need to believe in miraculous stories. Religious stories still “work” even if they are recognized as myths.

JamesN Says:

June 28th, 2007, 18:11 pm

I do find it interesting that a post about Materialism has inspired debate about our non-material possessions - beliefs.

Armen Says:

June 28th, 2007, 19:08 pm

I could debate, but I shall refrain. I only bite when I read something like, “Wow, your god is stupid”.

Having said that, I suppose such statements are better ignored. It’s not worth the possibility of marring the online reputation I’ve built up so far.

matt Says:

June 28th, 2007, 21:04 pm

I Could debate Armen’s comment, but since everyone knows I’m so smart and witty there really is no need. We just know that since i’m so smart and witty, Armen must be dumb. We also know Armen is a dunce, for he said “I could debate but…” He doesn’t even have debating skills! He stated it himself. What a silly boy.

Those who base their lives on weak arguments quickly learn dirty debating skills as their arguments can not stand on their own.

Leo Says:

June 28th, 2007, 22:08 pm

OK. Let’s move on guys! I don’t mind a healthy debate, but let’s refrain from attacks … I’m not blaming anyone here, but I would just rather not get into name-calling on my site. I don’t like to be heavy handed, but if any other comments continue in this vein, I will delete them.

OK, next topic! :)

p.s. I encourage discussion and debate, but I just ask for civility. Religion can be a heated topic, I know, so it’s best to treat it with a little care.

And remember the most important message of religion and non-religion alike: love for your fellow humans. Let’s practice it here!

Richard Osenga Jr Says:

June 28th, 2007, 22:15 pm

Leo, I apologize. I only intended to represent how universal your writing was in the light of cross-culture, cross-platform ideology. I’m a regular reader and my first post gets heated. My bad. Please, keep up the good work.

I never weighed in but I think you should certainly go to 5 posts a week. You only live once and life should not be all grind. We appreciate your topics and the mad-writing skills at which you attack them! Keep on!

Over and out…

Ron Says:

June 28th, 2007, 22:20 pm

whew, nice and quiet now

Leo Says:

June 28th, 2007, 22:22 pm

No need to apologize, Richard! I just wanted to stop the debate before it got worse. I appreciate your original comment … although I wasn’t intending to be Biblical, I understand where you’re coming from.

I also understand what Matt was saying, but as for myself, I like to see the best in everything. And from the Bible, for me, the most inspired bit is the Sermon on the Mount. Best speech ever written, most intelligent thing ever said.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sermon_on_the_mount

Jesus’ interpretation of the Golden Rule, his take on Mosaic law, his commandment to love your enemy (which should be noted here on this thread), to turn the other cheek, the Beatitudes … extremely wise stuff.

howlinghervor Says:

June 28th, 2007, 23:49 pm

I would suggest regularly doing something different. New experiences teach you new things, gives you new understandings and makes life a little more exciting.

It doesn’t have to be extreme, it is amazing how even little things can add to your wealth of knowledge and unexpectedly make your day something special.

Klaus Says:

June 29th, 2007, 4:54 am

Let me get back to the news bit. In my view the problem of misinformation and television go hand in hand. It is simply not possible to really cover a subject, whatever it is, in video snippets whose length is measured in seconds! It is however possible to modify opinions that way.

Here are my personal recommendations:

1. No Television as a source of news unless you absolutely must see the moving pictures. Radio gives you just as good an overview of things that are going on.

2. Rather buy a weekly newspaper because the weekly bit means that the articles are generally better researched and offer more background information. And you need to read it with enough time on your hands in order to think about what you have read.

In general reading is always better than watching or listening since it allows you to digest the information at your own pace.

And Leo, keep up the good work!

J Says:

June 29th, 2007, 10:28 am

And if you are working passionately at something you love, it’s all moot. Your life will order itself organically into a pure, natural and elegant hierarchy.

David B. Bohl Says:

June 29th, 2007, 10:28 am

Great post.

The other thing I’d add is that being happy is often equated with being busy. We see busy people, assume they’re happy, and want what they have.

Someone with lots of things, and who is usng those things often, appears to be really enjoying themselves.

But sometimes busy is a bad thing. It could mean that someone is overburdened and overwhelmed, and doesn’t have the time to simply enjoy life. They’re running from one thing to the next and never really stopping to look at what’s going on in their lives, or, more importantly, what’s important to them.

Escaping materialism may be one way to rediscover those things, but it does require that a person takes the time to really reflect upon his values and beliefs to determine how to design a life around those principles.

Adrian Smith Says:

June 29th, 2007, 10:45 am

Recycle. FreeCycle. BookMooch. Think of the environment.
This has helped me declutter and simplify.

Debting Thomas Says:

June 29th, 2007, 11:28 am

As the saying goes. What you own, owns you. I recommend paying everything with cash and completely eliminating credit cards.

