This article is going to be somewhat different from the rest that I've written up until now, and the reason for that being that I want to get something out that's been on my mind lately. A lot of people nowadays seem to value expensive objects way too much. They do it for the sake of showing off to the people they know just to gain some validation. For example, they might buy a really expensive smartphone just to say 'look, I bought the latest phone!' And yet they don't even know how to use most of its features. People, buying expensive things isn't going to bring you long term fulfillment in the end, and that's a fact. That shiny new iPhone you bought is going to drop in value as time passes by, which means you're going to have to buy the newest thing on the market again just so you can keep impressing people (who probably don't even care about you). You're basically trapping yourself in a never-ending cycle of buyer's remorse by doing that.A lot of people nowadays don't value cultivating meaningful relationships anymore it seems. Having people you can talk to about anything, and who can be there for you in the hard times is far more fulfilling than getting the newest thing in the store that will eventually lose its worth anyhow. But hey, what the heck, right? We are all too caught up in ourselves and our own needs that we forget the value of fulfilling relationships. Heck, because we are too caught up in ourselves and our needs, we forget that other people have emotional needs, and those needs might be different from yours, which is why a lot of relationships fail nowadays. Then, as we grow older, we find ourselves more alone. Unless we are lucky enough to have been born with a family who loves us unconditionally, we can end up dying alone at home, or in a hospital these days. It's depressing to think that's the destiny that some of us have, and all because of how self-centered and materialistic we have become. All of this because of this me, me, me mentality.
Some people might even argue with me and say: 'but you don't need anyone to be happy.' That's true to some extent, not entirely. Think about it, can you really be content living by yourself on a deserted island for the rest of your life? I mean you might be fine with it for a few days, but after a while you are going to get sick of your own company, and you'll wish you had someone to talk to.
Fact of the matter is that humans are social creatures, and even the most introverted person will want someone to talk with once they get tired of being by themselves. If human beings were meant to be happy completely alone, then why does solitary confinement, one of the worst punishments a person can get for committing a heavy crime, have such strong consequences on the mind? The thing is, you need to be content with your own company, and not need others constantly around you so that your happiness isn't completely dependent on other people, but you also need to make room in your life for people who love you so you don't go through life all alone. That new gadget isn't going to hug you when you feel sad, nor is it going to tell you how much it loves you, and how much you mean to it.
Well, those are my thoughts, anyway. If they made you think about some things, then hey, good for you. If in your mind you still think that expensive cars, phones, or whatever, brings you more happiness than relationships ever will, then hey, it's your life, so live it however you want. It's your choice.
Alexis
P.S Below I will leave a link to an article that describes fifteen facts about solitary confinement, a link to a Youtube video that explains the consequences of materialism, and a study on how being more materialistic leads to an unfulfilling marriage.
https://www.therichest.com/shocking/15-chilling-facts-about-solitary-confinement/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGab38pKscw
https://www.studyfinds.org/materialistic-people-unhappy-marriage/
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