There is one thing that saddens me about our generation, and this is the seemingly extreme materialism that we have. A generation back, our parents had toiled in order for us to experience the comforts that they themselves have missed out on. But today, the average yuppie works… To buy the next iPod, the next digicam, the latest and greatest laptop.

While there is totally nothing wrong with being able to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor, and for all I know, like in my country, these young adults deserve their creature comforts too, because these young ones are the type who actually support their families or siblings, and put them through college.

But there is something wrong when people focus all their energies on these “creature comforts.” Then there is something grossly wrong when people even turn to credit cards in order to fuel these wants.

This is Part 2 of my Search for Significance series. As you may have noted already, this post deals with the side of us that searches for significance in stuff: in material objects.

I used to bite into that materialistic apple before. When I would go online, I would be hanging out on tech websites and fashion websites… Until I realized that life was so much more than the next gadget. Life is all about relationships, NOT stuff.

Sure, there are times when gadgets, when wants like these could prove to be a need. Like in our field, it’s nice when there are photos to accompany our stories. It’s nice when there are gadgets like these to make a blogger’s life easier.

But when these gadgets become the be-all and end-all of a person’s existence, that’s when one should start to question one’s motives for the consumerism.

Do I buy these because I derive my own significance from these?

Am I incurring debt because of these things?

If I am, why do I chase after these?

At the end of the day, when a thief steals my stuff, would my world crumble?

If, through these questions you can pinpoint that you do have an unholy dependence, addiction, or, to brutalize the blow further, idolatry to these material things, would you know how to cope with the realization that “Yes, my life is empty and centered on stuff”?

If you can get off your realization and wean yourself off stuff and back into what life is all about: relationships, friendships, family, then by all means, take that first step.

Maybe your friends and family were just waiting for you to wake up from your materialistic haze.

Photo Credits:

http://www.blavish.com

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