Take the Power Back,

DT
http://www.debtingthomas.com

Paul Hillsdon Says:

June 29th, 2007, 15:22 pm

I don’t really agree with your suggestions to eliminate advertising. It is, in a sense, limiting off your world. I find it far easier to simply skip the ads. That is to say, I usually know where an ad is going to be, and just scan past it. This works quite well with things like magazines or blogs or newspapers. Or with television, which I no longer watch through cable either, you could just zone out during commercials. Or, go to a movie, grab a seat early, and use the ten minutes of pre-show ads to go get your popcorn. I think there are many downsides to removing the media that profits off advertising, just to attempt to eliminate ads. I think, in a sense, becoming immune to advertising is more effective, but I’m a younger generation, so maybe it’s just built into my senses ;)

I like your second list though, and base my life around such ideas and acts.

Ruud Says:

June 29th, 2007, 18:15 pm

I like the “grateful list” a lot. A short time ago I came across this quote from Frances Rodman: “Just think how happy you would be if you lost everything you have right now, and then got it back again.”

That got me thinking and reappreciating all the little things that make up a good life. To remind myself and to be open to it I’ve started writing Grateful Because. It’s not an everyday process yet but I’m working on it.

Smriti Says:

June 30th, 2007, 21:51 pm

Hi Leo, you’ve compiled a really good list of things to do to avoid being caught in consumerism. I feel that you can also combat materialism by having a control on yourself, having the feeling of being content and believing in oneself. Sometimes our purchases result from peer pressure/comparisons, you want to own something because your peers have it. But if you believe in yourself and are content you will never care about what others have. If one learns these three qualities one doesn’t even have to shun the media because nothing can tempt him. I feel media is a very important, they maybe all about advertisements but they do keep you up-to-date. Advertisements tell you what are the latest things. You don’t have to own an iPhone to talk about it. On the other hand if you don’t know anything about it you might feel lost in conversations amongst friends and colleagues.

James Says:

November 6th, 2007, 6:56 am

Bram,
I agree with you 100%, that avoiding the news is not a good idea. I don’t think ignorance is ever a good thing.

Andrew Says:

December 4th, 2007, 20:32 pm

In my opinion, advertisements attack those with low self-esteem. People who need more things to feel better about their lives. Those who have sufficient self-esteem will not feel pressure to conform with the crowd. And if they do conform with the crowd, it will be a conscious decision. They prey on people’s insecurities. If you’ve ever seen a Pepsi commercial where all the people are jumping around and having fun, and there you are watching television, it makes you think, “If I buy Pepsi, maybe my life will be like that.” I don’t watch much television and I would recommend http://www.turnoffyourtv.com if you want more info on television. Good luck to all on escaping materialism.

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CathD Says:

June 2nd, 2008, 7:28 am

As a life coach, I often hear the words, “I’ll be happy when…” This is usually followed by a list of material things that must be obtained, changes that have to be made to job tasks, responsibility or status, weight that must be lost, relationships that must be resolved, other people who must change and behave better, and of course money that must be made. We’ve been conditioned into deferring our happiness, by telling ourselves the story that things make us happy. This is supported by mass media, which is obviously keen to ensure that you keep spending your hard-earned money on the lipsticks, shoes, homeware, mobile phones, grand cars and even grander homes on offer. But the truth is that, just like Michael realised when I probed, people don’t want things - we want feelings. We want the feelings that we think those things will make us feel.

Well the things is, we already have feelings, and the capacity to feel however we want to feel. To learn simple, easy ways you can generate more of the feelings you want in life, go to http://www.mineyourthought.blogspot.com/2008/06/ill-be-happy-when.html

Happiness isn’t having what you want - it’s wanting what you have.

robert frome Says:

June 6th, 2008, 23:12 pm

If you’re a news junkie as I am, then try something different once in awhile. Look to international sources for a change of pace and a different perspective. The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/? and the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/?ok are both great alternatives to US corporate news.

And to quote the Movie Fight Club,
“Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need.”

Pall Says:

July 23rd, 2008, 8:35 am

Above can be said to add only this comment
Friedrich Engels said:
“Life is a form of protein bodies, and this mode of existence is in its essence in a constant updating of their chemical parts through nutrition and allocation.”

Today, the definition of life reads as follows.

Life - this kind of interaction of matter, whose main distinction from other known species interactions of matter is the existence of so-called genetic sites that define the process of fusion consumed matter objects with similar genetic set of objects. Genetic facility - this physical facilities that under certain conditions through their physical-chemical properties can participate in the synthesis of living objects. Living facility - is an object which contains a set of genetic elements of the property under certain conditions control the synthesis of consumed matter object containing a similar set of genetic elements.

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Dave leander Says:

September 24th, 2008, 11:45 am

I’m not old or boring however have found that I enjoy doing puzzles. I bought a puzzle 200 piece and it took me hours to complete. I found it very relaxing, Also a friend came over and my son and they got hooked into it also. Going for a 1000 piece next time. The puzzle cost 2.49$ and gave us a full day of entertainment.

