\u201cWhat is happiness to you?\u201d We all have heard this question sometime throughout our life. Even the famous movie, \u201cVanilla Sky\u201d, staring Tom Cruise, centers its entire theme on this topic. There are many forms of happiness that one may encounter on many levels, whether if it is either helping out a fellow colleague or simply doing a certain act of service that gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment. But our world today presents another path to the so-called happiness that we all desire. This is the path that has now evolved around materialistic values and consumerism that has made a large impact on our society. In Harry Crews\u2019 essay \u201cThe Car\u201d and James B. Twitchell\u2019s \u201cTwo Cheers for Materialism\u201d; we begin to take notice of the reality of materialism and how it is playing a major role in our lives. Many studies have been performed to try and discover an answer to the question on whether material possessions can lead to happiness; it seems that our society continues to fail at making a decision. However, the majority of tests prove that our society does believe that our lives are becoming too materialistic and money doesn\u2019t essentially lead to a form of happiness in one\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
A recent study from UC Berkeley claims that their findings through various research, lend strong support for the idea that the way money impacts happiness, does indeed depend on the individual (Hyman 1). It was also stated that if money is what you value, than money, indeed, would make you happy. This article basically proves that it is the person\u2019s self-opinion on whether he or she believes that money will lead to his or her happiness. There are thousands of people that long for that dream of success and riches. But are these studies found at UC Berkeley always true? Another article questioning money and materialism leading to happiness, by Jan Lundberg, is in blaring contrast to UC Berkeley\u2019s findings. She states: \u201cWhen one lacks love or experiences the pain of loss, it often becomes clear that money and property don\u2019t mean much\u201d (Lundberg 1). As we compare these two articles, we notice that money may lead to happiness, but when it disappears or when we lack it, we feel the pain of loss.<\/p>\n
There is no dispute that our society is becoming more involved in materialistic and consumer values, now more than ever. We as consumers love to purchase various products of all types and forms. There are even those times when we as consumers get attached to a certain object, as witnessed is Harry Crews\u2019 essay \u201cThe Car\u201d. Harry explained his strong love that he had for his car and the care he gave to it. We realize that some of us have certain attractions to materials at one point in our lives as when he put twenty-seven coats of paint on his car, just due to his mere obsession with his car.<\/p>\n
James B. Twitchell also gives us a fairly good viewpoint on materialism in our society today, in his essay \u201cTwo Cheers for Materialism\u201d. He questions the idea of whether it is alright for our society to have these high materialistic values, and will they lead to happiness for us. James claims that we are living in a \u201cMallcondo\u201d society where we expect to have things done and at ease for us. Why shouldn\u2019t we have a smile on our face if we are presented this life?<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t always the case though. Davis G. Myers released an article titled \u201cThe Third Cultural\u201d, discussing our view of materialism, which is leading to a happier lifestyle. He said that three in four entering American collegians consider it very important or essential that they become very well off financially. David also stated that our society\u2019s income increased by more than double since 1957, but the number of Americans who claimed that they were very happy dropped from thirty-five to thirty-three percent. Even the Forbes\u2019 hundred wealthiest Americans surveyed, by the University of Illinois\u2019 psychologist Ed Diener, claimed that they are only slightly happier that the average American (Third Cultural 1).<\/p>\n
If time and time again, it is proven in our society through surveys or peoples opinions that money doesn\u2019t lead to happiness then why do we still feel that it can? A Lexus ad once proclaimed the voice of the majority: \u201cWhoever said money can\u2019t buy happiness, isn\u2019t spending it right.\u201d Also, a Princeton study showed that eighty-nine percent of people said that our world today is to materialistic, but ironically eighty-four percent of them wished that they had more money. Materialism and consumerism sure do control a major part of our society today, and survey after survey can tell us that money doesn\u2019t essentially lead to happiness, but that isn\u2019t slowing us down. The smile and feeling after buying that new car we worked so long for, is a feeling that no one wants to live without. So, until then, we as Americans are going to still say \u201cTwo Cheers for Materialism.\u201d<\/p>\n
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