We've all heard of the saying 'Money can't buy happiness', but is it actually true? After all, so much misery in this world seems to be as a result of lacking finances. Studies suggest that there may well be something in this presumption that you don't need money to make you content. Show Set-point theory Many studies looking at these issues use a concept called the set-point theory as the foundation of their approach. The set-point theory holds that it's difficult, if not impossible, to alter your levels of happiness. It claims your ability to be happy is fixed early on in life. Increasingly this theory has come into question and under examination.
 Cash crash: status and wealth does not lead to happiness Contentment over timeA current long-running German study looks at SWB and examines how both 'zero-sum goals' and 'non-zero sum goals' affect happiness. Zero-sum goals meaning life goals that concern status or wealth. And non-zero sum goals meaning non-materialistic life goals that concern family life or altruistic activities. “People with non-materialistic life goals report greater contentment in life than those who pursue more materialistic aims.” The paper concluded that people who placed a greater emphasis on non-zero sum goals such as family life experienced greater contentment in life than people who preferred more materialistic zero-sum goals. In fact, the pursuit of money and status appeared to actively damage happiness. Which may or may not come as a surprise. Why materialistic life goals harm youSo the question is: why do less or non-materialistic goals make people happier than materialistic ones? The probable explanation is so-called 'status anxiety'. This means that once you've achieved a higher level of status, it's no longer enough: you feel pressure to live up to that status, maintain your lifestyle, and indeed to accomplish more. Materialistic goals create a spiral of higher goals, more work stress and less connection. Status anxiety: success can lead to increased stress at work So when you're awarded a promotion and accompanying pay rise, you have to spend money on a more expensive car. You have to move to a better neighbourhood. And, in return, you need to keep working hard to pay for it, in order to maintain this status level. You may begin socialising with people in a higher income bracket and feel the need to present the same lifestyle as them, regardless if your income is adequate or not. “Materialistic goals create a spiral of higher goals, more work stress and less connection.” Non-materialistic life goals, on the other hand, are only beneficial to yourself and others. We can feel a deep sense of satisfaction from volunteering our time without any financial reward. We see that helping others creates meaning and meaning creates contentment. This generosity creates the feeling that we're making a difference.
Family gains: quality time with family is one key to happiness Conclusions on non-materialistic life goalsIt's not intrinsically bad to have ambition because this can motivate us. But this ambition should be used in healthy and productive ways. The conclusion to gather from this is that the pursuit of materialistic goals should not be at the expense of family life and non-materialistic goals. The sensible solution is to find a balance between looking after your financial needs and those of your family and looking after your 'soul'. “We see that helping others creates meaning and meaning creates contentment. This generosity creates the feeling that we're making a difference.” The sensible solution is to find a balance between looking after your financial needs and those of your family, while at the same time not forgetting to look after your 'soul'. This three-way balance takes ambition and motivation to achieve. However, the rewards are well worth the effort. High-quality deep relationships are the basis of a happy life. Having a reasonable degree of financial security is essential. Anyone worried about how to meet their bills will guaranteed to be stressed. But material goals should not dominate one's life. As this will only create the aforementioned upward spiral.
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[ muh-teer-ee-uh-lis-tik ] / məˌtɪər i əˈlɪs tɪk / See synonyms for materialistic on Thesaurus.com excessively concerned with physical comforts or the acquisition of wealth and material possessions, rather than with spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values. adhering to the philosophy of materialism, a theory that regards matter as constituting the universe and all its phenomena. QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT! In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.” The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day. TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Meet Grammar Coach Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing ma·te·ri·al·is·ti·cal·ly, adverban·ti·ma·te·ri·al·is·tic, adjectivean·ti·ma·te·ri·al·is·ti·cal·ly, adverbnon·ma·te·ri·al·is·tic, adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022 greedy, profane, secular, sensual, temporal, acquisitive, banausic, carnal, earthy, material, mundane, object-oriented, possessive, terrestrial, unspiritual
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