John Says:

October 22nd, 2008, 10:35 am

Hi Leo,
Thank you for this post. I have been reading your blog for the past couple of weeks and you have got me thinking about my own life. This post summarizes what’s it’s all about: stop wasting time with mindless activities (watching TV, checking for new e-mail or news updates, stop buying things that end up in the back of my closet) and start to think about what really matters and act accordingly. You have inspired me to take action and give a sense of direction to my own life.
Thank you for that.
John

Ray The Money Man Says:

November 1st, 2008, 9:53 am

The “news fast” is very effective. Since we watch virtually no news when we do it makes us feel awful.

Great post, it should be the basis for an elementary school course.

Myrth Tizon Says:

December 2nd, 2008, 5:07 am

Very interesting post!

I also would like to share what I learned from one of the blogs of http://www.bestsum.com which says that “The old saying goes, “Money makes the world go round”, and this is true to a certain extent. Because no matter what money can do for you, it isn’t everything – and you shouldn’t treat it like the most important thing.”

So, don’t let money be the be-all and end-all of your life!

:-)

anaaa Says:

January 18th, 2009, 16:07 pm

I relly like it thanks for the imput…

BART Says:

January 18th, 2009, 16:19 pm

Very interesting!

I am really impressed on how you wrote this article! It is very true and money does NOT buy happiness. Just like you said maybe at the begining, but not after you waste $50 000. Good Effort!

Akaal - Veterinarian Says:

February 12th, 2009, 18:36 pm

hmmm.. usually the day I’m being productive is a happy day for me. I’m not too much into gadgets (now don’t call my blackberry a gadget that part of the life) but buying stuff does give me happiness. It can be a new book or some kind of training program (totally geek) but whatever makes me excited makes me happy. I don’t know how to keep myself excited about my work all the times :|
Anyways, thank you for the great post. Loved it!

Paul Says:

February 13th, 2009, 4:00 am

Reading this post, and looking at the adverts on the right of it, is quite amusing.

anca Says:

February 18th, 2009, 16:07 pm

love your post but don’t totally live by it:)
there are things that i have bought and i still love them, like my laptop which was very desired and is still appreciated and that will be the same when i’ll have my own car. these things cost money yet i use them a lot, they don’t sit in the closet.
raising my education also makes me very fulfilled, with each passed exam and read book and creative idea i feel better.
so i find happiness in materialism AND knowledge
i don’t watch tv but couldn’t imagine life without net as I’ve always craved for information and the bigger a city is i live in the happier i am

Best wood splitter Says:

February 27th, 2009, 14:47 pm

Limit television. Do you really enjoy watching TV for hours? Think about which shows you really, really love, and only watch during that time. When the commercials come on, go do something else. Or use Tivo to watch TV. You can even give up cable TV entirely, if you’re brave — I have, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.

If I only applied this one tip from many that you offer here, I know that I will change my life.

vb1 Says:

March 5th, 2009, 3:13 am

Comment from UWF,
I believe that there is a connection between the message in this article and religious belief. A big part of religion is about showing us a way to live a life of respect, love and happiness. What I don’t believe in is that your specific God of choice or sacred book of choice determines a better plan on how to get there. Both Matt and Richard seem like intelligent and talented guys who are presenting some valid points. But they insist in not accepting their differences by pushing ideas on each other. All of us need to stop being so centered on what we believe as true, we need to understand that a simple and happy live can only be lived if we all break this barrier and live for each other by understanding and accepting our differences. Kindness is “a true path to happiness”.

Nicolai Says:

April 22nd, 2009, 12:55 pm

The grateful list is a wonderful tool, I will write one of those in the next week.

Take care

Ride on mowers Says:

May 7th, 2009, 14:23 pm

To be honest, my mom always said to me that I should try to find happiness in myself and now when I am older I can finally understand what she meant by that.

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jomanette Says:

June 6th, 2009, 23:52 pm

I have been a follower of your blog for a couple of weeks now and I will say your articles are well-written.

I agree. Happiness cannot be equated with materialism. and money. According to a research, the richest and most envied people are the saddest people in this world. We must learn to live simply to be able to find the happiness everybody is looking for.

free divorce papers Says:

June 7th, 2009, 0:16 am

“Limit television.” Our children ask us to buy EVERYTHING they see in TV commercials. Whew!

aldohas Says:

June 22nd, 2009, 13:50 pm

wow… great tips
if we want to escape from materialism, live in spiritual life, learn more about your religion, in my Religion, Islam, we can get the endless happiness by live in spiritual life, even we don’t have money, we still can smile everyday

Fan Site Says:

June 25th, 2009, 17:30 pm

April 22nd, 2009, 12:55 pm
The grateful list is a wonderful tool, I will write one of those in the next week.

Take care

Tom Briggs Says:

June 26th, 2009, 13:38 pm

Installed AdBlock Plus and fell in love with it. It’s free and it removes all Internet advertising from your browser . BONUS: An uncluttered, less distracted and more sharply focused surfing experience.

Preklady nemcina Says:

June 27th, 2009, 3:06 am

I am trying to escape Materialism Leo, and I want to make journal about it so I can see that I am on a great track. Mike

Arabalar Says:

June 27th, 2009, 6:19 am

Money can’t buy you love. Money can’t buy happiness. If you connect to something in your happiness, you will not be happy.

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