By: luvyourfate

luvyourfate — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:51:48 +0000

Great post! You should check out “The High Price of Materialism” by Tim Kasser. One of my biggest interests in the psych field is the psychology of happiness, and this book is one of the best introductions to the fact that materialistic values and behaviors orient people toward UNHAPPINESS with regards to mental health AND physical health. Specifically, they are more likely to suffer from depression and chronic low self-esteem, poor relations with others, and dysfunction within the family. In addition, those who are highly materialistic (based on his “aspiration index) are more likely to suffer from headaches, backaches, sore throats, and muscle pain. He also describes the detrimental effects materialism has on the environment. Although a lot of it reads like an academic article in a peer-reviewed journal (explicitly describing the scientific studies and evidence behind his claims), it is easy to skip these parts and read the analysis of what the studies show and what they mean with respect to our everyday lives. The best part, though, is the final chapter, “Making Changes,” where he discusses things we can all do to reduce our materialistic behavior and improve our overall levels of happiness in our lives. If you’re interested, I have a copy you can borrow anytime you like!

Comments on: Wage War Against Stuff

By: luvyourfate